Teenaged Opossum
So this morning, riding the Oak Leaf Trail, I encountered 6 deer and a teenaged opossum.
The deer appeared in 3 pairs.
I saw the first pair running along the parkway, parallel to the road, just ahead of me, for about 300 yards. Then they slowed and crossed the road in front of me and ran parallel to the road on my left for another 100 yards until they sped off into the woods. They were frolicking, running joyfully, playfully, maneuvering around the comstruction snow fences.
The second pair darted into the woods near Rainbow Field. They had just shown themselves briefly before startling.
The third pair ran in full tilt across the bike path, appearing almost to be flying, or springing, into the air just south of the railroad ttrestle near Bluemounmd Road. At full stride they appeared strong and imposing. Clearly there is a deer run there, as i have seen many deer in precisely that spot.
So, on the way home, I spotted a small animal crouched just outside the brush line along the road near the freeway viaduct. At first I thought it might be a large rat or a small raccoon--it was greyish and stolid. On second glance, as I cruised by, I saw it was a teenaged opossum perched on his haunches, patient, unstartled, snacking on something, his pink grey jaws slowly smacking as if he'd gotten carmel stuck in his tiny teeth.
I quickly slowed and circled back, surprised that he did not dash off.
I slowed to a stop directly beside him, no more than 7-8 feet away, as he chewed. Comically. As iif the task of chhewing and finishing whatever hhe was eating was too important and necessarily prevented him from any other simultaneous task. He looked at me with disinterest, turned his head slightly sideways, and then in one cumbersome move lollygagged back into the brush, a lopsided lumbering, delicate and yet awkward.
The deer appeared in 3 pairs.
I saw the first pair running along the parkway, parallel to the road, just ahead of me, for about 300 yards. Then they slowed and crossed the road in front of me and ran parallel to the road on my left for another 100 yards until they sped off into the woods. They were frolicking, running joyfully, playfully, maneuvering around the comstruction snow fences.
The second pair darted into the woods near Rainbow Field. They had just shown themselves briefly before startling.
The third pair ran in full tilt across the bike path, appearing almost to be flying, or springing, into the air just south of the railroad ttrestle near Bluemounmd Road. At full stride they appeared strong and imposing. Clearly there is a deer run there, as i have seen many deer in precisely that spot.
So, on the way home, I spotted a small animal crouched just outside the brush line along the road near the freeway viaduct. At first I thought it might be a large rat or a small raccoon--it was greyish and stolid. On second glance, as I cruised by, I saw it was a teenaged opossum perched on his haunches, patient, unstartled, snacking on something, his pink grey jaws slowly smacking as if he'd gotten carmel stuck in his tiny teeth.
I quickly slowed and circled back, surprised that he did not dash off.
I slowed to a stop directly beside him, no more than 7-8 feet away, as he chewed. Comically. As iif the task of chhewing and finishing whatever hhe was eating was too important and necessarily prevented him from any other simultaneous task. He looked at me with disinterest, turned his head slightly sideways, and then in one cumbersome move lollygagged back into the brush, a lopsided lumbering, delicate and yet awkward.
posted by David Martin at 6:41 PM
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