Making Tracks

At the Lodge, the suet feeder so popular with downy and hairy woodpeckers, blue jays, chickadees, nuthatches, and even orioles, is often raided during the night by a mystery creature. The creature eats up all the suet. It isn't the bear, who demolishes the feeder. I've taken to calling it "The Creature With Hands"--the same name my mother uses for a similar night-time visitor at her house.

Recently, The Creature With Hands left some identifying evidence in the form of prints--hand prints and footprints.




It's a raccoon. Considering that the Lodge is situated beside a stream and across from a lake, we are amazed that we've never seen a single 'coon on the property--or any evidence of one--in the 16 years of our occupation.

Now we bring the suet feeder in at night, to deter the raccoon and the bear.

No sign of raccoons here at the Big Lake, only because we no longer feed any birds but hummingbirds. But we've definitely seen them--in fact, we used to feed them. Years ago we had one we called George Bush, because he disliked broccoli. And after a lobster feast, we would chum the 'coons by tossing the shells outside. Then we'd turn out the lights and wait for them to come finish off the remains of the lobster. And I would take photographs. I have many pictures of diners startled by the camera flash.

It's such a cool morning, the mercury hasn't yet hit 70 and I'm not sure it will. Breezy and choppy. Great weather for walking...not so much for swimming.