Who's That Foxy Lady?

So I've already mentioned my wonderful neighbours - the mow-aholics next door and the feisty old lady across the street.

Now I've found I have a new neighbour.

Perhaps this neighbour has been here all along but has been so quiet I didn't know she was there.

Or perhaps she's been bullied by the larger and more aggressive neighbours and so had been biding her time before making her presence known.

Happily, since I've mowed my paths, the raccoon seems to be avoiding my place.  I say happily because, although I actually do enjoy watching the raccoon feed - sitting on its round bum and contentedly looking around while its front feet and jaws do all the work - its visits have been getting increasingly frustrating.  You see, instead of just arriving earlier and earlier each evening to beat my taking in the feeders, this one decided to start coming in the morning as soon as I had put the feeders out.  So instead of the birds being able to eat all day until I bring the feeders back in, I've been completely unable to put any feeders out except for the nectar feeders and the niger feeder.  Apparently, niger seed is not good enough.

I imagine it won't take Buster (now listen, buster....you leave those feeders alone!) long to adjust to the mowed areas and the battle will start again.  But for now, I've been able to put the feeders out in the morning and leave them out later in the day.

That said, I do still take them in at night.  The bear hasn't been around in nearly two weeks but I'm sure it's still hanging around somewhere close.

Yesterday evening, everything but a few small nectar feeders had been brought in.  I was standing near the small feeders, watching the female hummingbird try to get some only to be chased away by the male.  She would fan her tail trying to look bigger and tougher but he wasn't backing down.  She would duck and swoop and make a feint towards another feeder; he did not fall for any of it.  There was no way he was going to let her eat.

As I watched these struggles, I turned my head to check out the hummingbirds at another feeder.  And that is when my new neighbour appeared.

I'm not sure where she came from - was it from across the road?  Did she brave the endless Friday evening traffic?  Or had she been in the long grass that has not yet been cut?

Anyway, there she was trotting up my driveway towards me.  She had a large rodent in her jaws and seemed quite unconcerned about anything.  I remained still as she approached.  When she got to within two meters she stopped briefly.  While she never made eye contact with me or even looked in my direction she had obviously picked up my scent.  In the blink of an eye, she had turned and started running back the way she had come and I saw her no more.

She was beautiful, this foxy lady.

And I hope I get to see her again.