My corner of Northampton has a pretty diverse population of wild beasts. Bears sometimes stroll through on their way to the meadows. Herons fly over most nights returning to the heronry and at dusk the air fills first with swifts and swallows then with bats cleansing the air of insects. But by far the most charismatic critters are the skunks.
Sometimes in the evening I sit out on the Lanai (driveway) with friends to enjoy the air and look menacingly at the neighborhood children. Mr. Fetidus usually begins foraging as the sun is setting so gives us something else to keep an eye on. Recently, we watched as one of our neighbors tossed beer cans at Mr. Fetidus to try and scare him away. Fetty did leave, but he was probably just outraged at such poor taste in beverages. Bud Light? Really?
I too have sometimes been forced to resort to extraordinary measures to handle Fetty. I have found him in the chicken run along with the chickens. I was also once confronted by three skunks in the chicken run. I threw sticks and made loud noises.
Our cat, Grendel, and I have been sprayed once, and I’m guessing that she’ll probably get it at least one more time as she tends to put her nose where it shouldn’t be — like near a skunk’s anal gland.
This last week Fetty met me in the morning as I was heading out to the garden. He was digging in my pea bed. Bastard! Skunks, of course, love to dig for grubs. Some folks object to this foraging technique as it tends to leave little holes in the yard. I look at it as organic pest control and lawn aeration. I’m not usually a “glass is half full” kind of guy, but in this case my choices are limited.
In any case, Fetty looked to be tearing up what’s left of the peas and some new beans. Not having any empty Bud Lights nearby I tossed a stick in his direction. It went wide, but Fetty chased after it. Uh oh. I tried with a larger stick, and Stinko pounced on it. After my third volley, he turned to look at me and started to bounce right over. I got the feeling he wanted to play fetch. I beat a hasty retreat I’ll tell you what. From a safe spot on the other side of the car, I reminded El Stinkerino in what I thought was a commanding voice that he is a nocturnal animal. This did nothing, but eventually he did leave.
I checked the peas and beans. He hadn’t ripped up a single one, he just dug around them. I’d like to think he was weeding. What a great guy, aerating the lawn, weeding and eating grubs. Too bad about the anal glands.
My corner of Northampton has a pretty diverse population of wild beasts. Bears sometimes stroll through on their way to the meadows. Herons fly over most nights returning to the heronry and at dusk the air fills first with swifts and swallows then with bats cleansing the air of insects. But by far the most charismatic critters are the skunks.
Sometimes in the evening I sit out on the Lanai (driveway) with friends to enjoy the air and look menacingly at the neighborhood children. Mr. Fetidus usually begins foraging as the sun is setting so gives us something else to keep an eye on. Recently, we watched as one of our neighbors tossed beer cans at Mr. Fetidus to try and scare him away. Fetty did leave, but he was probably just outraged at such poor taste in beverages. Bud Light? Really?
I too have sometimes been forced to resort to extraordinary measures to handle Fetty. I have found him in the chicken run along with the chickens. I was also once confronted by three skunks in the chicken run. I threw sticks and made loud noises.
Our cat, Grendel, and I have been sprayed once, and I’m guessing that she’ll probably get it at least one more time as she tends to put her nose where it shouldn’t be — like near a skunk’s anal gland.
This last week Fetty met me in the morning as I was heading out to the garden. He was digging in my pea bed. Bastard! Skunks, of course, love to dig for grubs. Some folks object to this foraging technique as it tends to leave little holes in the yard. I look at it as organic pest control and lawn aeration. I’m not usually a “glass is half full” kind of guy, but in this case my choices are limited.
In any case, Fetty looked to be tearing up what’s left of the peas and some new beans. Not having any empty Bud Lights nearby I tossed a stick in his direction. It went wide, but Fetty chased after it. Uh oh. I tried with a larger stick, and Stinko pounced on it. After my third volley, he turned to look at me and started to bounce right over. I got the feeling he wanted to play fetch. I beat a hasty retreat I’ll tell you what. From a safe spot on the other side of the car, I reminded El Stinkerino in what I thought was a commanding voice that he is a nocturnal animal. This did nothing, but eventually he did leave.
I checked the peas and beans. He hadn’t ripped up a single one, he just dug around them. I’d like to think he was weeding. What a great guy, aerating the lawn, weeding and eating grubs. Too bad about the anal glands.
