I Felt Bad, But Only for a Minute

Last night, like every other night, a while after it was dark I ventured outside to lock up the birds. Remember the birds have free range during the day but at night they get lock up in their fortress. I was trying to coax them inside and they were being sassy. The would would just walk back and forth in front to the gate. That wasn't like them at all. Normally I just have to walk them in the general direction of the coop and they all go right in, the ducks enter as a large mob and the geese single file after the ducks.

While I was trying to coax them without getting them all worked up I saw something. It was a shadow figure on the other side of the fence. After a second look I thought it might be a cat. I went quickly up to the house to get the flash light for a closer look. Quickly because what ever it was looked like it might be trying to stalk my babies and I didn't want to be too late.

I grabbed the flash light off the counter and yelled at Mr. B that something was stalking the birds. I was barely outside and he comes running out behind me with the twenty-two. It must be the possibility of shooting something is much more appealing that playing a video game, I've never seen him put down a game that quick!

The birds were still pacing, but they were all ok. You could tell they were nervous. When we came up with the flash light they ran to the other end of the yard by their pool. They don't like the light shinning at them, it really makes them nervous. Don't ask my why, they are silly birds. I pointed the light into the run and there was a raccoon climbing the fence.

Mr. B and I positioned ourselves, me shinning the light on it and Mr.B the twenty-two. The coon was now in the crab apple tree. He really didn't stand a chance, he didn't try to run away, just sat up there staring at us. It was a clean shot and a quick death. I let myself feel bad for a minute. But then it hit me. That coon climbed into the run. He was stalking my babies. He climbed over the fence like it was nothing and was hanging out three feet from were my birdies spend the night. I couldn't let that fly. It was like he had been there before. He wasn't that big so maybe he was coming and looking for eggs. But soon that small coon would be a fatty-Mcfat-fat and eggs would no longer be a good snack. He would move on to something more filling, like one of my ducks.

And we can't have anything munching on one of my ducks! This mama goose won't stand for that.