98-02-01, Robin Conway (robin_conway at hotmail.com) writes:

<< While I was walking I heard a terrible animal noise. Sounded like an
injured cat (but big, was it a bobcat?). As I came down the trail I
realized that the noise was just below me, in the creekbed. I scanned
with my bino's and eventually saw a raccoon, partially hidden in the
brush. It's back legs were twitching and it made a terrible screeching
howl. I guessed it was either hit by a car and had drug it self up the
creek or was suffering distemper or rabies. I felt very bad - until on
my last look at the animal I realized it was actually two raccoons, and
.... lets just say that if they were successful in their efforts we'll
have more raccoons to contend with later this year. I laughed and
laughed when I realized what was actually going on.
>>

Interesting observation and coincidence Rob. Late Friday afternoon (1/30/98)
I was putzing around in the backyard when I heard a terrible racket up in the
trees just two houses up the forested creek valley out back. It sounded like
a couple of really loud squirrels in the heat of a really bad quarrel or
severe distress. I thought perhaps a squirrel had been nailed by a Goshawk or
something and went back in the house to get the bins figuring whatever it was
would be long gone as is usually the case when caught out back without them.
But no, it was still going on when I returned, located not one, not two, but
three large adult-sized Raccoons all piled up in a wad in the crotch of a tree
about 40 feet up, plus yet a 4th in the tree next to it. It was very crowded
up there with one of the Raccoons standing on top of the other, hence the
source of grating growling irritation I suppose. One slowly dislodged itself
and slowly stepped down to a lower branch. A minute or two later, a second
slowly stepped down to the same lower branch and squarely on top of the first
then slowly made its way around the trunk and back up in the notch with the
third while the 4th which may have been in the notch as well at some point was
still climbing around in the next tree.

Anyway, I thought your mention of Raccoons and noted behavior here in the
Eastgate/Hilltop area was an interesting coincidence if not the same roaming
animals since you live just on the other side probably no more than a mile as
a crow flies and it's pretty wooded between here and your side of the hill.
And now, this morning they seem to be back down here again as I could hear
them growling around somewhere in the backyard in the pre-dawn darkness.

Richard Rowlett (Pagodroma at aol.com)
47.56N, 122.13W
(Seattle/Bellevue, WA USA)