A Raccoon's Sunday Nap

Two weeks ago on our way home from church, we passed a Raccoon napping in a tree not far the road. We stopped on the shoulder to let the kids get a good look, and it didn't even stir. Unfortunately, my usual experience with seeing a Raccoon is dead at the side of the road. By then they are often bloated with decay, making them look huge. Although un-moving, this one was quite alive, and as far as I could tell, a pretty large Raccoon.

The view from the road.

I headed back there with the camera once the family was dropped off at home. I parked a little ways off, not wanting to startle it awake. That was not necessary. At first I quietly approached, but the Raccoon was either so sound asleep or unconcerned with my presence that it didn't stir a bit.

Sleeping Raccoon

I couldn't figure out how this Raccoon was sleeping in that position... aside from seeming rather uncomfortable, it looked like it was depending on holding on with its front legs. I'd think it would be hard to sleep holding on to something. What I didn't do to stir the Raccoon, a dog from the adjacent home did. It must have been alerted to my movement and came noisily barking at me. This did stir the Raccoon enough to stare it down for a bit, albeit rather slowly and groggily. He paid me no attention until the dog headed its master's call, even though I was a short distance away compared to the dog that was kept further at bay, likely by an invisible fence evidenced by the flags and collar.

Raccoon woken by a dog.

After that he settled down on a branch again and casually eyed me from his perch in the tree above me. So casually, although I'd walk to the other side of the tree, it seemed unconcerned and refused to turn around to allow the sun to light his face. So almost all my shots had to be back lit.

Raccoon keeping an eye on me.

Raccoon lounging in the tree.

One interesting thing I learned about Raccoons while doing this post, is that they have whisker like hairs on top of their paws which allow them to sense and identify objects without even making direct contact with their skin.

Intelligent eyes of  a Raccoon

Getting pictures of birds is nice, but the wildlife around us is less often seen and more a challenge to see and photograph. So this was a welcome variation in the picture subjects.

I Caught a Fox

Following up on a previous post labelled "To Catch a Fox", I did finally manage to "catch" a fox, two in fact, at the location where we had seen fox evidence in the form of a den and lots of tracks.  I had the boys with me on the way back from a church baseball game and our route took us right past the location.  We quietly (as quietly as you can approach with three eager boys aged 8, 6 and 4 eager to be the first to see!) approached and rounding a bend, were rewarded right way with seeing two Red Foxes crossing the tracks, likely returning home to the den for the day.  It was around 8:30pm and with nightfall coming, the adults were returning to the den where the kits were likely inside.  By this time they would likely be between two or three months old.

Red Fox Den door step.
Fresh hole excavation evidence on bottom left.

After my first visit back in November, I had stopped by in May to see if there was any activity to indicate they were there.  I had found the above evidence of a new den on the opposite side of the tracks, and the very cleanly picked over remains of what I'm pretty sure is a Wild Turkey given its size.  I wonder if foxes are large enough to take down a Wild Turkey.  If not, they might have found the remains to clean up.  Foxes tend to eat smaller animals like mice and squirrels, though are actually omnivorous meaning they will also eat berries and nuts.  The bones, trampled grass and surrounding sand all covered with tracks gave ample evidence that they were definitely there.

Picked clean Wild Turkey remains on the den doorstep.

And our most recent visit gave us this short sighting with only enough time to shoot three pictures before they were gone, this one being the best of the lot before they were quietly and swiftly gone.

Red Fox pair.

Up in the structure of the railway overpass bridge were nesting Rock Pigeons.  This nest seems to have been adopted from what I believe started out as a swallow nest so I wonder if these two were just hanging out there.  Usually pigeons build a stick nest.

Rock Pigeons

Some time I'd love to hang out at this location and see if I can see the young ones.  Some day.