A robin landed on my foot..!, I know, I know, I know(?)

Once I was sitting on the sofa talking to a friend on the phone. I had a black cat so when I saw what looked like in my peripheral vision to be a black tail flap up and down at first I didn't register it as wrong, then I realized the cat wasn't there and I stood up and looked and it was a long big black snake slithering along the top back of the sofa! I'm afraid I screamed in my friend's ear. Luckily the snake was calm and willing to be encouraged out the door with a broom.
Another time I went out to close up the chickens for the night and there was a possum sleeping in one of the chicken nests. It was not at all cooperative, it was not scared of me and wouldn't get out (and I couldn't close it up in the dark with the chickens or it would potentially have killed them - they were already anxiously perched as high up as they could get). I tried throwing shavings and hay on it, no luck, I tried throwing snow on it, no luck, finally tossed a bucket of water on it and that motivated it to get out and let me shoo it out the door.
 

Once I was sitting on the sofa talking to a friend on the phone. I had a black cat so when I saw what looked like in my peripheral vision to be a black tail flap up and down at first I didn't register it as wrong, then I realized the cat wasn't there and I stood up and looked and it was a long big black snake slithering along the top back of the sofa! I'm afraid I screamed in my friend's ear. Luckily the snake was calm and willing to be encouraged out the door with a broom.
Another time I went out to close up the chickens for the night and there was a possum sleeping in one of the chicken nests. It was not at all cooperative, it was not scared of me and wouldn't get out (and I couldn't close it up in the dark with the chickens or it would potentially have killed them - they were already anxiously perched as high up as they could get). I tried throwing shavings and hay on it, no luck, I tried throwing snow on it, no luck, finally tossed a bucket of water on it and that motivated it to get out and let me shoo it out the door.
Looking something like this, (pretty scary stuff! :eek::cautious::cry: ).

Black.snake.1.jpg

Possum.1.jpeg
 
A few. The first one when I was 5 years old.
We were driving to Las Vegas & my mom wanted to take photos of Joshua Trees. My dad drove a half mile or so into the desert. I had a habit of wandering & petting every animal I found outside. I found a large snake next to a bush & picked it up. Later, I learned it was a Mojave Green Rattlesnake - one of the deadliest. I remember thinking "He comes with his own built-in toy - how cute his tail was - with those rattles on it." He was climbing around on my face for at least 5 minutes when I heard my dad yell, "Hey...put that down...he's poisonous...he can kill ya!" I said, "But he likes me." My dad didn't want to come near me while I was holding him. I gently put him down. To this day, I don't know why he didn't bite me or even rattle. We were hours from any hospital, so if he bit me, I doubt I would have survived. Well, a 5 year old doesn't know about Neuro toxic Venom.

Currently, 3-4 nights/week, 4 Raccoons visit me & I feed them. 2 of them take food out of my hand. They love cat kibble, Hazelnuts, pineapple & mango. One of them is crazy about peanut-butter dog biscuits.
 
A few. The first one when I was 5 years old.
We were driving to Las Vegas & my mom wanted to take photos of Joshua Trees. My dad drove a half mile or so into the desert. I had a habit of wandering & petting every animal I found outside. I found a large snake next to a bush & picked it up. Later, I learned it was a Mojave Green Rattlesnake - one of the deadliest. I remember thinking "He comes with his own built-in toy - how cute his tail was - with those rattles on it." He was climbing around on my face for at least 5 minutes when I heard my dad yell, "Hey...put that down...he's poisonous...he can kill ya!" I said, "But he likes me." My dad didn't want to come near me while I was holding him. I gently put him down. To this day, I don't know why he didn't bite me or even rattle. We were hours from any hospital, so if he bit me, I doubt I would have survived. Well, a 5 year old doesn't know about Neuro toxic Venom.

Currently, 3-4 nights/week, 4 Raccoons visit me & I feed them. 2 of them take food out of my hand. They love cat kibble, Hazelnuts, pineapple & mango. One of them is crazy about peanut-butter dog biscuits.
I was going to suggest to another forum member doing away with the cat flap, and calling the cat in when necessary instead to avoid snakes entering, but if your kids go around with them on their face, "what are you to do"! :rolleyes::giggle:.
 
When I worked in the Falkland Islands, after the war to
build an airport, we had a shipping container as a place
to sit and do small repairs etc., I fell asleep while sitting
on an easy chair and was wakened by a bird chirping
loudly, when I opened my eyes, there on the toe of my
boot was a Falkland Island Robin, they are like a Starling
with a red breast.

Falkland Island Robin.jpg

Also while in the Islands whenever we went to the Port
where we had a ship acting as a harbour, we would go
to the galley and get some bread from the chef, we then
held some in each hand and spread our arms, after a short
time we would have Terns on each arm, they formed a queue
for the bread, when they got a bit, they flew off and the next
one came forward for his share.

These Islands are so remote that the wildlife don't realise how
evil man can be and they trusted us.

Mike.
 
If I can stop one heart from breaking

If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain
.

Emily Dickinson
 
I was standing outside smoking a cigarette enjoying the cool night air in a dimly lit parking area of the warehouse where I was. I looked down only to see about 8 inches from me was a diamond back rattle snake curled up sound asleep I assumed. I slowly walked backward without incident. When my coworker and i went out to look for it it was nowhere to be found.
 
Are we sharing all these?
I've got some.
8 years old, stepped barefoot on a HUGE rattle snake on one of my walks. I killed him.
Sleeping outside in Yosemite, a deer kissed my nose. I opened my eyes and the deer ran away.
A blue Jay ate out of my hand once. but I had sesame seeds!
My late husband opened the door in Colorado and a HUGE black bear with the most beautiful reddish coat was standing there. (Colorado) he was about 8 feet tall.
He grabbed his rifle by the door but changed his mind about shooting him because he didn;t want to clean him.
I've been as close as a foot away from bears (black bears) more than a few times. Docile. They arn't TEDDY BEARS though.
Tried to get a Mountain Lion out of a tree when I was a little girl.
Gaer you should visit Vegas.
 


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