Pepe’ Le Pew

I often brag to my friends about the wildlife that I get to see almost daily here at Reflection Riding, especially in the evenings.  Over the past year it’s been interesting to witness the cycle of the critters that come and go with the seasons.

In the winter months the deer are everywhere from dusk till dawn.  The turkeys which feed in the fields during the warmer months and are as common as your suburban neighborhood dogs, seem to disappear into the forest soon after the leaves begin to fall.  The possums, they don’t hibernate, seem to fill a gap in the colder months and are often spotted throughout the reserve darting unconsciously in and out of my car’s headlamps as I drive the loop road.  But it seems that I see them less often now, replaced by the “polecat” or skunks.  Skunks have few predators so most carnivores honor their personal space which is commonly known in the forest as the “10 foot rule”.  Strangely enough, Great Horned Owls which have a poor sense of smell often prey on these unlikely targets.

Skunks are typically nocturnal creatures which forage for insects, worms, eggs and rodents.  From what I’ve witnessed, one of their favorite appetizers are yellow jacket wasps.   The caretaker’s back yard is riddled with small earthy pot holes where the skunks forage for this tasty treat.  I’ve often been awakened by the pungent smell that somehow creeps through the thick log exterior of the caretaker’s cabin.  Albeit part of the cabin’s personality and charm is it’s simplistic and somewhat minimalistic architectural design but it’s quite the rude awakening.

The picture I’ve posted was taken last June in front of the Humphreys House.  Even though the yellow jackets swarmed, determined to drive this young skunk from their nest, the stings could not penetrate the skunk’s coarse fur.  I made this picture using an 80-200mm lens from about 15 feet away.  Close enough to hear the crunching sounds of the defending wasps final defense, but on the outer edge of the skunk’s target range which is reported to be about 10 feet.  Give or take a few inches.