I couldn’t find a topic like this, but it seems like there must be one. So, Moderators feel free to close if I’ve duplicated a topic. I was just wondering, since we’re all looking close to home these days, what your favorite find was in or around your residence? I have three: a forcepfly, a yellow-banded bumble bee, and a harvester in the garden, all a few feet from the house. Anyway, just wanted to see the possibilities out there. 
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I’ve found several baby rabbits while mowing, a bobcat, coyote, and turkeys. Not to mention all the exotics where I used to live.
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Do you mean only “residence” as own territory or place around the building counts too?
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I’ve found a couple Brown Basilisks in my back yard.
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No, the space around a building or in a building too. For instance, I was thinking that space around the outside of an apartment building would count too, or something you find on the windowsill, balcony, or even in a closet. I actually live in an apartment, so my finds that I listed are in my parent’s garden when I visit, but my apartment building has a small pond where I’ve seen frogs and dragonflies–I’d count that space too.
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Cool.
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I’d love to see a bobcat.
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I don’t know who said “you never step into the same river twice,” but that goes for my patio garden. There’s nothing like quite like watching a leafcutter bee joyfully bellyflop a flower to gather a generous amount of pollen.
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Since most of my observations have been in my yard or on my front porch, most of my best finds have been there. I’ve seen five of Florida’s six native mantis species. An endangered species of bumblebee (which I “found” a year after photographing it, while going through old photos). Quite a few species of moth that made fellow moth-watchers—including some lepidopterists—jealous. Gopher tortoises (not really a “find,” per se, since I knew they lived there). A species of spider lily unusual enough that a botany professor came out to my house to take samples. Quite a few species of insect with no previous observations in or near Florida.
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I spent a good 15 mins watching a sawfly groom itself in my bathroom. Also spent some time with a weevil and a spitting spider. I wish I can share the videos though
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Diaperis rufipes, Puccinia dichondrae
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This wasp, first observation in Canada and fourth on iNat for the species at the time, right outside the front door
This sawfly, second observation of the species in North America, found when returning to the house through the backyard
This critically endangered cerambycid, third observation of the species for Canada, sitting right on the front door
Another wasp, fourth observation of the species for Ontario
There’s probably tons more I’m forgetting, but those are the best finds at my house that I could remember in a couple minutes
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Also Sphaerocarpos
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I live in an apartment with no garden or balcony, but I have found 12 iNat firsts in my School garden, and 2 within a block of where I live!
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I am of the firm belief that just about anything can turn up in a yard. Some of my best finds have been: American Woodcock, no picture yet, I always find one by almost stepping on them.
Cerulean Warbler on my feeder last spring.
Cape May Warbler spent 2 months in my yard a couple of winters back.
Rusty-patched Bumble Bee the last 2 summers.
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Yes, they are beautiful.
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Up home in Georgia it was a nest of Eastern phoebes I found on a bridge.
Down in Florida where I work it’s probably this mating pair of Northern rough-winged swallows
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Welcome to the forum! You are quite lucky.
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I forgot about the sparrows. The cliff sparrows would make hundreds of nests on our old house. Didn’t have iNat then. :-(
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That has to be exciting–to have so many experts interested in your finds. I hope this topic gives people a sense of how many wonderful species can exist near them. I started the topic because, frankly, some of the things I was planning on going to see this year (e.g. some pink lady’s slippers) I probably won’t be able to get to visit. Thank you for sharing such a positive post!
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