This years overwinters are settled in.

The new Chicken little has had no problem mixing in with the group. Just one of the hoard now, rushing me for food at feeding time! She's got a little rear leg issue. Limping on it a little, but using it to climb around no problem. She wasn't brought to me until about 2 and a half weeks after she was found so any injuries are old and already healing. As long as she continues to improve  and has no problem getting around it shouldn't be a problem.

Chicken little helps herself to some chicken liver!

As does Porcelain...before I can even dole it out to everyone!

Yummy marrow bones were also on the menu.

Chester gives a big smile of approval.

Isles takes a drink of water in her usual strange way. She dips her arm in, lifts it up and laps up the water as it drips down to her elbow! Freak! LOL

Vin reincarnated! Pebbles and Porcelain (Pebbles especially!) are their fathers daughters. No doubt he was responsible for Stoney's "predicament" the night he broke back in there after being separated. Pebbles looks almost just like him now...same markings and same longer pointed face. Sometimes I look at her and all I see is Vin! Luckily for me the trouble maker gene does not appear to have been passed on! 

I have my wonderful mechanic, Victor, to thank for the many tire swings the gang enjoys. He saves me the good ones and the gang appreciate it greatly!

Little Cooper, the cutest little boy with the biggest attitude! But he's always sweet to momma!

And so we have our little family of 12 overwinters for the year....Bama, Chester, Springer, Pebbles, Porcelain, Rizzoli, Isles, Cooper, Laurie's 3 that I can never remember their names....maybe I should call them Enie, Meanie, Miny? (the littlest one is a little meanie! ) and Chicken Little.

The new kid.

Give a big welcome to Chicken Little here. She was brought to me Wednesday. (At least I think it is a she! She's not very handle-able right now so I haven't gotten a good look yet.) She was found with a dead raccoon that had been hit by a car in the road. Lucky for her she was found by a kind benefactor that took her in and cared for her for a couple weeks before tracking us down. She is understandably a little freaked out right now, having lost her real mom then the human family she grew to know. Now she's here with a total stranger and nothing is familiar! But not to worry. I kept her bed in with her and she is now adjacent to the overwinters so she can get to know them a little better before getting put right in there with them. She will have lots of fun friends in no time and this will all be a memory for her.

She's eating great and exploring her pen and I think this adorable little one will fit in just fine here.

Miscelaneous meanderings.

Been busy getting animals squared away everywhere these days. I moved the 12 squirrels out to the release pen.

A couple checks to the island release site and on one day we found Sis and Doc in a den box. The next night we were met by Doc out in a nearby tree and there were 2 up in a giant pine that were less than thrilled to see me. I'm guessing 2 of Laurie's shy gang.

We've been getting updates on the crew at the second release site. Various sightings of 6 or so there. I'm hoping we'll get a chance soon to pop down there and check it out.

On one of our trips to the island we came across a dead coonie in the road not to far from my house. The first thing Laurie and I both thought was Gibby! It was too hard to tell for sure as the head was a little crushed. I took him home and buried him....miserable! I spent the night looking for him out in the woods praying for a visit with no luck.....more miserable!! After a day long conference the following day on fluid therapy in NH, I headed back into the woods. As usual River and her little piggies were anxiously awaiting my arrival!

Nile was the lookout above....

....while River then Amazon came in from below.

Amazon is River's #1...she's the dominant one of the kids. She's sporting a new slash on her poor nose now. Nothing major though and it's already improving. I am also amazed at how much nicer they are with me now that they've been released! River wanted to kill me and the 4 kids avoided me at all costs. Since being released, not only have they stuck around, but they have begun trusting me enough to take food right from my hand! Amazon is the most trusting and doesn't hesitate.

Nile is getting braver every day and barely hesitates now. Tigris and Howell are much shyer...Howell will not approach me or let me approach him. He just tolerates my presence. Tigris will start to approach but not take anything from my hand. She prefers to hang back with Howell.

Regardless, all of them are big, fat, healthy, beautiful raccoons that have me wrapped around their little fingers!

