Skunks

For at least two months around 11:30 pm I hear someone rooting around in the backyard and invariably it is a skunk. He is so punctual that I thought he must have a circuit he does in the neighborhood. It's fine unless I am arriving home around that time and have to worry about coming face to face, or worse, face to tail, with the creature.

One night, I did interrupt his rooting around ... and he put his tail up and looked at me as if to say, "What are you going to do now?"

I very calmly said, "I'm just going to the door." And not so calmly, ran for the door.

I thought I had it all figured out.

Tonight, I came home around 9 pm, open the door to the backyard and discovered not one but two very nervous skunks. These guys looked truly dangerous, so I closed the door and listened. They went right back to work, looking for whatever it is they want from my backyard. I thought about what to do... wait, make noise, throw something at them.

I remembered that sneaking by the other skunk worked because he was closer to the far end of the yard with plenty of room for me to get to the door. These guys were right near the gate. I decided I might be able to startle them into hiding if I opened the door again without actually going in and scaring them into spraying me.

I opened and closed the door. It sort of worked. And, tired and sweaty from the run, I just wanted to get into my house. I tried again and didn't see them, though I could hear them. I ran to the apartment door and got in...then I went directly to the kitchen window so I could observe them foraging. Usually it is so dark when they are here that I can't really watch what they are doing.

After watching my personal discovery for a while, I decided these two were young skunks. I was surprised to see that they walk around with their tails up all the time...not just when ready to spray. I wished I had a camera phone at that moment to take a picture of them walking around with their tails in the air.

I called my sister and nephew to report that there were two skunks in my backyard. Mijo could tell from my voice that this was exciting news. But when his response to my news was "tractors" my sister and I decided that maybe doesn't know what a skunk is.

For mijo, a pictorial:


Mijo's personal favorite backyard pal: