‘The Night Manager’, ‘The Night Agent,’ both were captivating dramas but the real and living drama from our garden camera, makes for so many entertaining stories also.

Two nights ago a cat was spotted skulking around the pond at one a.m. I do not like cats, sorry cat fans but they are not welcome in my garden. When they can, they will use the less frozen and more moveable soil by the house as their toilet. The smell is abominable.  Luckily we have not had many cats in the neighbourhood for a long time but the signs of a newcomer have been here for a while now. My little Yorkie knows. She knows everything mind you, and is not quiet about letting me know also. She will suddenly demand to be let out and shoots up to the fence to prevent an invasion of what I assume to be, the cat. She will go crazy when she sees what I assume to be, the cat, from the family room window. She used to do this with squirrel but squirrel is gone so I am sure this must be cat. The proof came two nights ago on the garden camera.

This morning my husband announced that the cat came back. However, on further examination of the video, I disputed the identification of cat. This critter had a humped body, a long bushy tale and a distinctive triangular shaped head. Further enlargement of the critter revealed the striped tail. Raccoon. The striped tail had not shown at all on original viewing but further examination certainly proved the night visitor’s identity.

Our pond is covered with a netted frame for winter and the heater keeps a small area open in the ice to ensure oxygen levels are maintained for the fish. Many Canadians enjoy ice fishing and it would appear cats and raccoons are no different. Unfortunately, for the night visitors, the fish are unavailable through the screen at this time of year but as the fish will circle the heater in obvious enjoyment, our raccoon must have spotted them earlier. Raccoon certainly knew exactly where he was going.

Raccoons, like deer, have moved into our community in recent years. The implications of this night visitor, are that we will need to be watchful of the pond once spring arrives. Apparently raccoons do not like to swim so the wall around our pond may be a deterrent. Only time will tell.