The raccoons have been officially evicted. I'd cry over their losing their home, but just can't bring myself to do so. What I could cry over is the loss of my trees. I posted a couple of weeks ago here about the upcoming necessity of removing a large wild cherry tree which was pushing (hard) against my neighbor's fence and dropping numerous limbs onto her property. That particular tree also happened to be the hangout of a family of masked bandits who trip-tripped-tripped all over my roof at night.Before tree removal
The raccoons' nest was located in the thicker, ivy-draped branches of the taller, sort of wispy-looking-at-the-top, tree behind the tree in the foreground. Very sadly, the first tree, a dogwood planted over 20 years ago, had to be removed to allow access to the troublesome wild cherry. I estimate that the wild cherry was approximately 35 feet tall and, for safety's sake, it had to be cut from the top down, so one of those "cherry picker" buckets was used. That particular piece of equipment is mounted to the back of a very big truck which had to get as close to the tree as possible. Therefore, the dogwood had to go. (See first and last photos; my yard looks naked in the latter.) The west side of my carport and the room behind it are now bereft of the tempering shade of the dogwood and the wild cherry. I expect that my air conditioning bill will increase significantly before the heat of the summer is over.
The tree removal team was a group of most pleasant young men (I don't know how old the oldest was but, at my age, just about everyone is younger.) I had been in the yard photographing the beginning of the process and mentioned to the foreman that I was blogging about the raccoons. When the overhanging limbs had been removed and the raccoon nest exposed, he came to my door to ask if I'd like to have some photos of the nest before it was cut down. Of course, I said "yes," and handed over my camera. Looks like a big bird's nest, doesn't it?
Oh, for those readers who may have some concern about the raccoons, no raccoons were injured in the removal of this tree. In fact, no raccoons were to be seen anywhere in the vicinity. Do you suppose they overheard me contracting with the tree man last week and high-tailed it?
I have a couple of other photos of the nest, taken from the ground, which better display its rounded nature, but I'm saving them for Sky Watch Friday this week.
The tree workers are due to return tomorrow, when they will begin to work on removing three additional trees even further back in the yard. These, also, are fence-pushing wild cherry trees which drop even more limbs onto my neighbor's lawn. I decided that while I had access to the tree-chopper-downers, I'd get rid of those, too. I'm going to have a very sun-filled (and hot) back yard in a few days.After Tree Removal
Ugly, isn't it?
16 comments:
Raccoons are my favorite animal with masks. I love them. Not for the usual reasons but for their caring family life. To watch them, to study them and their behavior was something I got to do for a bit over six months.
I cried when we drove out of their lives and left them with no food or water. But it was that or have them captured and killed. That was the only alternative anyone offered us at $150.00 a head.
Cruel as hell I thought. So the lady did tell us they would leave if there is no food or water so that is what we did. Left for a three day vacation in West Virginia.
I have photos of them doing everything. I watched the babies when they were hungry and the momma distracting their attention by playing with one and then another. They are about the cleanest animal I know of and their habits would make some people look like trash.
As far as the Wild Cherry tree goes, it is always a shame to have to cut things like that down. I have two. But they are small. I am trying to keep the one topped or not topped (which is butchery) but "directed" to grow somewhere besides into the power lines. It is a never ending job that I am going to lose as my age keeps moving too.
This is a worrying post. I hate the lose of the raccoons and even more tragic is the tree.
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How sad that of all the trees to have to cut down, they had to be a dogwood and a wild cherry. Beautiful in the spring.
How funny and coincidental that on the same day you post about raccoons, Jeannelle over at midlifebyfarmlight has a link to the origin of the phrase, "in a coon's age" -- it includes both the original and the derogatory meanings of the phrase. Having grown up in Texas, I am also familiar with how the locals referred to people from Louisiana. Maybe you Arkansas folks know that rude phrase also (which I won't dignify by repeating)?
It is always sad to lose a tree...but sometimes there are no other choices. I guess they did hear your plot, and scooted out of there!
Poor trees! I know that sometimes they have to go, but it's always so sad. You'll miss them.
Loosing a tree is a sad event but I think that are times that there is no other solution.
That's a shame, Pat.. the trees, that is. No doubt the raccoons will relocate. They're very resourceful critters. I don't think your place looks ugly without the trees.. better with them, of course, but your eye will adjust eventually and you'll probably plant something new (and smaller) to fill the gap.
I know how you must feel about the removals:
A good tree - a sad loss.
Raccoons - no problem and good riddance.
Thamks, Pat, for stopping by and commenting.
So sorry you had to lose your dogwood tree. I imagine your neighbor's power bill will be going up as well as your. I'll be looking forward to seeing more nest pictures on Friday.
I shook hands with a tree removal expert once. Big mistake. It was like putting my hand in a mangle!
"Louis" is buried deeper than his cowbell in a work project for the next several weeks. He will stop and visit, but may not stay long enough to 'sign the guest registry'.
Pat: Thanks for sharing your story of the Racoons. you will be better without them but I'm sure the tree will be missed.
Well the sacrifice will be worth the sleep!
I'm sorry about the loss of the trees. I lost a couple last year to winter kill, and it still grieves me when I see the empty spots.
It's always sad to have to remove a tree even if it is in decline, damaged or diseased. It's even more sad that the dogwood was just in the way. Still, I understand that sad or not, the job had to be done.
I have a feeling the raccoons will relocate with no problems.
Wow! What drama.
I'm sorry about your trees, especially the dogwood since it was just a casualty. It's hard to let go of nice trees.
Okay the little bandits are safe. I feel for you on the tree. We have a huge maple on our front lawn. It lost one of it's biggest branches in a very bad storm(scared us terrible when it came crashing just missing the house). Thankfully didn't lose the whole tree in the cleanup process but it's not as full anymore.
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