Backyard Wildlife

          Backyard Wildlife

July 22, 2014

So, tonight, I made the little chickens go in the coop with the hen.  They have been roosting on the roof of the coop. . . have no idea why.  As I was coaxing one particular sweet hen off my arm. . . then my shoulder, I did a general search around the yard.  I like to do this after making sure the chickens are safe and sound.  I had my little flashlight, and caught movement around the mint garden.  A small cat-sized shaped was creeping across the yard.  Well, Sunshine was with me securing the chickens and Sugar was laying up on the porch, stretched out relaxing and watching me.  I thought. . . nope, not a cat and then realized it was a possum.  Callie was laying between me and the big garden, oblivious-wagging her little tail.  I asked her, "Can you not see that?" She must have caught a whiff or noticed movement out of the corner of her eye, because she went into attack mode.  She ran up to that possum--I was worried the possum might turn around and get her with its sharp teeth.  That varmint keeled right over on its side.  Callie sat down right next to it to keep an eye on it.  I got close enough to see its eye twitch every once in awhile and it was breathing slowly.  I have to say, I have never seen an opossum in action playing dead.  Callie sniffed around it.  She knew something wasn't quite right.  This was at about 10:00 tonight.  When I went inside about 10:45--after getting Ken to come outside, waking up Kal-El, and calling Karma down from her room to check this really cool thing out, Callie was still sitting next to it.  I gave her two dog biscuits and told her what a good girl she is.  Here is the opossum playing "possum."  

Callie