A grey fox visits.

OK....so what started as a temporary feeding station up near my front yard for the skunks after their release may have to become a little more permanent. I'm just getting more sitings of some of the gang that's not frequenting the main feeding station....and then some!!!

Button is a regular up here....

...and one night her brother Outlaw was with her! In one picture there was a third set of glowing eyes coming out of the woods while the 2 of them were eating so although I have no hard evidence, I am assuming brother Charger is still with them and I can't tell you how thrilled I am to see them doing so well! Big and beefy they are, packing on the winter fat!

It turns out Quininy is also a regular up here now too! He's sometimes with someone else also, but I never get a good shot so no idea who it is, but again-totally thrilled to see Quinny boy doing so well!

And the biggest surprise of all.....I've got a grey fox hanging around and finally got it on video! I had a chance encounter with it one night....thought there was a cat over there, shone the flashlight over there and to my surprise it started walking closer to me. Turns out it was getting a good whiff of some leftover pineapple cake I was bringing out to the coonies and wanted to investigate. Came within about 20 feet...enough for me to get a perfect look at it, then got a whiff of me over the treat and left. (I might add that the coonies were hanging out in the same area with the fox without any clashes.) As a result of that encounter I started putting the coon cam up by this "temporary" feeder to see what I could and it's been nothing but wonderful surprises since!

So my temporary skunk feeding station has shown not one single skunk! LOL But lots of other things...including a possie. I finally know I have possies because I have been doubtful....since I moved here in 2006 I have not seen a single possie,nor track or sign of such either! Nothing! I finally got a nice big fat healthy one on the coon cam! Time to get another coon cam to put back down by the main feeder to keep an eye on the coons down there, because I definitely want to keep one up here too!

Button, Outlaw & Charger...free at last!

They are big and beautiful and ready to go so the door was opened and out they went! The weather finally looks like it may hold for a few day to give them time to adjust out there so it was time to say goodbye! When I caught up with them around midnight last night, Charger came and followed me around a little and I heard some clashing in the brush since the regular mom's were out with kits by then, but nothing nasty and all was going well!

Hey guys.....look mom forgot to close the door!

Quick! Make a break for it!

After running around the outside of the pen for a while it was time to let loose and play in the trees!

I am always amazed at their ability to climb so easily face first down a tree as Charger demonstrates here!

Outlaw checking out every inch of the area.

Button got a little nervous when she got separated from her brothers, but a quick peek from higher ground and all was well again.

The older raccoons.

Outlaw (left), Charger (right) and Button (squeezed in the back!) are out back in the release pen getting ready for freedom. They are big and beautiful and ready to go!

In about a week when (and if the way this summer has been!) we get a good stretch of nice weather the doors will be opened and they will be free to go on their big journey!

Playtime, Raccoon style.

Ok now! The big boys have been separated from the girls and kids while breeding season has been in full swing. Had a nice warm day out there so I moved the boys into the smaller side and let the kids go nuts! As you can see, it was a hit!!

What I like to call "the backward shuffle". They puff themselves up, the ears go back, they bow down a little on their front legs, and shuffle backwards! Ooooooo, so threatening!! LOL Button looks sooooo formidable here! (NOT!) What a cutie.

Ah....now what do I do!?

Kids will be kids! Button, Charger and Outlaw the wrestle maniacs.

Charger doing what he does best-and what he is so aptly named for- Charging mom and the camera!

With any luck, winter is just about over and the squirrels will be able to go in the near future!