They congregate up in the trees, as was further verified by D.T. when he discovered their "scatological leavings" a hundred feet up in one of the pines. (One might rightfully wonder why D.T. was scaling the pine tree but that's a story for another post.) Nocturnal by nature, these critters are shy but curious. The younger ones tend to be more active and visible than their elders. Last week I was working late into the early morning hours when I heard the familiar racket of young raccoon siblings bickering outside the window of the home office. To someone who has never heard this before, the sounds are a bit startling; high-pitched squeals and chatters like they're disemboweling each other and fighting over the entrails. Apparently this a harmless, adolescent ritual. (Like mosh pit antics.) Hoping to catch a sight of them, I slipped outside with the digital camera. The sun was just coming up and I spotted three kits up in the tree near the window.
They noticed me right away but allowed me to approach them within just a few feet. Evidently the curiosity went both ways.
The ornithology family also contributes to the bio-diversity of The Pavilion. A couple of these birds have taken up local residence over the last few years. I first heard and spotted one pecking away on tree trunks and even tapping on the aluminum hood of a street lamp! Although they move fast, they really stand out from the usual assembly of crows, jays and robins. After taking this shot, I finally identified the breed on the web as the Northern Flicker. 
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