Mood:
happyI really love the location of my apartment. It sits in the back of the complex on the third floor with a group of tree around the back. When I sit on my balcony it feels like I am in a tree house. I am use to the occasional visit from wildlife. Mostly small song birds and squirrels but I have recently had a couple of strange encounters.
Friday afternoon I was relaxing on the couch reading a book when I heard a group of crows going ballistic. They were so noisy I couldn't concentrate on the book. All the sudden I heard the reason for their distress. A red-tailed hawk was perched somewhere close and the crows were trying desperately to get it to leave. I walked out onto the balcony and searched for the predator. The calls were loud so I knew it had to be very close. I searched the trees to no avail, as I turned to walk back inside I finally spotted it, sitting on the roof of the building next to me. I ran in to get my camera but by the time I got back it had flown off. Just my luck.
But this morning takes the cake. As I was waiting for my coffee to finish brewing I heard Fenwick (my cat) making a horrible sound. It scared me a little since I have never heard him make this kind of noise. I was worried he might be sick or injured. I ran over to see him poking his head through the blinds, looking out the sliding glass door. I flipped on the light on the balcony and this is what I saw...
I know it isn't a great picture, but I had to take it through the glass and it was still very dark outside. I can't believe I had a raccoon on my balcony. I keep some nuts out there for the birds and squirrels so I am assuming that is what it was after. He climbed up through the lattice and at one point I thought he was stuck. I dreaded having to call the maintenance guys because I knew they would want to kill it. Men usually seem to want to poke at it with a stick or kill it. It has done nothing wrong and didn't deserve to die. I put half of my banana out on the deck hoping to lure it down from the roof and went back to getting ready. It finally managed to get down, took the banana, and disappeared.
The whole event made my morning. I know you all are wondering why I got so excited. I am a park ranger after all and should be used to this sort of thing. You are right and had I seen it in the park I wouldn't have thought twice about it but I live in the city and never expected to see a raccoon on my balcony.
