Local Wildlife

Just a few of the little critters that come visiting at my house.

Ah those raccoons are just so adorable, Phoenix. Looks like somebody sent them an invitation.

What kind of bird is that? We don't have them around this part of Canada.

Thanks I'll have to dig out some of my wildlife ones too. One of these days I'll get a pic of the bear that hangs out in the neighbourhood. Likely hibernating these days with the snow but he or she will be back. I know it.

Raccoons need no invitation!!! They invite themselves. They climb up the posts of the balcony and come right into the kitchen. They will open the fridge and drawers if they feel so inclined, leave muddy pawprints on the counter, steal bananas, grapes and cat food, and if they can find none of the above, they simply make themselves comfortable on a chair and wait until I arrive to attend to them. However, in the interest of getting a photograph, I did put dry cat food out the night I got the party picture.

The bird is a Stelly's Jay, more commonly referred to as a blue jay.

Oh how adorable are those raccoons. I could just pick one up and cuddle it. Those little fingers oooh...

Oh, yes, Phoenix! I love your racoons! They remind me of red pandas. I wonder if they are related to them. It sounds so funny that come into your kitchen, too. But I guess you have to lock the door to the fridge and the drawers.

I like the bird and the deer, too!

I love the racoons!
Amazing!So sweet!
Thanks Phoenix

My morning visitors:

Ah do you see the long eyelashes on those lovely creatures? And those soulful eyes? Exquisite! No other word....

Thanks Jennifer for sharing. You're so lucky to have the company of these beauties to photograph. I envy you.

I apologise for the terrible quality of the picture, but my camera went kaput mid-shot. I did want to share this with you though.

I was cutting trees and clearing brush in the back, and mama coon was most interested. I had heard her babies chattering for the last couple of weeks, but had not seen them. Mama came down onto the lowest branch of an enormous cedar tree, and lay draped over it watching me. I suppose her little twins got bored, because they soon came down to join her. This is one of the baby raccoons at I would guess, about six weeks of age.

Awww so sweet. Thanks Jennifer. Mother Nature sure didn't skimp when she created these little characters did she? Perfection in markings.


Another beauty of a critter is the porcupine baby. Last autumn I was hiking around a ski hill I frequent in the winter time. Just ahead of me I saw a baby porcupine facing me. It raised its little head and sniffed the air. What a face! Gleaming little black eyes in black face and rounded little nose. So elegant looking I almost didn't recognize it. Then all of a sudden instinct kicked in and it turned around and presented me it's quilled backside. In complete respect, I side-stepped it and carried on. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me. But still a memorable sighting.

I must share with you the near disaster we had in Critterland. Yes, for those of you who may be worried, the story does have a happy ending.

I was sitting at my computer when I heard a most agitated chattering from the baby raccoons. For a while I ignored it, as they always talk a lot, but finally I had to go, as one of the babies sounded frantic.

Well, poor little thing had gone out to the end of a very small branch, and had then somehow fallen off so it was dangling and hanging onto cedar needles/leaves (or whatever cedar trees have). Mother was crying and trying to get to it but she could get nowhere near, as even from a distance away, the branch was bending under her weight. The second baby had followed her out and every so often she turned and angrily spoke to it, obviously telling it to go back. Meanwhile the first baby continued to dangle about 30 feet up in the air. I knew if it fell, it would be seriously injured, if not killed.

There was no time to do anything, and as my husband and mother watched from the balcony, with my mother shouting to me that I was sure to be killed if I attempted such a thing, I positioned myself underneath it, hoping to catch it. Both neightbours on one side, hearing the din had come out and were watching. I held up the bottom of my sweatshirt making a sling in which to catch it, and sure enough......down it tumbled.

Thankfully I somehow managed to land it right on target in my shirt, to clapping and cheers from the onlookers. Everyone came to have a look and stroke the poor little thing, who looked scared out of it's wits. I then returned it to the trunk of the tree, where it made a hasty retreat into the loving arms of it's mother!

It sounds as though you have a special way with birds, Vigs. The blackbird was lucky to have you there to help it.

In my case I had no time to go to get anything for the baby raccoon to land on, as it was slipping down the branch and I knew it would fall any minute.

Today near my house I saw newborn twin deer, and two beautiful stags with fuzzy antlers. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera either time.

Jen you did quite a brave thing to try and save that little raccoon and with excellent results. You should be proud as well as you too Vigs. It is so good to see human beings who actually care about saving or helping an animal -- even just noticing it. Far too often, in this busy world they fall out of range of caring or even being noticed. We don't always need a camera though to capture some of the best memories. But sharing them is such a joy too. Next time, Jen.

I just took this outside the window. The reason it is a little hazy is because it was taken through a screen. I was afraid if I stopped to take it off, I would scare the babies away.

One of them is now bathing in a bucket of drinking water, and the other sitting in a bucket of cat food.

And life is good for these lovelies, Jen! Love the picture!

Yes, this is the baby that fell out of the tree, or his sister. They all look exactly alike. They are so cute.

Phoenix wrote:

They all look exactly alike.

They think the same thing about us, you know.

Yes they are the cutest of the wild animals of the boreal. Thanks for these pics Jenn.

You mean we don't all look alike, Aithne??? Gee whiz! Why didn't someone tell me.