From: Joe and Ellen Hecksel <jhecksel@voyager.net>
To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: [NAFEX] Skunks good or skunks bad?
Date: Sun, 09 May 2004 08:36:18 -0400
Happy Mother's day, all!
On the whole, are skunks an advantage to have around or not?
It is a beautiful, magical morning here on the "farm". It rained last
night. The sun is shining. You can still see the mist hanging when you
walk under the trees and the sun's rays turn into ethereal beams. Very
peaceful.
I was out at 7:00 this morning feeding our two bottle lambs. I usually
feed the lambs at 4:00 because I have to be at work before the sun
rises. So it is a real treat to walk around early in the morning.
While walking back across the pasture I saw a skunk loping about like
he/she owned the place.
Sheep are not the smartest of critters and some are dumber than others.
The bottle lambs were following me back to the barn. Bottle lambs
nearly always have bonding disorders. "Are you my mother?" So these
lambs were right under foot. A real tripping hazard. You have to walk
right smart and keep an eye on the little dudes so you don't step on one
or inadvertently give one a solid kick. I was actually pretty close to
this skunk before I noticed it.
At this point in the story I am sorry to disappoint those of you who
know what should have happened. No, the lambs did not see the skunk and
rush up to it. "Hey Mom! Got milk???" No, the skunk did not spray
us all. Sorry to disappoint.
************************************************
Part of what made this morning magical is that I saw TWO Baltimore
Orioles and TWO cat birds and one Tyrant King Bird (or Bee Eater).
These are not particularly common birds around here. I don't know if
they are passing through on their way north or if they are setting up
shop. I thought it was a little early for the Orioles. The pairs of
birds seemed to be skirmishing for territory.
I am tickled to see the birds. I think part of the increase in
diversity is due to the increasing diversity of the local
habitat...particullarly the vertical "structure". I also think the
collapse of the Starling population helped.
-Joe
"You never see a fish on the wall with its mouth closed."