Yesterday full sun illuminated the day which without its glowing warmth would have been exceedingly cold. The sun mitigated as it is wont to do, the stiff wind that came bellowing through the atmosphere. Entering the confines of the ravine with its protective screen of trees, the wind abated and though the ground underfoot was utterly drenched from weeks of unrelenting rain, our resulting ramble of the day was a gratifyingly pleasant one.

Clear skies weren't meant to last, however. We had earlier in the day watched as a dove settled itself contentedly within a stone urn close by one of the bird feeders. A large wooden tray that my husband had put together for that purpose last winter to help the overwintering birds. And just incidentally the neighbourhood squirrels, raccoons and wild rabbits. The dove sat there placidly as grey and black and the occasional red squirrel who, we recognize as the entitled caretaker of the seeds and nuts, busied themselves all around the area.

It's mostly slate-backed juncos that now come around in numbers; they and the chickadees are the most common avian visitors. The juncos are ground feeders and it is for them primarily that the tray is placed on the patio bricks in front of the porch. The chickadees, sparrows and cardinals tend more often to use the bird feeder atop the long pole my husband set up for winter use.

And then there is the roof-topped feeder he has positioned on a small wrought-iron table serving as a stand, meant for any wildlife who prefer to take shelter from the rain (and eventual snow) while feeding. A week ago we watched two juvenile raccoons in the dark of night who had ensconced themselves in that feeder under its roof, busily snacking. A change for them from the contents of the backyard composter, visited nightly.

Last night, however, just after midnight, we stood watching awhile as a very large, fully mature raccoon accompanied by a much smaller juvenile sat within the tray placed on the ground, to busily have their fill of the offerings. The weather had turned and it was teeming rain. But that didn't seem to bother the two raccoons, as they sat on the feeder tray. From time to time they would stop and look directly at us through the window separating us, before returning unperturbed to their midnight snack. I tried to snap photos of them in the hope that the overhead lantern would throw enough light to at least show their outlines, but the result wasn't the least bit successful.