We have lived on this property for more than thirty years. Having eight acres all to ourselves is more of an escape than it used to be. Once upon a time, we could sight in a rifle in the front yard. Now we have neighbors. The time has come to only shoot handguns in the driveway.
There have always been animals here. I’ve sat outside at night and watched the flying squirrels glide across the deck, land in the giant oak tree and scurry into the shadows. The crumbs of what it was eating would filter down through the porch light as though each tiny bit were some kind of Summer snowflake.
While once there were no gray squirrels here, today, we are overrun with them. They have chewed into the attic twice and I have zero tolerance for them.
Deer are abundant. We once counted ten does across the street in the neighbor’s yard. I’ve seen tracks of a MASSIVE buck. My neighbor in the back said she saw it and I could probably put a saddle on him. We need to put up some cameras to try and catch an image.
For whatever reason, the last eighteen months have been different. While once I only heard a tom turkey, now I’ve actually seen one. The distinctive “aroma” of a skunk has always made its presence known, but now I’ve seen one; in the day time no less. Coyotes are not welcome here and we’ve seen two of them.
But Saturday night, June 19, we were watching a movie. It was dark outside and when Mr. K muted the TV (we hate commercials) I heard a scream. It sounded like a woman’s scream! My next door neighbor is a widow lady. Mr. K didn’t hear it. I jumped up, grabbed my spotlight and my phone and headed for my neighbor’s house.
The scream came again and the sound was now moving off into the woods. Mr. K came outside and we followed the sound deeper into the night. Cricket was highly agitated. I could not pick her up. — The sound made my hair stand on end, so to speak. It didn’t help that we had been watching a monster movie. (insert ghoulish laugh) Mr. K said it was a dog. I said, “I ain’t never heard a dog scream like that!” (shudder)
Two nights later, after we were in bed, Cricket heard it again. I did not. Her barking led me to the sliding glass door and then…yep, the scream came from the dark. It was far away. When I didn’t get upset, Cricket calmed down and we went back to bed.
My goal is to post an audio file. The first 20 seconds or so actually sounds like a crow, but then the scream. You can hear for yourself. I know a bob cat , like other cats, can growl, snarl, etc. THIS sound was something else entirely. {shiver}
Makes me wonder what else is moving in on my little oasis. Until next time…I hope the armadillos stay away.
When we watch my summer Myers on PBS.. They have a bird there in night scenes that screams like a person. Never have seen it but it’s eerie. Not at all my favorite.
I was cleaning a house for a friend one day and it sounded like I was in a Tarzan movie. Then, I noticed there was a male peacock strutting by the window. But, yea, these animals in the night….not my favorite either.