It started when Deborah took down the birdfeeders in lieu of fixing the baffles that don't keep the squirrels away. A greater percentage of the bird seed is consumed by the squirrels than the birds. That's probably even true by weight per capita.
The squirrels discovered the feeders on the deck, so I dumped out the birdseed back into the storage container. Of course it also got all over the deck. I used the leaf blower to clear it off as best I could.
That night the dog starts barking. I hear one of the empty feeders get knocked over. I turn on the deck lights and there is a possum sitting on the rail of deck. That may be what the dog saw. But suddenly I realize the possum is squealing at something. That's when I notice the raccoon prowling around the deck and the mostly empty bird feeders.
The masked bandit is exploring. Normally the cat would still be outside just after dark and the back door would be open. It's a good thing I brought the cat in earlier and closed the door. The raccoon was examining the pet entrance in the storm door. And when I say examine, I mean it used its hand and opened the pet door. If the back door had been open, I would be trying to figure out how to get a hungry raccoon out of the house.
So I did what any suburban homeowner would do, knowing that their pets were inside, and I turned out the deck light, went back to what I was doing and hoped that they would eventually go away.
They weren't there in the morning.
