There was a time when we delighted in setting out suet balls encrusted with seed for the winter birds, and seeds and peanuts for the chipmunks and squirrels, but that time had long passed, when we realized that neighbourhood cats were taking advantage of too-unwary birds and rabbits and chipmunks eager to gather food. We began to find what was left of lifeless little bodies, and determined to no longer put out food that would disarm our area wildlife and render them susceptible to the predations of roaming cats.

It was different with the raccoons. We thought it was kind of interesting, as a way of recycling edible food scraps when we found the lids of our composters askew, knowing that neighbourhood raccoons had been into them. These raccoons were clearly respectful of their opportunities, skilled at withdrawing what they wanted, and leaving no messes behind them. We would often see their bright eyes at night as they perched on top of the composters or foraged inside them with the dark impression of their busy occupation left to our imaginations.

We began using bungees to strap down the lids when our two little dogs became too interested in the peculiar odours they discovered. And the native belligerence of the smaller of the two, a toy male poodle worried us, knowing how capable raccoons are of defending themselves and their turf. So we turned to discouraging the raccoons from coming around just as we had the birds and squirrels and chipmunks, to avoid the potential misery of violent confrontation.

Instead, we took peanuts and seeds and crusts with us daily out into the nearby wooded ravine which hosted quite a few of these neighbourhood creatures that gave us so much pleasure. This morning we discovered that a truly clever raccoon had managed to pry the lids off our two composters, despite the bungees holding them down. This new breed of raccoon is evidently far less mindful of courteous behaviour having left a real mess of scraps littered everywhere.

Obviously, we require greater attention be placed on securing the composter lids.