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Rascals


Rascals
Photo Information
Copyright: Francine Malo (NinaM) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 655 W: 0 N: 1623] (5300)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-10-22
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon EOS 40 D, Canon EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM
Exposure: f/2.8, 2 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-02-20 13:55
Viewed: 526
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This is not a great picture, I know, but I like it because it is fun! You now see the two little rascals who come at my place every night to raid the feeders. This was shot last fall, when we had started to prepare the feeders for winter. Love has built this feeder so the doves, blue jays, crows, starlings and dark-eyed juncos can feed themselves protected against the weather. This feeder is now surrounded by huge mounds of snow, over its top! We have to go and shovel around it so we can still reach it.

I knew the racoons were coming to feed from the feeders for a while. We would find their poopoohs on the grass, in fact, it looks more like sunflower seeds packed together in a pie than anything else. They are little pigs and that was about the last time I saw them as they are hibernating at our latitude for winter.

I shot this at 2 seconds with the camera flash at ISO 400! It is always an experiment to shoot in the dark. I was surprised the pictures came out so well. I remember having left the settings at ISO 400 because I knew that otherwise noise would be too high if I raised this setting. Also, I wished that the flash would freeze the two little pigs and then that the darkness would keep from seeing any movement and that the light from the shed would lit the surroundings. Bingo, it worked!

The racoons (procyon lotor) or raton laveurs in French (we also call them wild cats, chats sauvages) can be found in southern parts of Canada, a big part of the US, Mexico and Central America. On the map showing the repartition of racoons, you can find some in Europe and Asia, but the repartition is very very scarce.

Racoons can weight from 5 and 12 kg. but a big male can reach 28 kg. Their weight changes with the seasons to reach the maximum at fall. This is what you see on this picture, they are fat little rascals.

They live in mixed forests, leaves forests and agricultural regions. They live at the forest borders, along rivers and around marshes. They can live in the city and suburbs too. I saw one, one day, on Fabre Street in Montreal (it's in a very dense populated area of Montreal but close to the mountain) and it climbed a tree in front of me, waiting for me to go by. It was fat, he really was as big as a pig!

They live in a shallow tree, a trunk, a cavern or an abandoned burrow. Around mid-November, they shelter themselves in their "home" and there they spend winter in a state of torpor. As the Black Bear, they stop eating and survive from their fat reserve they accumulated throughout summer. Contrary to popular thinking, their body temperature and metabolism stay elevated and from time to time they wake up from their winter sleep. