Wild Life Casualties

For the most part we enjoy our wildlife here on the island, but have to be on constant alert lest we add to the unfortunate road kill. Deer appear to be unbelievably stupid, darting out of the woods across the road and right into or in front of cars. It's hard to blame the cars since--driving sensibly--we've had so many close calls ourselves and know there is no way to avoid hitting an animal that runs directly into your path. I'm particularly careful at night, but it happens during the day, too, and I'd never forgive myself if I hit one.

We had a family of wild turkeys that seemed to like our property, perhaps because it had a combination of gardens, open spaces and woods. I kept hoping it was slugs they were eating, for I could see them pecking about in the yard. For a long time we saw what we presumed was a mother with her three chicks, either pecking at something or quite adorably walking up the drive in single file, but as the chicks got older over a period of weeks, they disappeared one by one. We didn't know if they'd gone off by themselves or provided dinner for a coyote, but soon we were down to the one adult. They had become celebrities of a sort with our neighbors who weren't accustomed to looking out their windows and seeing wild turkeys, but for some reason the turkeys preferred our yard to sort of settle into.

Then, one morning David went out to get the morning newspaper and found a pile of large grey feathers on the edge of the driveway. There was only one explanation and we never saw a turkey again. We rarely see coyotes any more--maybe as a learned survival instinct they have become silent and more stealthy. But we know they're there. Every once in awhile the east side of the island, which is more densely populated than the west side, has a rash of disappearing pets and we know it's coyotes. Most people have learned not to let their small pets out alone at night.

Our bald eagles frequently dine on road kill although they prefer salmon or other fish. There is a nest of them somewhere near our property, although we haven't spotted it yet, and it's always a treat to see them soaring above the sound looking for fish, or perched on the top of Douglas firs waiting for other prey. We haven't heard of one taking a dog or cat, but nevertheless we watch our West Highland Terrier if we know they're about.