About 8:30 this evening I set a “have a heart” trap to catch a squirrel that has been eating the sunflower seeds from our bird feeder. I then walked to the garden to pull some weeds. When I came back at 9 a skunk, almost pure white, was in the trap. I got an old plastic table cloth, covered the trap and the skunk, and put him in the back of the truck. Our daughter, visiting from California, and I then drove to the upper end of the Wild Creek Reservoir. She stayed in the cab while I, speaking softly to the skunk, opened the tailgate and the door to the trap. The plan was if the skunk sprayed me, I would ride in the back and Rachael would drive us home. The skunk calmly walked out of the trap, hopped down, and ran into the woods. No smell whatsoever.
And here was the best thing. I don’t think I have heard a whippoorwill for 20 or 30 years. Growing up I would hear them every night, but loss of habitat has reduced these shy birds to the point where they are now considered a threatened species, and soon may be endangered, if we still do that. And there one was, calling and calling. Rachael and I just sat there listening. It is such a wonderful sound.
It was a good evening.
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