Walking the Dogs.

[Vic Balshaw]

Since the daughter moved in with us about 3 months back, we parents have been walking the dogs most mornings. What follows apart from the first picture, is a typical mornings walk round the mountain and national park just a couple of streets back from our house.

We were up at about 5:40am with this unusual early morning rainbow.

Our walk this morning takes us along the line track that skirts the base of the mountain and is always well populated with kangaroos and yes, they are this close and there are no duplication shots...................honest.

The two dog in question, both Labradors, Hershey (yes, the chocolate) and Sophie and one of the nice views on our walk.

This was later in the walk when we have usually walked the gantlet of "roos", these guys deeper in the bush. Spot the Kangaroos!

Just a couple more, and her we also have mum and Joey, followed by this feathery grass seemingly rising like mist from the swamp, except is as dry as chips.

 

[Wurger]

 

[vikingBerserker]

Very cool!

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Interesting morning walk.

 

[Capt. Vick]

Wow that place is literally stinking with roos huh? Love the pups. Do they ever interact with the local wildlife Vic?

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Wow that place is literally stinking with roos huh? Love the pups. Do they ever interact with the local wildlife Vic?

Only the rabbits Jim and the occasional snake which they will dance over, if we let them. They couldn't care less about the Roos though Hershey being a bush dog has a keen nose for the fox.

 

[Wildcat]

Looking dry down there Vic.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

You're not kidding Andy and right now were about to be hit with a nice squall or two, I hope.

 

[GrauGeist]

What the heck, Vic? Those 'roos are everywhere, like a plague of locusts!

Is that normal or has their population increased like our deer population in these parts?

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Yes Dave, this is the norm for early morning most days, as it warms up though they go deeper into the bush. We also have culls most years if the animal activists can be kept out of the way, particularly in drought times otherwise the Roos just die of starvation if the mob gets too big.

 

[GrauGeist]

Yeah, I hear ya' about the animal rights a-holes...

The mountain lion and deer population here in Northern California has exploded and the hunting licenses for deer are harder to get and the licenses for mountain lion (Cougar/Puma) is no longer allowed.

In the old days, the top predators were the Wolves and Grizzly bears, then the Cougars and black bears. With the Wolves and Grizzlys gone from the food chain, it's a freakin' mess. Deer everywhere, like locusts and as the deer population increases, so too, does the Cougar's population. But without the Grizzly or Wolf, there is no power check.

 

[Njaco]

I deal with tree-huggers every day but I never see any of them at a zoning meeting protesting the building of more empty buildings.

Great pics but where are the drop-bears?

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks for sharing your experience Vic. Seems like an interesting walk. I too have a provincial park where I walk near to my house and the other day I saw 6 deer and 3 bald eagles.

 

[Gnomey]

Good shots Vic!

 

[gumbyk]

I love kangaroos!
So Tasty!!

 

[Thorlifter]

Andy or Vic (or anyone that knows), are Kangaroos aggressive or do they run away when humans get too close?

 

[GrauGeist]

I've heard somewhere that the Red Kangaroo (the big ones) will kick your ass if you are too close and they have some serious claws to back it up.

 

[Wildcat]

Andy or Vic (or anyone that knows), are Kangaroos aggressive or do they run away when humans get too close?

Generally they run away when you get too close. However they are known to attack, so I personally never get too close to them. I had two roos fighting about 5m from my back door only two nights ago, I had to stop my dog from joining in

Kangaroo attacks - attacks by kangaroos in Australia

 

[Wildcat]

I've heard somewhere that the Red Kangaroo (the big ones) will kick your ass if you are too close and they have some serious claws to back it up.

Claws? Here's one I took a few years ago. Again at the back of my house.

 

[Wurger]

A muscular guy ...