February 21, 2014

A Little Visitor to Our Cottage


In contrast with last week’s snowfall, we're now welcoming much warmer temperatures. With daytime highs in the mid 60s and low 70s, it has been blissful! So we have been popping out the front door regularly to enjoy some fresh air. Mr. Jim took such a break on Wednesday afternoon. As he was standing on the front porch, he heard a rustling noise in the small area between the porch and garage wall. He called for me to come quick! I ran out and then immediately ran back in to grab a camera.

A juvenile raccoon had come for a visit!


As we appreciated the wonder of the moment, the little one gazed at us, probably unsure of what kind of creatures were standing before him. He posed nicely for me for a couple of minutes before scampering off to the safety of the backyard woodlands. This encounter was our giggle for the day!

Just for fun, I cropped one of the images and created a desaturated, artsy composition too.



At three feet from our front door, wildlife photography doesn’t get any easier than that!

21 comments:

  1. Great photos of the raccoon. We have a family of them which lives somewhere nearby. The don't visit us until night ---but they love to come up on the deck and eat the remaining birdseed which I couldn't sweep up!!!!!

    Have you seen that cute commercial (eye glasses company) showing a woman who lets a raccoon into her home thinking (because she needs glasses) that it's her kitty???..... Cute one.

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  2. They are cute when young but grow into ravenous scavengers and nuisances - and they can carry rabies! Our neighbors had them get into the attic raising a family one year - needed a visit from the animal control and quick removal of course. We have them visit at night - hear them around the trash cans and one night was able to take photos of one cleaning out a bird feeder in the back garden.
    Your little guy is adorable and you really got fabulous shots Donna.

    How did you fare in the storm last night? OK, and no damage hopefully. Just hitting us as I write - torrential downpour, thunder and high winds which may get worse before it's over! I get all worried about our old trees and also losing power - fingers are crossed, legs too!!!!

    Hugs - Mary

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  3. How wonderful to have that opportunity to capture the little fellow. Great photo op!
    The other day I was sitting on the front steps, and heard something. It was an
    armadillo; when it saw me he took off at once. :)

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  4. Raccoons are cute and come into our yard a lot at night to drink from the pond - and maybe catch goldfish or two.
    Sweet face in the first photo and pretty neat composition in the second.

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  5. they're cute - if they go away again. :) in spring, when they're feeding babies, they are terrible pests in our barn going after the horse feed!

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  6. Cute captures of your little visitor. We see racoons occasionally, but they don't hang around here, and for that, I'm grateful.

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  7. I love raccoons, those adorable, cunning, and dangerous little critters! And the little ones sure are cute!

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  8. What a great capture !
    ( in the lens of course lol)
    Beautiful little creature .

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  9. Aw, he is a cutie. And your photos are fabulous, as usual, Donna!

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  10. OHCOMEONNN!!!!! This was a SETUP!!!!Hahahahahaaaa.....
    MY WORD GIRL! You two are the luckiest when it comes to fantastic shots! They literally FALL into your laps!!Hahaaaa
    Oh, and did I say, Beautiful?????
    (((HUG)))

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  11. They ARE sooo cute, but also can be a real pest and nuisance. After finding a family of babies in a little used shed a few years ago, we also discovered they carry many many many fleas.... Enjoy the photo ops, but hope they don't "move in"...

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  12. Oh what a little DARLING. I love raccoons. I once saw one climbing my sister's house in Canada, reaching with all his might toward the well-stocked bird feeder hanging in front of her picture window. He was stretching himself like a rubber band! BTW the other day when our yard was covered in four inches of snow and ice on top of that, Greg noticed not one but two sets of what could be nothing but deer tracks. BIG deer from the size of the cloven-hoof marks. I keep looking out at night now, hoping to catch them in the act of bounding across my suburban yard. LOL

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  13. Oh my goodness. He is the cutest little thing! And of course your capture of him is fabulous!

    We have had a raccoon come up onto our back porch to partake of the cat food that is there for our (formerly) feral cat. We can look at him through the back door and he makes eye contact, but doesn't leave his feast until we open the back door to run him off. Bold fellow! (I don't know what I'd do if he didn't run!)

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  14. What a sweet little face he has. They sure can be a nuisance though. I've had problems with them in the past.

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  15. Great pictures but I don't need another pest under my deck. The rabbit is enough.

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  16. He is cute, but he is such a lot of trouble if you let him be. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to get him out of your attic.

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  17. Such beautiful photos, Donna! We had a couple coming around last fall, but hopefully they have found new stomping grounds...

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  18. Such a sweet expression that you caught as he looks right up at you. I think you might have made a friend.

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  19. Your photos are great! We have raccoons in our yard - usually when we don't know it. My dear mother's yard is graced (and destroyed) more often. They are 'cute' but so destructive. When I was staying with my dear mom twenty-four-seven a few weeks ago I let my little dog run and play in her backyard before bedtime. One morning as I stood at the kitchen sink I saw the biggest, tallest raccoon I've ever seen saunter into her fenced yard. Later he meandered his way back out. My little dog never roamed at will in her yard in the dark again! No chances taken.
    ~Adrienne~

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