Varmit Report

[tenaya]

Last night, just hours after talking to Mom about how it's been weeks since we heard any coyotes but they still could be around, guess who was on the berm? Yep, a nasty, lean deadly coyote. I was reading HBP and looked up and saw him trotting down, looking quite excited at the All You Can Eat Skunk Bar. I shouted and he turned around and trotted a dozen feet back up the yard, thought better of it and started down again. I threw open the door, grabbed the big stick that's by the door and charged out shouting. It always startles them into running and he did, luckily. Strangely, the skunks seemed unconcerned; I have no idea whether that means coyotes won't kill them or their hearing/sight/smell isn't that good. About 30 minutes later, I heard the scrabble of claws on wood and Cutiepie brought her 6 pack down the elm so they could eat and drink some more. She has to have seen the danger and was quite alert, but still!

This photo here, I took standing in the living room. These logs are at the top of the berm. This is Brindle, the cat with anger issues. The coyote came down this far.





I walked the yard this afternoon and found where the coyote probably got in and wired up some chicken wire to fix it. Hopefully, this will work and Cutiepie will still be able to get in.

ETA: A momma coon and 2 babies were just by. Very skittish. And I heard coyotes again an hour ago. :::sigh::: At least adult raccoons can still get in to the yard.

ETA: It's 2am and Cutiepie and all six kids are enjoying a dip in the rubbermaid bin. All is well.

Comments

[moonchildetoo.livejournal.com]

Awww....so you think Mommma saw you chase the coyote away? Then she knows you're a Good Guy. How will the coons & skunks get in, then - I know the coons can climb, but the skunks? That is a toughie, keeping some animals out and letting others in.

It's so thoughtful of you to provide a pool for your visitors to take a dip in, and refreshments. You're a great hostess ;-)

[(Anonymous)]

I didn't know she was up there at the time. In 2002 we built a block wall to replace the fence one neighbor had torn down a few years prior. During that time, the coyotes would come into the yard through his yard. I know I chased 2 or 3 of them out of the yard during that period when they came after the coons while they were in the courtyard. More than likely she was up the tree; I know it upsets them because I'm not in the house as usual. From their pov, I'm okay in the house; if I'm outside, I'm an unknown factor and therefore possibly dangerous. In other words, I get growled at instead of thanked. *g*

The back of the yard is wrought iron. The columns are about 4 inches apart so the small varmits can just walk through. Unfortunately up there, the soil is quite sandy with rocks. One coyote dug his way out under the fence in under a minute, which well filled back up with rocks and woven branches. Apparently Cutiepie is either more cartilege than bone (ala rodents) or she has no solid parts wider than 4 inches.

Yeah, I'd like a nice pool, bobbing from grapes and a plate of cookies set out for me too. *g*

[moonchildetoo.livejournal.com]

I bet you could sit in a chair, and not move (much), and after a while, they would come down and eat around you. You do take pix, and they're not all from the house. I don't think I could resist wanting to be "in amongst" them sometimes!

I saw the cutest vid clip on American's Funniest Animals. It was in a "strange bedfellows" segment, showing animals happily playing together that would surprise you. It was a full grown, fat raccoon, totally playing with a big black dog. They were wrestling and everything, and at one point the raccoon rolled over on its back and just let the dog nuzzle and nip its tummy fur. And both of them were clearly having a ball.