Looking in

Watering the garden had to be put off for 20 minutes this morning for skunks to take their breakfast undisturbed.

Just as he was preparing to go out, Grant saw Mama and baby waddling along the walkway where nothing remained of the dawn offering. He quickly opened the sliding door around the corner and threw a cup full of nuts onto the patio and then we watched, entanced.

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According to the Chinese calendar, 2025 may have been the year of the snake and 2026 the year of the horse, but in my view, last year was the year of the fox and this year the skunk.

Based simply on the abundance of sightings of those creatures.

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Animal populations obviously wax and wane. Last year we were delighted by the antics of little foxes and in the past raccoons kits entertained us, but we know better than to ever take such pleasures for granted.

The groundhogs that live under a hedge in front of the kitchen window have consistently produced families each year, but even they have quieter years – this being one of them.

Skunks have always been numerous, but never as much as this year.

They seem to pop out from all directions.

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While they occasionally leave behind a rather noxious odour, we very much enjoy these pretty, delicate animals.

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Mother and child.

Most of that is fluff, by the way.

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Although the baby did drift away briefly to get a drink, it was mostly glued to mother’s side.

Usually, skunks run away if they catch sight of us, though one in particular runs in our direction to see what’s on offer. We’ve never been brave enough to chance an actual meeting, but safely indoors, we offer a nut in a carefully extended hand which is graciously accepted.

This isn’t something we encouraged. That individual has always been very bold. It is hard to believe that such a creature could ever inflict harm, yet their claws are long, their teeth sharp and their spray – oh my.

So we settle for virtual cuddling!

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Skunks have the sweetest faces that remind me of bats.

Other than both being classed as mammals, their only connection is the unfortunate fact that they are North America’s primary carriers of rabies.

An alert advised recently that we have a reported incidence locally. I pray we do not have to witness it again. It was one of the more distressing experiences of living in the country.

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Sunday morning, Junior appeared to be with two adults, though it is often not easy to tell where one ends and another begins, which makes judging size difficult.

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Groundhogs may be quieter this year, but hardly quiet.

A clattering at the storm door the other evening had me wondering if Lily had gone out and not been let back in, as that is how she requests admittance, but when I went to look it was the above individual, with a request:

“Got anymore nuts?”

It went off and flopped down in the clover while I saw to its demands.

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The big adult male Grant calls Burly often stands on the porch looking in at us. I think this is not he, as it has the appearance of a younger groundhog (coat is still fresh), but the young ones are filling out so rapidly, it is getting hard to tell who is who.

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It’s not just the groundhogs that come to check on us, squirrels do it too.

And I often see a turkey straining to see in.

Or so it appears!

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