better homes and gardens

the item on the venture vermont challenge reads "Find and photograph 3 wild animal homes (10 pts)".

i guess it intends strict residences or nests or such, because these here frogs just live in the mud in this ditch.

do you see three frogs? the third one prefers not to be seen.









this is a beaver lodge on the east shore of preston pond. i live in an area with a lot of beavers.

this is a different beaver lodge in my neighborhood. the pond has no name, but the beavers created it.

beavers are kind of awesome that way.











this is a chipmunk hole. you can tell it's a chipmunk hole because if you watch it for more than a few minutes, you will see the chipmunk go in and out of it.

of course, it's not strictly his home, but one of the doors TO his home. or her home. i do not have a knack for sexing chipmunks.

presumably chipmunks know, and that's what matters.

this is where the chipmunk's hole is, so keep your trail mix locked up.














a pair of robins decided that my neighbor's satellite dish would be an awesome place to build a nest.

seriously, though. that place has all kinda shelter without being too cramped.













this of course, is not the full home, but one of the doors. ants live here.

bitey ants.












because of the size and shape of this nest hole, we can guess that PROBABLY it was made by a hairy woodpecker, but there's no telling what little hole-dwelling creature might use it now or in the future.