Something Wild

Do I ever see wild animals? Well, sure every day.

In the summer, I’m awakened by songbirds outside the window, see and hear the gulls at the shore by Narragansett Bay.

When I leave the house in the fall or winter before dawn, I may find deer having an early breakfast on the neighbor’s lovely shrubs or some days encounter a groundhog catching some sun on the lawn. Squirrels chatter in the trees when the cat sits on the porch, and wild turkeys may pass by in their travels.

As we encroach on nature’s species by gobbling up and clearing their habitats for our own uses, I expect I will encounter them more. I never witnessed deer on my property as a boy, but now it’s quite common.

I rarely stay up late into the wee hours, but years ago when I worked in the city, coyotes would cross the highway by the cemetery where they hung out, perhaps in search of the abundant hare population munching on the side of the road.

It’s rather ironic that I see more wildlife at home in my suburban East Coast town than I do when I visit the back country when hiking. I might see a Gray Jay looking for a handout or trying to pilfer a few crumbs from a trail bar, but animals prefer to be left alone, although this past spring I finally happened upon a moose eating lunch on a hike during this blog post.

There are a few I expect to encounter like a bear, but have not and that’s OK too. When I hike, I realized I am trespassing on their lawn and try to cause the least stress as possible.