Unexpected Wildlife Encounters
 

So, yesterday morning, I'm awakened at 6 A.M. by a strange, loud chattering noise. I throw on some clothes and go outside to look, and there are two raccoons mating in the yard next door. I've lived in the same place for 30 years and I've seen opossums and even a skunk one time, but no raccoons until now.

Cute little buggers, aren't they? Oh,and they copulate for a LONG time -- often for over an hour. If only I had a cellphone camera or a camcorder, I'd be posting raccoon porn.

So, has anyone else had an unexpected encounter with wild critters lately?

Re: Unexpected Wildlife Encounters
 

I was on the bus the other day and I felt something brushing against my legs I looked at my feet and it was a cat! He jumped up next to me and everyone else on board was like "why the heck are you bringing a cat on a bus!"

Re: Unexpected Wildlife Encounters
 

Rabbits hang around my lawn all the time.

Re: Unexpected Wildlife Encounters
 

^so not exactly unexpected? ;)

Few years back, my wife and I encountered a young male bear on the Appalachian Trail in the Shenandoah.

Re: Unexpected Wildlife Encounters
 

Last week I went out and there was a fairly big bird in a tree in the front yard. I slowly walked to where I could see it better, it was a merlin falcon. He or she sat there without moving for about 15 minutes, then swooped down upon a house finch and flew off. A few minutes later I was in the kitchen and saw the merlin was in a backyard tree, picking the little bird clean.

I've seen birds of prey circling my neighborhood before, in the summer, but they were kestrels. This was the first time I've seen a merlin, let alone one in action.

Re: Unexpected Wildlife Encounters
 

I had parked on the street one evening and was going to play hockey. As I was going down the driveway, I saw a large coyote walking down the sidewalk as if he owned it. I stayed by the garage until he was well past.

Re: Unexpected Wildlife Encounters
 

Only a few weeks ago, I was driving down an open road when an eagle swooped down and flew parallel with my car for a bit before soaring back higher.

Re: Unexpected Wildlife Encounters
 

Unexpected, perhaps, but I don't think that counts as "wildlife." Unless it was a bobcat or a South American ocelot.

JOOC, how did you know it was a male? I wouldn't want to get close enough to a wild bear to be able to tell its sex!

You must really know your birds. I wouldn't know a merlin falcon from a Ford Falcon.

Re: Unexpected Wildlife Encounters
 

By the color of its snout...It was a hundred feet away.

Re: Unexpected Wildlife Encounters
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ1ZkNg4Qc8

I just saw this vid the other day and my mouth is still open...

Re: Unexpected Wildlife Encounters
 

Looked like he did it on purpose:guffaw:

Re: Unexpected Wildlife Encounters
 

Back in college, I was walking to my car, and I had my head down. When I got near my car, I raised my head, and standing roughly 15 feet in front of me on the sidewalk was a giant 12-point buck. I froze. He froze. We stared at each other for a few seconds, and then he ran away. Scared the shit out of me. For a second I thought I was going to be speared by an antler.

Re: Unexpected Wildlife Encounters
 

When I was stationed at Eielson AFB in Alaska, I came out of my dorm to find a Moose and its Calf munching on some grass. It was almost directly in front of the door to the dorm, I had to slide by unnoticed, they are very protective of their young.

Re: Unexpected Wildlife Encounters
 

My parents' lawn is under near-constant siege by turkeys.

Re: Unexpected Wildlife Encounters
 

Few years ago, when I was walking to the university I had a distinct feeling that I was being watched. I stopped and looked around, but there was no one around. Then I noticed a bush next to me. Inside was a small owl and it was staring at me like owls usually do. We stared at each other for a few moments until I continued my journey.