Critters, critters; or, Misty the mighty hunter

 This week was way too hot for a lot of in-week pics.  The one day though, I wished I had brought the camera on an after-work sit-down at the park.  As we were leaving, both I and the guy at the bark park with his doggie saw what looked to be a large fox, running from our back yard across the street and across the canal.  Keep this in mind for later.

Friday and Saturday mornings more than made up for the week, though.  Let's go to Friday...

It was 630 on a gray, pleasant morning as we took off.

This was my failed attempt to capture a somewhat befuddled lightning bug, either up too early or out too late...

Something interesting to look at while doggie takes a poop

Here's where the fun starts- she sees something in the canal that I don't

After several searching minutes, we move on...

But again, she sees something- and this time, I saw something go through the reeds and tall grass.

Third time- this time, varmint was on the other bank

You find the oddest things around here...

Misty thought there was something in the Swamp- but, nothing but green gunk, not even water

"Ah, I am refreshed!"

Once again, the bridge went to Marathon for coffee

Hmmm... bridge was closed yesterday

Evidence of doggie leaving the scene

Goslings getting so big, hard to tell from the adults

So, a celebrity is staying at the Holiday Inn.... possibly the Doobies, who were in town last night

Disc golfers are a classy bunch #SMDH

Moments before. Misty chased a coon up this tree.  I couldn't get a shot, but stay tuned...

Got a glimpse of a deer in the brush just north of the woods bridge.  So we snuck around the other side...

...and got a better look

And on the way back, raspberries!  The three dark ones became breakfast.

Suddenly, Misty started pulling hard, and I soon found out why.  Scrambling up a couple of nearby trees...

...another whole family of raccoons!  They are extremely busy and out and about this year- result, I'm guessing, of plentiful food everywhere.

Mr squirrel wasn't happy to be spotted

Our first bunny of the day- we would see three more from here on- playing with another squirrel

Misty following a robin who ran into something- one broken wing, and his leg lined up like a NextGen car with a broken toe link

Later, Mommy got Misty a chipmunk!

That brings us to Saturday- about a half-hour later, and a bunch more humid...

...but just as gray

Yesterday, we had an issue for a while installing our new cable boxes.  But nothing like a neighbor's Flat Screen Massacre

That teeny tiny hole where the walk hits the step?  Chipmunk just dove in

Bunny #1, on Ground Hog Road

Way in the distance, a deer!  Had the devil's own time trying to get it to look up...

Finally!

From a distance, wasn't sure if it was squirrel, bunny, or varmint.  Answer: squirrel

2 more bunnies

College of Cardinals breakfast

This dude is here every weekend morning

Misty searches for her baby varmints... no luck again

No change at the airstrip, except for a lot of orange flags...

...and a new pile of dirt

Something with an arc to it, anyway

Then, Misty takes me a winding journey through the tall grass, only to investigate a den...

...and another one at the canal...

"He was JUST HERE!"

That little dot in lower left quadrant is Mr Skrat's nose

Yet another bunny...

And again, breakfast

Misty had one, liked it

Misty took off like there were more coons ahead, but I think it was just memories of yesterday

Now, remember that 'fox'?  Well, guess what...

...it was a coyote!

If you blow up this shot, you'll note it appears to be a nursing female.

She was big (bigger than Misty), fearless, and calmly sauntered away into the bush as we followed (because she was on our way home).

And when we got home? Blue skies (to go with the 82% humidity...)