Forum Index > Pacific NW History > Animals in unexpected places
 Reply to topic
Previous :: Next Topic
Author Message
Bowregard
Member
Member


Joined: 05 Feb 2019
Posts: 562 | TRs | Pics
Location: Sammamish
Bowregard
Member
PostThu May 05, 2022 7:25 am 
Night before last we were awakened by an animal fight in out neighbor's tree. Sounded like a cross between big cats fighting and screaming babies (but really loud and nasty). Whimpering sounds increased then a large "thud" with no brush sounds below afterwards. Then the animal still in the tree spent quite awhile maneuvering about until it eventually made it's way to the evergreen trees above and behind. The animals were clearly heavy for the branches they were climbing on (and based on the "thud" ). I am betting it was raccoons, lynx, or bobcat based on the size and a comparison of the sounds with internet videos. I checked in the morning but saw no evidence of anything left on the ground.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Anne Elk
BrontosaurusTheorist



Joined: 07 Sep 2018
Posts: 2403 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle
Anne Elk
BrontosaurusTheorist
PostThu May 05, 2022 10:14 am 
Bowregard wrote:
Night before last we were awakened by an animal fight in out neighbor's tree.
What you describe sounds very much like an incident in my neighborhood a year or so ago. It was preceded by a huge gathering of squawking crows, flying around and making a commotion. Usually it means an eagle in the area. I ran around the block to check it out. Turns out it was a raccoon high up in a large conifer, raiding a crow's nest, either getting the eggs or killing the chicks. Didn't seem there was much the crows could do, although I'd have thought the parents would be pecking the hell out of that bandit. Very sad, as I love crows, but that's "nature".

"There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Mike Collins
Member
Member


Joined: 18 Dec 2001
Posts: 3085 | TRs | Pics
Mike Collins
Member
PostFri May 06, 2022 3:07 pm 
Anne Elk wrote:
Turns out it was a raccoon high up in a large conifer, raiding a crow's nest, either getting the eggs or killing the chicks.
Nest predation in Vancouver's Stanley Park was causing a great loss of heron reproduction. The park has had great success placing predator guards around the trunks of the nesting trees in the heronry. For $52 you can Adopt-A-Nest that helps to pay for the needed supplies. https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/courier-archive/news/stanley-park-herons-back-in-action-on-nature-cam-3048554

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
kitya
Fortune Cookie



Joined: 15 Mar 2010
Posts: 841 | TRs | Pics
Location: Duvall, WA
kitya
Fortune Cookie
PostFri May 06, 2022 6:11 pm 
Anne Elk wrote:
Bowregard wrote:
Night before last we were awakened by an animal fight in out neighbor's tree.
What you describe sounds very much like an incident in my neighborhood a year or so ago. It was preceded by a huge gathering of squawking crows, flying around and making a commotion. Usually it means an eagle in the area. I ran around the block to check it out. Turns out it was a raccoon high up in a large conifer, raiding a crow's nest, either getting the eggs or killing the chicks. Didn't seem there was much the crows could do, although I'd have thought the parents would be pecking the hell out of that bandit. Very sad, as I love crows, but that's "nature".
I wouldn't worry about crow chicks. Crows are very able to protect themselves because they are strong, fast and social, giving them strength in numbers. When any predator comes close to crow nest, not just the parents but crows from all over the neighborhood come to the rescue. I have definitely seen a raccoon being chased away by crows from a nest, getting nothing. I have even once seen a raccoon run away after getting harassed by the steller's jays!

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Exmoor
Member
Member


Joined: 20 Mar 2013
Posts: 89 | TRs | Pics
Location: Snohomish
Exmoor
Member
PostWed May 25, 2022 8:30 am 
kitya wrote:
Something really unexpected (at least by me), but yesterday Cookie and I met a harbor seal right in the downtown Duvall, just swimming around happily in the Snoqualmie river, near to the shores of McCormick park. I since searched and turns out people see seals occasionally in the Snoqualmie river all the way up to Tolt in Carnation! This is very far from the ocean!
I live along the Snohomish, perhaps 10 miles downstream of Duvall and see seals frequently when the salmon or steelhead runs are going. I was always curious how far upstream they made it.
Anne Elk wrote:
kitya wrote:
Cookie and I met a harbor seal right in the downtown Duvall, just swimming around happily in the Snoqualmie river
Yikes! I wonder if the poor little guy is short on fish and looking far afield??
My belief is that fish in the river are a lot easier to catch than fish in the open water of Puget Sound. Oddly, despite the narrative I've heard throughout my life of fish stocks being impacted by "non-native" sea lions I've only ever seen one California Sea Lion in the river in my many years here.

kitya
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
   All times are GMT - 8 Hours
 Reply to topic
Forum Index > Pacific NW History > Animals in unexpected places
  Happy Birthday weathercrazy, Tag Man!
Jump to:   
Search this topic:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum