As we gardeners know, good veg brings wildlife. I’m often surprised at how much wildlife we see – and share space with – this close to the city. We’ve had several fun fellows visit, and who doesn’t love critter pics. Enjoy!
Fuzzy
This little darling was a surprise on our way to work one morning a few years ago in May. We’d had a duck nest with a full clutch of eggs nestled underneath some shrubbery next to our front porch. My partner accidently uncovered it while clearing leaves to get ready for Spring. Mama duck came screaming out from under the bush and Papa met her in the driveway, where they proceeded to chew us out until well after the leaf blower was stowed.
As pissed as they were, Mama returned to the nest, and, feeling very poorly about scaring the shit out of this family of ducks with our leaf blower, my family watched silently every day from a nearby window, being careful to avoid the area, and giving them as much privacy and protection as we could.
One happy May morning, my family bounded out of the house on our way to work and school, and found a trail of egg shells out from the bushes. Peering excitedly under the shrubs, we could clearly see that the ducklings had hatched! The pond is just behind our house (after crossing a four lane road), so we were confident that the Duck family had already gone over for a swim and a snack.
And then all of a sudden there was movement! Running right by my foot! And then my kids were screeching! And then cooing. And then crouching down and calling to the tiny duckling running around our feet and the front walkway.
We stopped to investigate, and just like in the childrens’ book, this little love nugget ran up to me and tried to crawl up my leg, almost like he was asking, “Are you my mother?”. I had to stop myself as I reached down to pick him up. Every admonishment I’d ever heard about tiny wild animals included “don’t touch the baby or the mama won’t come back”.
Hrrmmpphh. That makes no sense. But it’s what I’d always been told, and besides, we were on our way to work and school. What was I supposed to do? Reach down and pick up that sweet little fuzzy love nugget? Put it in a little box, or maybe my purse, and bring it to work with me? Feed it all day on my desk and then drive it home with me during rush hour? And then let it rest in the bathtub while I build it a fabulous little hutch in the back yard, and love it and squeeze it and….
So anyway, we told the kids that Fuzzy’s mom was gonna be right back for him, and we needed to get out of the way so she could land. And we left Fuzzy in the driveway.
Don’t ask.
No, really. Don’t.
Fine. You were warned.
Later that summer, almost Fall I believe, we had a tree planting party in the back yard. To act as a sound barrier and shade provider, I bought 8 Giant Thuja trees to plant along the back fence. When clearing out the area for planting, we found a sad surprise. A tiny baby duck skeleton, poking through the back vertical wood slat fence. It had found a knot hole or crack or some other kind of space, and managed to get its head through. On the other side of the fence is a large four lane road and then….the pond. Where Fuzzy’s family was surely noshing and playing when he worked his head through. They were likely even communicating. Poor Fuzzy had become stuck in the fence, and ….well, you know. If I had had any idea the outcome would be so bad, I’d have gladly taken Fuzzy to work with me. I never imagined! I’ll never forgive myself for leaving Fuzzy. Bwwaaaaaaaa!!!!!
Big Chungus
Ugg, that sucked. Here’s something more fun. During my time teaching middle schoolers, there was a thing about “Big Chungus”. I was sure the kids were just having one over on me, but later learned (for realz) that “Big Chungus” is the name for the giant Bugs Bunny that happens in an old Bugs Bunny cartoon. I’m serious, just Google it. Outside my trailer classroom there was plenty of wildlife, including bunnies. So we had no shortage of fodder for the “Big Chungus” jokes and comments. All. Goddam. Year.
My own biological children loved coming to school with me for “Bring Your Child to Work Day”, and my students seemed to enjoy hanging out with my MiniMe’s on those days, as well. Anyway, my own children remember visiting my classroom in great detail, and the Big Chungus phenomenon stuck on them hard after a visit. So naturally, when we had a new bunny show up in the back yard to munch our grass, the kids named him Snowball.
Ha! No, they called him Big Chungus, of course. Fast forward and there’s been a Chungus of variable size living in our back yard every year since. This year I’d like to introduce Midi-Chungus. Not Big. Not Little. Midi.
The Pottymouth Gardener 