Accommodations

One has to wonder how much we miss by not spending every hour at the window.

If you did decide to pass your time that way, you’d still have to choose which window.

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Looking east from our kitchen window last night, I was admiring this rather splendid cloud.

Simultaneously, Grant was looking in the opposite direction at some passing creature, presumably. Most of those visitors come by regularly, whereas this cloud was momentary.

Eventually I persuaded the man to come and look.

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Which was precisely when this vision appeared.

The skunk shot out from under the porch, heading toward the hedge where she checked out possibilities of a late meal. I say she, but there is no way of identifying remotely a skunk’s gender that I know of. I tend to say she because skunks are so dainty and pretty.

In my view, they all are, but this one had the most magnificent tail, displayed as if she had just emerged from a beauty salon.

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Earlier on, I’d called Grant over to look at something on my computer, which caused him to glance out my window just as three little heads popped up under the hedge.

(There is a screen on that window, so the pictures are extra fuzzy.)

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Before long, Mama came to see what her children were up to.

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As ever, two of the kids tumbled around playing together while another seemed to sense it was being watched!

It was hard to be certain, but we thought there were five babies.

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Next day, I managed to get a photo of 5 baby groundhogs together. The question is – are these the same ones? The above family was at another burrow, so we are not sure.

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If I was to guess, I would say they are the same five, but they do not include the sole individual that made its appearance on May 25th which was a bit larger. (see above)

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It is going to be hard keeping track of these little guys.

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They are very active!

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The emergence of babies complicates life for little Baldy who comes by regularly for carrots and peanuts. This afternoon Mama Groundhog caught sight of her and gave chase. It is natural for her to protect her young, but they are quite aggressive creatures.

So I went down the field a little way, near another burrow that Baldy uses and left a supply of food there for her.

(The hill is peppered with groundhog burrows.)

Apart from her alopecia, Baldy seems quite healthy, but with so little fur to protect her, an attack from another groundhog could cause serious injury.

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We have not yet seen the kits, but adult foxes are around often.

One has been dubbed Nelly because it is extra nervous.

All foxes are very wary, but this poor creature is a bundle of nerves. I have taken to putting its peanuts at the end of the walkway, by the garage where it can eat in peace, out of view of the kitchen window.

One makes accommodations for ones friends.

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