We don’t use our front yard very much. We’re pretty private, unfriendly people and we prefer our fenced-in backyard where we can be outside and not have to see or talk to anyone. Consequently, the local wildlife prefer the front yard. Last month a robin built her nest under our gutters, and by standing on the front patio we got to watch her three yawning babies grow a little less ugly every day until one day we went outside and all four of them were gone.

There’s also some woodpeckers, cardinals, and hummingbirds that frequent the yard, in addition to the less-flashy wrens and mockingbirds. We’ve been listening to an owl every night since we bought the house ten years ago, but we’ve never seen him, not even when he was hooting from a tree right outside our window.

There’s a rabbit burrow in the hill leading down from our yard to the street. We’ve only ever seen one rabbit at a time in our yard, but this spring we saw a bunny, so there’s gotta be at least two that hang around together sometimes.

There’s also a black cat living in our backyard. She won’t let me get anywhere near her, but she enjoys all the leftovers I throw out for the raccoons and possums, so I’m sure she’ll be sticking around for a while.

Last year in a single week I trapped three baby raccoons and a box turtle. After kindly posing for a few pictures with me, they all went on their way.

And this doesn’t exactly count as “wildlife” but one week while my daughter and I were outside bird watching, two pitbulls ran up in my yard. I fussed at them to git, which they ignored, and after a minute I realized I recognized them. They belong to a derby friend of mine who was visiting my neighbors across the street. I guess the pits must’ve recognized me, too.

It’s a small, beautiful world, isn’t it?

I choose to believe that the robins fledged. Tell me about the wildlife that lives around your home at Kate@KateLanders.com.