Monday, July 1, 2013

RAIN IN MAINE AND RACOONS




We have had over a week of continual rain here in western Maine. Perhaps I should contemplate building an ark. But then, I don’t have the longevity of Noah. According to the Bible Noah lived to an age of nine-hundred and fifty years – he didn’t start building the ark until he was six hundred years old and it took him one hundred and twenty years. Even disregarding collecting two animals of every species in the world including insects; this is a story that would be too weird for the Brothers Grimm.





I marvel how gullible people can become when it comes to religions: Jesus walking on water – the bread and fishes, and Mohammed flying to Jerusalem on the back of a horse.


Yesterday I discovered the monster that has been steeling my bird feeders. Three feeders in the past two weeks have disappeared. Yesterday the last feeder was missing from a tree behind the house, but due to the heavy rains we have been experiencing the culprit left a visible trail to follow through the alders and ferns. About twenty-five yards into the rough I found the discarded feeder and the trail continued on deeper into the brush. The ground was too wet to distinguish tracks, but I eliminated bear because even in the mush a bear would have left a heavy tread.



I have a feeder mounted in a chimney block that is too heave to move; so last evening I loaded it up with sun flower seeds. Being in my seventh decade I get up through the night about every three hours to pee and last night I made it a point to switch on the spotlights mounted on the back of the house. Sure enough a big raccoon was sitting on the feeder trying to get the top off.



I could - I am quite capable - but I don’t kill animals any more. Steeling food is the nature of a raccoon and I hold him no malice. Even though I have lost about thirty dollars worth of feeders, I have to admit I have enjoyed the mystery and speculation, trying to determine what type of animals would tear down feeders wired to tree limbs and actually haul them away.



Now I have to find out if I can outsmart a raccoon.

the Ol'Buzzard




7 comments:

  1. Old B,
    Cayenne pepper.

    I am now at www.onedrunkenoldsergeant.blogspot.com

    Ron

    ReplyDelete
  2. That has to be a big racoon. How big do they get? I have never seen one, though I understand they are moving into western Canada

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  3. A big coon will hit at least 40 pounds I'm thinking, and they are very strong and good climbers. I'm pretty sure they are in western Canada, I live just below there and we have always had them.

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  4. Good luck. Coons in general seem to be a heck of a lot savvier than most humans.

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  5. Taking the feeders down seem like the ideal solution...when all else fails perhaps I will try it.
    OB

    ReplyDelete

COMMENT: Ben Franklin said, "I imagine a man must have a good deal of vanity who believes, and a good deal of boldness who affirms, that all doctrines he holds are true, and all he rejects are false."