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The Daily Bucket - bebe raccoons [1]

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Date: 2022-08-25

Two of the three

August 2022

Pacific Northwest

It turns out the local mama raccoon who frequently visited our yard over the summer had three bebes this year, as in fact she’s had before. The first couple of times the raccoonlings appeared, we saw only two, but obviously one wasn’t clearly visible. Granted, it was dark on those occasions. Since the first time the bebes showed up in early August, they have been by themselves, no sign of mom. We’re guessing she showed them around the neighborhood and then said You’re on your own now.

June 14

Mama was a nearly daily visitor under the birdfeeder from early June (raccoons tend to bear young in May in Washington state). Typically raccoons are nocturnal but she was obviously lactating and hungry. She even knocked over a planter of pansies down in the garden a few times searching for something I gather (water? though we have several actual birdbaths in the yard).

nipples visible…. lactating mom

I know that having birdfeeders, birdbaths and a garden is an attraction for wildlife, intended or not, and we try to find a modus vivendi that is generally acceptable to everyone. With the birdfeeder and mama raccoon, we didn’t mind her gleaning dropped seeds but we drew the line at her hanging from the feeder to scoop directly since it was just a matter of time before the lower tray would break loose. I’d spray her with squirt bottle of water — not dangerous but a deterrent. At night we brought the feeder inside.

On August 4 we saw her with bebes out in the yard at night. A few nights later there was banging around on the roof of the greenhouse (below the birdfeeder) and it was the bebes.

Since then they have appeared a few times during the day, more often at night (mostly heard scrabbling and vocalizing). Have not seen mama in the daytime this month. Perhaps she’s getting some rest now?

The bebes are too small to reach the birdfeeder so we don’t mind them gleaning on the roof per se but it’s better for them to 1) learn to be skittish around people and 2) learn to forage wild food. There’s actually plenty of that in the woods and on the beach. But raccoons are very smart and opportunistic. They’ll seek out easy food.

Much smaller than mom. August 8

Facts about raccoons in Washington, according to the WDFW:

Raccoons prefer forest areas near a stream or water source, but have adapted to various environments throughout Washington

Raccoons will eat almost anything, but are particularly fond of creatures found in water—clams, crayfish, frogs, fish, and snails. Raccoons also eat insects, slugs, dead animals, birds and bird eggs, as well as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Around humans, raccoons often eat garbage and pet food.

Sharp, nonretractable claws and long digits make raccoons good climbers. Like squirrels, raccoons can rotate their hind feet 180 degrees and descend trees headfirst.

The kits remain in the den until they are about seven weeks old, at which time they can walk, run, climb, and begin to occupy alternate dens. At eight to ten weeks of age, the young regularly accompany their mother outside the den and forage for them selves. By 12 weeks, the kits roam on their own for several nights before returning to their mother. The kits remain with their mother in her home range through winter, and in early spring seek out their own territories.

Raccoons die from encounters with vehicles, hunters, and trappers, and from disease, starvation, and predation. Young raccoons are the main victims of starvation, since they have very little fat reserves to draw from during food shortages in late winter and early spring. Raccoon predators include cougars, bobcats, coyotes, and domestic dogs. Large owls and eagles will prey on young raccoons. The average life span of a raccoon in the wild is 2 to 3 years wdfw.wa.gov/...

On one recent occasion we saw them up on the roof when we were returning home. They were skittish and quickly decamped, by jumping into the plum tree by the house. That tree is primarily a staging spot for birds coming and going to the feeders.

Caught in the act

Making the leap

Video sequence:



All the raccoons can easily climb down the side of the greenhouse (head first) but they seem to like the refuge high up in the tree.

Way up in the tree, watching and waiting for me to go inside the house

Since then we’ve trimmed back the tree branches there so it won’t be so easy for raccoons to jump into. That’s necessary every year in any case to avoid banging during winter windstorms. But if it can serve as a discouragement to bebe raccoons now, so much the better.

Our sweet corn patch is nearly ripe. Last year the raccoons stripped ripe ears from the stalks so we fenced it off with chickenwire. This year we’ve preemptively fenced it (corn is late this summer, as most vegetable crops have been due to our very late cool spring and early summer).

Chickenwire. It’s a bit floppy which makes it harder for them to climb over.

Next month they’ll start getting into the pear trees. We don’t mind that since there are far more pears than we can possibly eat. The raccoons don’t seem interested in apples.

We have mixed feelings about the raccoons but recognize that we humans are the terraformers here, having taken over the island. The wildlife make the best of the situation. Some, like raccoons, are very good at taking advantage of what we set up.



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Sunny and warm in the PNW islands today. Temps climbing into the 70s. Days are shortening though. I smell fall in the air.

WHAT’S UP IN NATURE IN YOUR AREA TODAY?

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/8/25/2118277/-The-Daily-Bucket-bebe-raccoons

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