Flora and Fauna--Mostly Fauna--of the Upper Midwest

[truepenny]

1. Last night, coming home in the Miata, with the top down. I love convertibles at night, because I could see the whole sky, Maxfield Parrish in blue and pink-orange clouds, and the moon shining at the half, and something that might have been Venus or might have been an airplane, and all the fireflies rising out of the cornfields saying, Hello! I'm here! Hello! Hello! Where are you?

2. This morning, Catzilla and both ninjas were practically glued in the study window, predating on something in the back yard. I suspect the chipmunk. The ninjas were doing their Doublemint Twins routine*, which I find absolutely charming. (They are in fact back in the study window right now, making it hard for me to concentrate on my typing.)

ETA: and even earlier this morning, there was a red squirrel in the apple tree outside the bedroom window. Must See Kitty TV!

3. This afternoon, as I was taking the Elder Saucepan back to the kitty ophthalmologist (he's got something weird going on in his left eye, but it isn't another ulcer, so huzzah for that!), I Did Not Run Over Something. I'm not entirely sure what it was. It was probably a cat--it was the right size--but there were just enough not-quite-right cues that I'm not certain. It was brown-gray and low to the ground, with a long tail which it carried low but not dragging. And then it vanished utterly into the tall grass at the side of the road.

Whatever it is, I'm glad I didn't hit it.

---
*The ninjas are almost exactly identical tuxedo cats. I realized recently, in fact, that they are Jellicle Ninjas, for they are black and white and rather small.

Comments

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Are they pleasant to hear when they caterwaul?

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

They sing in harmony!

[pixel39.livejournal.com]

Now I find myself wondering if Tybalt is a ninja-in-training, being a small (and remarkably non-caterwaul-y) tuxedo cat.

fauna

[(Anonymous)]

Maybe a fox?? They often carry their tails straight out and move very quickly low to the ground. Color doesn't seem quite right but light makes a difference. Glad you missed it. Elizabeth

Re: fauna

[liminalia.livejournal.com]

Raccoon? They're certainly grey-brown.

[woodburner.livejournal.com]

A smallish opossum?

[clarentine]

Possum's what I was thinking, too.

[thecoughlin.livejournal.com]

my vote is smallish coyote, though wikipedia has a pic that leave fox an option.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Fox

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

Hee, Jellicle ninjas. (I imprinted on Cats and Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats at a very young age.)

What a pity I do not have an appropriately Jellicle icon.

[libskrat]

There's an outside chance it was a mink, believe it or not. My husband saw one the other day.

[calanthe-b.livejournal.com]

they are Jellicle Ninjas, for they are black and white and rather small.

But are they pleasant to hear when they caterwaul?

[soho-iced.livejournal.com]

My two grey and white lads are not at all identical normally, despite the incestuous my-father-who-is-also-my-uncle thing (starting with the fact that only one is likely to bite you if you stroke him unexpectedly), but when they are predating they suddenly turn into twins. The last time I saw them doing it was in front of a window, and I thought at first I was seeing a reflection in the glass (from a surreal painting, admittedly, as they were both facing in the same direction).

[talimena.livejournal.com]

It sounds like a fisher, if you have those around.