This tree is in our front yard, about 30 feet from the road, so we didn't think anything would live in it.
When we got close to the tree and scratched the outside with a stick, we could hear clawing and noises inside.
We returned in the evening with a light, camera and ladder to see what was in there.
Remember the raccoon we saw after the big storm in February? Perhaps she spends more time than we thought in our yard!
It was hard to see exactly how many baby raccoons were in the tree, but it looks like a mother with two babies.
I know raccoons sometimes cause lots of trouble for people, but so far we haven't had any issues with these raccoons. It's kind of cool that they're living in our front yard!!
Phoebe Update
Our phoebes have taken Theresa's suggestion. After 2 days away, there's a pair of phoebes back at the nest. I was so happy to see them at breakfast this morning. I'll try to photograph some of their antics!
I also spotted the baby phoebe in the rhododendron outside our kitchen window. I could tell by his size and feathers that he's a juvenile. Glad to see that he's still doing OK!
12 comments:
Great news on the Phoebe family! And those raccoons, are cute as can be. Hard not to admire such a smart and pretty little predator.
Awwww...they're soooo cute!
Raccoons are very clever...be aware! I have a pair that play in my back yard late at night. They LOVE the suet feeder!!! I finally found a place to hang it that they can't get to!
So cute.
How old do you think they are?
What is a phoebe?
The summer is here. Jippi.
The sun is warm and nice...
Couldnt be better.
Hugs Synnöve.
I know the reputation of raccoons - we are always warned when we camp. Your pictures remind me of our coyotes. They need to eat so if we live in their world, we need to think of our natural predators and live with them, i.e, I won't be feeding them cats.
Your raccoons are darling, but they can be dangerous, too, as I am sure you know: they bite and they can carry rabies. A couple of years ago we dealt with a whole family of them running across the roof (third floor) of our home and peering in through two sun lights. That did not please our daughter who lives on the third floor or our two dogs. We trimmed trees which removed their access so have no problems with them now. They are surely terrorizing some other neighbor now. ;)
I just love your pictures of the babies!
Best,
Lois
Wonderful racoon photos those babies are so sweet. My mum found a family in her attic one year. It is amazing you could get so close with the mother racoon there. I heard and saw about 4 Barred owls yesterday on my walk.
Wow, the racoons are so cute, especially the babies! Are they friendly or do they bite when you get near?
I like raccoons in the woods...but not on my roof, tearing off the siding, or trying to tear off the chimney cap. Or my dh walking out on the garage roof with a pellet gun in his pj's at 2 AM to put a stop to the antics.
However, the mom racoon is smart...the owl would make short work of her babies.
Luckily for us, these raccoons don't seem interested in our house. I suspect they enjoy the veggie scraps in our compost heap, but we haven't had problems with them on the roof, under the porch or in the garage, thank goodness!
When we took these pictures, Jim was on an 8 foot step ladder, shining a light into the tree and using a telephoto lens. Then I zoomed the pictures in even more on the computer so you could see the baby raccoons.
After seeing some raccoons in action at a campground in Canada, we knew to be cautious around them!!
We've never seen any sign of them around our bird feeder or suet feeder, but that might be because they hibernate in the winter. We bring our feeders in by the time bears wake up in the spring, so that probably is the same time raccoons wake up too.
Every time I go down the driveway, I think it's amazing that a raccoon family is huddled up napping nearby.
Sue
Great pics-I love the wildness of suburbia, too-all the perks and none of the dangers of wilderness!
I'm so impressed you managed to photograph them. I wonder how old the babies are? Let's hope they remain friendly and not interested in your house!
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