Got raccoon number 7 last night. Didn't lose any poultry. Don't know if I mentioned that something got one of the baby woodpeckers several nights ago. I'd let them out into one of the large, high covered chicken pens so they could learn to fly better. I let the other go that day. They were definitely big enough, but the rehabber was concerned that they wouldn't be able to find food since insects are so scarce, so we'd waited.
Vashi said he bet I'd be "Mama Woodpecker" for quite some time, but I thought I wouldn't see it again. He was right, so far. It greets us both every time we come out the door, but swoops over me back and forth, following me all around the yard, until I fix food to feed it with the eye dropper. Needn't have worried about its flying ability; it is quite good at it, even though it had little chance for flight until I released them into the chicken pen.We leave special food out for it as well. There's at least one adult red bellied woodpecker that has taken an interest, but I can't tell yet if the babe shares that interest. Yesterday when I came home, it greeted the car as I came through the gate, then followed me all around the yard. I don't know if it recognizes the car or has such keen eyesight it can recognize me through the windshield. It greets Vashi also, but doesn't swoop over him. It even landed on my head once.
