I have been extremely fortunate to live in places where wildlife habitat was nearby and protected. For four years, I lived on land trust property, 56 acres of preserved land. Now I live on property that is on a forested mountain ridge; a creek runs down the valley. Black bears, mountain lions, wild turkeys, elk, deer, bobcats, skunks, raccoons, opossums, moles, rabbits, owls, bald eagles, and various other rodents and birds as well as a host of others make their homes here. I rarely catch them on camera, though, as the more exotic ones prefer to stay hidden and the common ones don’t compel me to run and get my camera. I admire wildlife photographers who have the patience to set up and wait for an encounter. I also imagine a zoom lens would make it more rewarding to try to photograph wildlife when I venture out.
That said, here’s a gallery of wildlife found living close to my homes in Wisconsin and Oregon:
scillagrace 
Great reply to this challenge Priscilla! I’m jealous that you could get the Sandhills so close. Out here, they stay in the middle of fields. I love the frogs too. You’ve lived in some fun places.
We had a nesting pair of Sandhill Cranes every year we lived on the land trust property. Their colts rarely lived to fledge, though. One got hit by a car on the road, even. They foraged quite close to the house. When they went across the street to the golf course, they were not welcome. They would dig little holes all over the greens.
WOW. A veritable plethora! Love the heron (?) taking off. The serpent? Uhh, not so much. 🙂
Thanks, John. Egrets, in white, look like good guys in the animal world, I suppose. Snakes have an unfortunate reputation. I love how their scales feel, though.
😱 Yes, they get a bad rap.
Love the framing in the first deer photo!
Thank you!
Oh, the snake… not so sure about that one. Everything else, amazing!
Poor little garter snake! So little love for him. Thanks for your visit!
Lovely set. I remember that monarch caterpillar; wonderful to see it again.
It’s one of my favorites, too! Thanks!
Your gallery is wonderful, especially the sandhill crane.
Thanks! Yes, I’m quite fond of the cranes and miss hearing their bugle calls.
Holy smokes Priscilla! Great set of images with marvelous diversity. Especially loved the ducks on the ice, your cranes – which are glorious – and the turkey chicks. I’ve seen many, many turkeys but never chicks. Fab!!!
Thanks, Tina! Yes, turkeys often lay about a dozen eggs and travel around with these big broods following them…until a coyote, other predators, and various circumstances thin the numbers. It surprised me how many chicks they can have all at once!
Oh what delightful photos you have for us this week. 😀 😀
Thanks, Cee! Glad you like ’em.
What a fantastic and varied collection
Thanks, my friend!
Fantastic collection of wildlife, Priscilla. You’ve lived in some wonderful places where nature is abundant. Your captures are wonderful, too.
Thanks, Patti. Yes, I’m definitely a nature lover and not a city dweller. 🙂
So many wild things in your vicinity! And beautiful they are – I totally loved your frogs. Lovely colours. I also was amazed at that robin – it doesn’t look like our robins at all. Ours are small and chubby, and this one looks so slender!
Thanks, Ann-Christine. Robins here seem larger than I expect, not like bluebirds who I think of as the small and chubby type.
Ok. Interesting.