On 3/28/2021 9:13 AM, Boron Elgar wrote:
> On Sat, 27 Mar 2021 22:45:01 -0400, jmcquown >
> wrote:
>
>> On 3/27/2021 10:04 PM, Boron Elgar wrote:
>>> On Sat, 27 Mar 2021 20:23:51 -0400, jmcquown >
>
>>>>
>> Yep, I just read that! I've seen as many as 7 raccoons out back at one
>> time, but not in recent years.
>
> Well- just learned something. Looked up what a group of raccoons is
> called and discovered the term is "gaze." You saw a large gaze of
> raccoons!
>>
That's a fun factoid.
>>>> It would be fun to find out what's going outside at night.
>>>>
>>>> Jill
>>>
>>> Sometimes deer, foxes, or raccoons, and all in one night.
>>>
>> I think there might be foxes in the area but I'm not sure. I know there
>> are minks (which surprised me!) but they tend to be closer to the water.
>>
> The foxes around here makes sound that are a cross between a dog bark
> and a female or child's yell out in pain. Very disconcerting unless
> one knows what it is. The barking goes can go on for quite a while.
>
> I'd run to a window to look out a few times to see if a person or
> animal were in distress until I learned what the sounds were.
>
I think I saw a fox run up a tree one day. At first glance I thought it
was a small reddish dog trotting along... until it started climbing.
Oh, wait, dogs can't climb trees! LOL
> But mink! Have you gotten to see them? Are they native to the area?
>
Yes, mink! No, I haven't seen any. It surprised the heck out of me to
find there are minks on Dataw. Yes, they are native. Apparently they
like marshy areas.
https://www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/species/mink.html
No, I haven't seen them but some folks on the other side of the island
who live closer to the water have. I'm told minks are quite mean.
There are also rabbits on the island, although I've never seen those,
either. Apparently they like the marshy areas, too. So do the
alligators...
Then again, I've seen all sorts of shore birds (herons, egrets,
pelicans, cormorants) sitting right next to an alligator at one of the
large ponds. The birds ignore the alligators and the alligators ignore
the birds. They just hang out in the sun by the water.
Jill