Breakfast hors d’oeuvres (Re-post)

(Originally published July 2010)

On my last kayak outing, I was hoping to see Momma Raccoon (Procyon lotor) with her 5 kits again. They are so much fun to watch/photograph. Mom is very patient with them; while she forages for food and tries to teach them the ropes, some of the youngsters follow her closely, seemingly learning the art of foraging in the shallow water, but there is always 1 or 2 that would rather play! So cute at that age :o)

Unfortunately, did not find the family on the last outing. I’m sure they were either somewhere else around the 20-acre marsh that I kayak in, or possibly she is showing them another hunting location in the area. But I did manage to have a single raccoon show up … and he was very successful at foraging. In this first image, he has found something, but cannot get a good enough look to identify what he has found:

Raccoon foraging for food in the morning

 

In the next image, he has again found something, but not able to identify it …

Raccoon with a frog

 

… until he looks up with his fresh-caught breakfast in his mouth … a frog:

Raccoon with frog in his mouth

I followed this little guy around for a few minutes as he continued to forage along the water’s edge. Then, I settled in to drift about and wait for more wildlife to show up. I always like to grab a few quick images, then let the critter go about his own pace, without my continued presence. Usually this tactic does not hinder the critter from his business, while showing him that I am not a threat (and maybe allowing me more opportunities with him at a later date).

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Posted in Mammals, Nature Photography, Photography from a kayak
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