Long time visitors to this site will have seen this image before – it’s the “best” raccoon portrait I have ever taken (I think) but the recent visitations have not allowed me to better it, so here it it again. Fun creatures so long as they don’t get in your garbage.
Very stormy and wet day so we passed much of it watching the garden and between rainy blatter periods mother raccoon and four youngsters paraded from one patch of vegetation across the pond and into the trees. Always takes time to grab the camera so this is kid number four.
Around now the garden squirrels climb up the high trees around the house and snip off the pine cones. These fall on the roof of the sunroom with a great crash and are later in the day rounded up by the squirrels for a healthy snack. This was an early breakfast for one of our friends.
We happened upon this well-nourished deer in the arboretum a day or two ago and spent a few minutes staring at each other. It knew we were there but apart from showing a little caution it didn’t really seem unduly worried.
Four pictures for the price of one today. The berries on the Amelanchier canadensis tree have started to ripen and are being eagerly devoured by the garden residents. Cedar Waxwings have been occasional visitors, American Robins have been almost constantly seen and then we have a tree-climbing Eastern Chipmunk and a juvenile male Northern Cardinal. Lots of nutrition for the natives.
Have we taken our invitation to wildlife to come into the garden a little too far?
Henceforth, as a general editorial rule, the Sunday image will be something I particularly like from times past. Memory Sunday.
These lovely cows lived in a Berkshire field and wandered over to chew the cud with me one sunny afternoon on May 2019 when we last visited England.
Lots of rabbits in the garden this year – this one was spooked by me but stayed outside of shelter to watch what I was doing
Post-processed to Pancromatic-style monochrome in Capture One Pro
American Robin and eastern cottontail rabbit
The rabbit(s) have been around the garden most of the winter, mostly making use of the brush piles etc we provide for them to shelter in. So far they have not nibbled on the bark of our younger trees and shrubs so as far as we know we have not lost anything yet. These Eastern Cottontail Rabbits don’t burrow but make scrapes in the ground to rest in – rather like the European hares do. This pose very much reminds of the famous painting of a hare by Dürer.
