One in all my favourite authors is Alan Lightman, a gifted author who additionally occurs to be a physicist. Lightman’s background in science inclines him to imagine there’s a solution for every little thing, although he admits a restrict to his curiosity. “I desire that at the very least some components of my being stay within the shadows of thriller,” he confesses in one in every of his essays.
I, too, like somewhat thriller in my life, which is why I haven’t tried too exhausting to determine what sorts of animals have been traipsing by means of our yard after darkish. Guessing with out clear decision is a part of the enjoyable. Autumn, I’ve discovered, is the very best time of yr in south Louisiana to ponder issues that go bump within the evening. The interval between nightfall and daybreak grows longer, and the deepening leaf litter tends to amplify the sound of out of doors guests simply past our bed room window. Tucked underneath the covers, I’m wondering what sort of critter is padding across the patio, although I’m not inquisitive sufficient to go away a heat mattress. Some issues, I suppose, are finest left to the creativeness.
These previous few weeks, dawn has introduced information of happenings whereas we slept. I’ve discovered our massive chook feeder scattered throughout the bottom in a number of items, an act of sabotage that clearly required a certain quantity of dexterity. I think raccoons, whose paws might be nearly as nimble as a human hand.
My spouse advised that we grasp a couple of cameras exterior to catch our interlopers within the act. Anybody who’s bored can move an hour or two scanning varied on-line movies of suburban wildlife caught on safety footage after darkish: raccoons ambling by means of the carport, a fox strolling the fence line, a bear ringing a doorbell. Possibly I’ll resort to that sort of newbie documentary, however in the case of issues nocturnal, I appear to love much more the realm of pure hypothesis.
Our suet feeders — small wire cages that maintain blocks of vegetable shortening studded with seeds — are an enormous draw for woodpeckers throughout the day. However at evening, they entice different hungry diners. I’ve discovered our suet cages ripped from the bushes and carried into the shrubbery, in a lot the identical approach that burglars lug a stolen secure to their lair so it may be ransacked in secret.
The opposite day, whereas watering her cypress vine, my spouse discovered a clue about attainable suspects. A wierd pile of scat rested within the flowerbed, and I spent an excellent little bit of time scrolling a web based gallery of poop footage to make a optimistic ID. This proof additionally pointed towards a raccoon — although I did surprise, after exhausting a part of a Saturday on my investigation, if possibly I would like a extra healthful pastime.
I’ve bolstered our suet feeders with robust metallic clips to frustrate our thieves. Right here’s hoping they’re as puzzled by me as I’m by them.