Today I was watching a female cardinal fluttering around a bush when a male flew in and started hanging around her. He had a piece of something in his beak, maybe a seed or piece of corn, and at one point the pair got very close to each other and it looked like he gave it to her. This is the first time I’ve witnessed this happen between two birds!
I’ve seen some inter-species mingling as of late as well. I set up a couple of trail cams about a month or so ago and have gotten a few surprising results. The groups of several deer were expected, but seeing two raccoons and a skunk together was a real surprise! I had a raccoon and a possum stop by at one point too.
Have you spotted multiple animal species intermingling like this, interesting courtship behavior, etc?
4 Likes
I’ve seen a few mammals fighting on my trail camera, too, but my camera’s set to take one photo every minute, so I never get to know who wins
2 Likes
Yes, I’ve seen (and photographed) Gray Foxes vs. a Groundhog, Gray Foxes facing off against Red Foxes, a hilarious video of a skunk chasing deer, Red Fox vs. Raccoon, a male Cardinal feeding a female, a male Cardinal feeding a chick, Downy Woodpecker feeding a chick, and probably others that escape my memory right now. Right now, I’m monitoring a live video of a Bald Eagle nest and the parents are feeding two chicks. Who needs television??? 
7 Likes
My bird pools are a prime animal interaction site. For context, I have 8 different trays on my balcony acting as bird pools to help birds stay hydrated during the summer. Around 10-11 bird species visit, and each have their own little conflicts and interactions. There is the purple-rumped sunbird pair who visit occasionally, fighting between themselves for the best pool. There are the Cinerous tits and reed warblers, who are generally pretty chill if not a little shy, the oriental white-eyes who get along with everyone, and the red whiskered bulbuls who are territorial and chase away any birds who dare approach the pools while they drink. They all tend to arrive at the same time, which leads to… well, encounters. There are also giants like the koels and barbets, who are pretty chill.
3 Likes
That’s fascinating, you have quite a diverse array of species visiting! Sounds like you’ve put quite a bit of time and effort into observing these encounters. Keep up the good work, well done! :)
1 Like