Shuffle and Snatch!

Early this morning, I took my coffee to the small table near the window that overlooks the Bayou.  Here, I can watch the critters go about their early morning forage for food while I sit in the relative comfort of the Little Bayou House.  Usually, mostly birds of one sort or another make up the view.  This morning, however, I had the opportunity to watch a young raccoon work the mudflats in search of tiny crabs and fishes.  The north wind had blown most of the water from the Bayou and left just a tiny stream not more than a few inches deep.  This made life a bit easier for the raccoon in spite the cold.  With its tail held high out of the water, the coon shuffled its front paws in the soft mud.  Occasionally, it made a grand catch!  I watched as the animal made quick work of its catch and then turn back to fishing (or crabbing).

This all took place right at dawn when the rising sun cast a golden glow on the Bayou.  It is perhaps my favorite time of day here since so many critters are out and about hunting breakfast..or supper if a nocturnal critter is doing the hunting.  Such was the case this early morn.  The raccoon is normally active at night and will hole up somewhere safe and snug to nap during the daytime hours.  The warming of the Bayou by the sun would seem to make it more desirable to hunt during the day for most of us but perhaps the raccoon is smarter than us.  Being active during the colder hours might not be a bad idea when you are wade fishing.  Yes, the legs would be terribly icy but the mere movement would help keep the blood flowing and therefore keep things a tad warmer.  During the day while sleeping and motionless, the sun can warm the body.  Maybe all of this makes sense to a critter that does not have a snug little house and warm bed with lots of blankets!

After watching the raccoon for the time it took me to drink my mug of coffee, I headed to the pier.  The wind was definitely blowing from the north!  The tide was being blown far out from the pier leaving the crab traps and logs exposed. The sun was behind clouds and the golden glow had melted into a dreary grey.  It was then that I saw another of my friends foraging. This time, it was for breakfast as it was a heron that waded in the shallows.  The bird was picking up tiny minnows and crabs, too.  The heron fished a lot like that raccoon.  Whereas the coon shuffled its front paws the bird shuffled its feet.  The long legs moved slowly in the shallows while the feet shuffled back and forth in the mud.  The keen eyes spied any movement in the muddy water.  The height of the heron gave it a perfect view of the mud below.  Every so often the bird would snatch a tidbit from the icy water.  Ahhh, breakfast was served!

I enjoy watching my critter friends whether they be the nighttime or daytime ones.  It surprises me sometimes just how similar their techniques are.  This morning, both the raccoon and the heron seemed to have perfected the "shuffle and snatch" skill!