Triplets

In the fading light I couldn’t quite make out what sort of bird was contemplating the peanuts so suspiciously, but the zoom revealed that it was a dove. It seemed to be wondering where the usual crowd had got to.

Was there perhaps something wrong with this pile of nuts?

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In the evening, my attention alternates between a side window and the front walkway where birds and small creatures tend to congregate.

It has been my habit to top up seed bowls and distribute carrots twice daily, but as Spring progressed and days lengthened, I couldn’t help but notice what became a regular parade of characters seeking a last snack before retiring for the night.

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So now, after supper, I throw a cupful of peanuts out and watch to see who shows up first.

It’s almost always a skunk. If I am not prompt with my service, one will march up the walkway and look in through the glass door. I mentioned recently that we have a pair of skunks that are identical, which is unusual as they have quite different coat patterns.

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It turned out that the twins are triplets. The skunk closest to the camera was nursing a very sore foot. We’d seen it hobbling and that day, I was able to zoom in on the injury. The foot was tremendously swollen, but when I examined the photograph I could see that the abscess had burst and was beginning to drain. Next day our little friend was walking almost normally.

Such a relief for the skunk – and for us. It’s awful to see an animal suffer.

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We have no shortage of squirrels and there had been a population explosion recently.

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Soon the babies began turning up, all new-looking and cheeky.

This one has already found its way to the hanging feeder which is Little Red’s territory.

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But Little Red’s babies are exploring elsewhere:

They dart about so fast, it’s impossible to know how many there are, but their numbers have certainly increased over the past few years.

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We know that fox kits were born, but so far we’ve not been privileged to see them.

An adult is usually around in early morning and again just before dark, when they come looking for peanuts. We don’t always coordinate our timing, then I feel I have disappointed it, which is a little silly considering that peanuts are hardly an item on most fox’s menus!

They must surely feed well off the abundant rodents hereabouts.

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Waiting in the car outside the wee shop in the village one day, I noticed this little creature scurry under a nearby wheel. When I pointed it out to Grant he suggested that perhaps it was one of our mice, jumping ship.

Which is entirely possible, since we know they get into the car. Despite the damage they do, I cannot hold ill will for an animal with such a sweet face.

So I wished it well and waved goodbye.

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It is good to be able to report the return of groundhog babies. Whether or not these are the ones we saw briefly at the beginning of June, there is no way of knowing for sure, but there are now groundhog kits popping up regularly, in a number of locations.

Previously, we only saw babies by the burrow in front of the kitchen window. Now, they are down in the field, along the driveway and across the road.

As you can see, they are adventurous!

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And also very cute:

Tomorrow, some other furry babies…