Nature, for all its outward poetry, is a slaughterhouse.
Luke Jennings
If you live in the country you are reminded of this daily in dozens of different ways: a Red-tail hawk with a ground squirrel in its talons; a golden eagle with a snake; a king snake slowly swallowing a gopher snake at least its own size; a raven with a baby blackbird in its beak, two adult blackbirds pursuing, harassing, attacking, all in vain; three coyotes eating a still-living deer; once, a nesting Red-tail catching a marauding raven’s leg in her beak without ever leaving her nest; a bobcat with a weasel in its jaws; a Red-tail hitting a barn owl in the air so hard it broke her back; and, on one memorable night, an hour long battle on the back patio, right in front of the sliding glass door, between two great horned owls, one already mortally injured, but still struggling, vainly, desperately, trying to survive. All this and much more.
We’re in the middle of a heat wave, so at night we open every window and every door to catch the cooling air as it slides down the hill behind the house. We leave the barn open for the horses for the same reason. And yesterday Darleen and I went down to the barn in the morning to feed and clean and found a large pool of blood on the concrete apron, a trail of blood through the barn, the spatter pattern showing clearly the direction of travel, and out the far side where it vanished. This was a substantial pool, more blood than any scurrying nighttime rodent might leave, more blood even than a rabbit might leave. Pete was with us, our rescue Boxer, and he followed the trail as diligently as a bloodhound. I walked with him as he tracked, hoping to find a carcass and learn what might have occurred in the dark, but at the property-line fence we had to stop, and Pete showed no particular interest in any airborne scent from the neighbor’s side. Was it blood dripping from a body dangling in an owl’s talons? Was it blood dripping from a body dangling from the jaws of a bobcat or coyote? I could find no tracks or footprints, but I doubt it could have been a larger predator at work—mountain lion or bear or feral dog—because the horses would have raised enough of a ruckus to wake Darleen or one of our dogs, or even me, though Darleen claims I could sleep through the final trump, and I hope she’s right.
There was no way to determine what violence had occurred. Whatever it was had happened long enough before that horses were only interested in their breakfast, and they wouldn’t have told us anyway. Horses are notoriously secretive about what they observe in the dark and quiet of the night. It was just another of the countless, the myriad dramas that go unnoticed as the world sleeps, of no interest to anyone except the owners of the barn and their dog.
Living in the foothills of the Angeles National Forest, I get a lot of feral activity on my property. Raccoons regularly have disco parties on my roof and if I head out with a high-powered flashlight they glare at me before they slink off. It just brings to mind the folly of calling it “my” property – at night it belongs to wildlife every bit as much as it belongs to me.
And yeah, good point about the notorious secrecy of horses! ;D
— Lynn Maudlin –
I love that mysterious, secretive world of the night lived by so much wildlife in close proximity to humans. Even in very urban areas, it is amazing what all lurks there, living out their lives unknown to most people. When I have pointed out scat or tracks or other signs to the overly-civilized in their very yards(when, by some misfortune, I am compelled to visit such locales), they are often shocked or think I’m fibbing them. And of course, it is best NOT to tell some people…..I love it when it snows(a rarer and rarer occurence where I live, thanks to climate change), because all manner of secrets are revealed in a good tracking snow the next morning. But even with BLATANT trails running through their properties in such conditions, it amazes(and saddens) me how few people even notice THAT. One of the most amazing stories I have heard of involved a cougar in Southern California, near a large urban area. It was a radio-collared animal, part of a study. It had been hit by a car(alas), and crippled with broken hips. It was therefore very limited in it’s movements. It slept the day away in a brushy island between busy lanes of traffic on a major highway, and crawled out at night to scavenge pet food from peoples’ back porches in a nearby residential area. The people tracking the cougar interviewed people in that neighborhood–no one had a clue they were being visited nightly by a crippled cougar……..L. B.
I declare that most husbands are alike in sleeping soundly. My hubby Gerald sleeps through fire drills! As for the slaughter you wil
Never know, have you thought of putting a security cam in your barn? Surely it must have been horrifying to see.
Tena French Halifax Ns Canada
Wow! people subscribe to National Geographic Channel to capture these moments!!
but to me its scary! your a hunter so you are used to seeing Animal blood and actually know the difference between human and animal bloods!
I on the other hand might -the ignorance I’m in this matter- call the police or do a microscopic examination just to make sure!!!
“Horses are notoriously secretive about what they observe in the dark and quiet of the night.”
LOL! thats a good one! remember this old movie about a talking horse? would you have preferred that talkative annoying horse instead!
the temperature in Kuwait now is rising over 50 degree some places 60 and we are fasting till sunset,I can imagine living in your area with such temperature!
thank God I live in a non rural area! at least I have air conditions and can close the windows! wont want to find a bear sleeping in my bed to cool off!!!! lol!
I’m watching episode of S&S WHO KILLED THE SIXTIES I didnt know the guest actress was Darleen! you both looked great! like you say in your country
a match made in heaven!
Be safe both of you.
Naeema
The Cougar story is Amazingly Touching ! its strange residents didnt notice him! poor animal!
but even a crippled animal can be dangerous! so thanks to God no one suddenly spotted him at night! no one can predict what an animal might do even a pathetic crippled one!
even Pets can be dangerous! read and heard several ones!
Thanks for sharing .L.B
Naeema
Rats! Yes, rats. They scurry along my back fence every night and sometimes during the day. They are (I think) native Australian fruit rats. They have a smorgasbord laid out for them in every property. Each neighbour seems to have some sort edible in their backyard and the rats trough feed. My dog is beside herself every night trying to capture one of these and the new puppy is not quite sure what all the fuss is about.
A couple of years ago, Adelaide (my home town) had a tremendous heat wave and the koalas came down from the hills, night and day to drink and sit in people’s swimming pools. I empathised totally, but didn’t know anyone with a swimming pool that I could paddle in. Lucky koalas.
Delphine