Tales of the Heliosphere

San Diego has over a million people living in its neighborhoods but for all that, there is a lot of wildlife living within the city limits. My suburban neighborhood is well away from the back country but there is a small isolated canyon across the street. Coyotes sometimes run down the street. Birds fly by all the time, from sparrow, finches, morning doves, pigeons, seagulls, to hawks. Raccoons, squirrels, skunks, foxes, and other small animals are often seen in backyards.

Right now my backyard is home to two possums who spend some of their days sleeping in the space between two wooden fences, parts of most every night feeding on the birdseed that litters the ground underneath my five feeders.

Here's one of the possums hiding during the day in the space between the wooden fences. (Click image to enlarge.)
He's not too happy because I just woke him up from his nap. With that snarl he's trying to scare me off. All it's really doing is making me want to hug the little guy. He is so damn cute.

Here's either the same possum or another on a recent evening. (Click image to enlarge.)
He was sitting on top of the fence not going anywhere for the longest time. I came out and photographed him in the dark and he froze there looking at me. After I went indoors he remained in place for a minute or so. Then he walked off along the top of the fence looking for whatever he was waiting for before I interrupted him. I like to think it was his lost possum girl. I hope he found her.*

-tdr

* I know, I know. He could be a she. But I like this story better.

Labels: Animals, Photography, San Diego