December 1, 2009 - We had set up outdoor lighting (really Christmas flood lights) giving us a view of most of the feeders in our side yard. After dark we wouldn't see any birds, of course, but could catch the antics of skunks, opossums, raccoons and rabbits. Glancing out the window (not really looking for an early visit from Santa) I saw a peculiar creature clinging to a peanut nugget feeder.

He had a ridge of fur-covered skin connecting his front foot, down his side, to his hind foot. My first thought was that this could be a bat, but the large flat tail suggested otherwise. After snapping several rather blurry pictures, I grabbed my mammal reference books.  I then had to debate whether this was a northern flying squirrel or a southern one (his accent didn't give him away). Both of these squirrels can claim our area of upstate NY home territory.

...more  info and photos

November 17, 2009 - Food Guy was able to capture a ton of pictures of a juvenile white-tailed deer. It still had several faint rows of white spots on its back. The fawn didn't seem overly skittish as he tried to get as close as possible. He traveled and grazed alone. While the male fawn is more likely to travel alone, this deer showed no sign of any pedicles (permanent structures between the ears of a buck fawn from which antlers grow).

Our juvenile deer seems to know he is handsome and appears very self-assured. Sure hope he'll visit us in our backyard again.

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November 04, 2009 - This was a surprise picture captured with our first birdcam. After viewing this we began putting out apple slices, pieces of other fruit and carrots on the paver stone table and on the ground around it. It didn't take long for the fruit to freeze completely to the table (Oops!).  Never saw the fawn return for a snack, but we did capture an eastern cottontail out  for an evening snack. 

...more white tailed deer and eastern cottontail info and photos