Native Wildlife

Mom and I saw a raccoon last week- the same day we almost got trampled by cows who were somehow on the wrong side of their fence...

We were taking our afternoon walk and I practically stepped on it. There it was, asleep in the sun at the edge of a field. It had made itself a little nest out of weeds and was just lying there. I didn't really notice it. Mom saw it first and stopped me. She still can't figure out how I, with my current squirrel obsession, remained so calm.

She also can't figure out what a raccoon was doing sitting around in broad daylight that close to a predatory animal. She explained to me that raccoons are nocturnal, but said she still didn't understand how that would make one so sleepy during the daytime that it would just sit and stare after beign woken. She also noted that it might be sick, and kept me away, even though I've just had my vaccinations updated for the year. I think, secretly, we both really wanted to see what would happen...

Then she recalled the coons we'd seen back in November of '04. Mom went to take out the trash at the old apartment and there they were (see photo), 3 coons curled up in a carboard box at the bottom of the dumpster. Trash pickup was the previous day and she guesses those coons climbed in overnight to forage and couldn't get out. We think they waited there like that until enough residents filled the bin high enough for them to climb out again. They sure gave her a surprise! She ran back in and called to Dad to get the camera! Then we all stood around the dumpster, staring at them. They just lay there, blinking occasionally.