Then the amazing happened!! Gibby appeared among Rivers gang! I can not even begin to describe the relief!!!! And the next thing I knew there was quite a crowd around me! Ringer and Belle were there with their kits, and suddenly Quinny showed up, actually grabbed a nut out of my hand, and scurried off! Haven't seen him in person in ages!There was also a little male that definitely knew me enough to take a nut from my hand.... not shy like one of the usual wild kits. Laurie and I are thinking it may have been Andy. He's changed a lot, but the face was somewhat similar....
Further out in the woods, other familiar kits from the wild gang were hanging around waiting to see if I might be leaving dinner out for them this particular evening.....they were not disappointed. :) 

On the nights I don't leave dinner out for every raccoon in the woods, my squirrel/bird feeders are regularly raided. It's not uncommon for me to pull up after a night shift and see some big round furry butts hightailing it across my back lawn in the headlights! When I get in the house I head to the back door to let the dogs out and have to do the coonie check. It never fails...there is usually one, who while trying to figure out why the heck everyone else ran off, gets that deer in headlights "oh shit!" look when the back light goes on and I poke my head out the door. Bagged! Then it freezes and does the whole "if I don't move while hiding behind this tiny branch no one can see me" routine. LOL  I had to make this little fella understand that Yes, I do see you and you have to move along now so I can let the dogs out.

Last night I saw 3 of the biggest butts ever running across the lawn! My coonie check revealed River still in the tree. I should have known! She didn't freeze though. She just acted like she owned the place and wanted to know why I was disturbing her dinner out with the kids. I had to bribe her with a little snack out in the woods to get her out of there so I could let the dogs out. Like I said....wrapped around their little fingers!

Wouldn't have it any other way! :)

The excavator under my front steps.

One of my resident ground hogs is making himself at home. He's a regular on my front lawn and has now renovated a lovely den under my front steps.

He's quite fond of hanging out on the steps enjoying the view of the pond.......

....and I think he is beginning to entertain the idea of possibly becoming the next roommate! He's getting closer and closer to the front door....and appears to be contemplating a knock on the door possibly?

Sorry dude! You've grown nice and fat off the dandelions on my front lawn and will do just fine in your lovely new home....no need to come in here for the winter!

Whack a mole for raptors.

This beauty has caused quite a stir at the feeders outside my kitchen window. It occasionally decides to make a pass over the lawn and land in the tree across from me, watching chippy's running to and fro across the grass.

Occasionally it makes the effort to glide down and check them out......

......standing over the hole it sees one scurry down, hoping for a little head to pop up so he can pluck it outta there!

Hehehe....meanwhile the chippy has already popped it's head out of one of the MANY other holes in the lawn, watching and warning others from safety.

A gorgeous bird...I think it's a juvenile, the tail is not red yet...however I'm not the best at identifying different stages in birds. My skill is limited to identifying the species at best!

The second release

Another busy weekend with the second and last release for this year!

Last week Laurie and I scoped out a release site in Norton that was perfect...with the exception that it is an hour away!  Lots of woods and a pond and plenty of room to avoid people. Nikki who owns the property will keep an eye on the site for us though, so even though we will not be able to visit as often as we would like (sniff, sniff), someone will at least be keeping an eye on them. Thank's so much Nikki!!

We got it set up while we were there and planned our return trip with the rest of the gang.

This past Saturday our schedules and the weather all cooperated. After a quick trip to the island to check on that gang (no one to be seen), we packed up the SUV full of raccoons, food and anything else we might need and started the long trip.

Once there it seemed like an even longer trip as we lugged all the coons and crap quite a ways into the woods to our selected site. I think this was the halfway point.

Then the fun began! We let them all out and enjoyed the show! There were just so many cute pics this time that I just couldn't put a limit on them....so enjoy the show as 8 of Laurie's kids and Pinner, Spencer, Houdini, Legend, Tumbler, Petey, Mahem, Lucky and Ducky discover their freedom!
Pinner

Pinner

Spencer

Houdini

Legend

Tumbler

Pinner (left) & Legend

Ducky

Tumbler

Houdini

Laurie and I hung around till dark then sadly snuck out of there while we could without being followed. We returned last night to check on them. Four were in the den box but it didn't take long for the rest to come running in once they heard our voices. We had another wonderful visit with the whole gang. It will probably be the last time we see them all again. It's going to be a while before we can make another trip out there unfortunately, so it was good to be able to hang out and say our final good bye's.

I love having less to clean up after!!! but I miss them too!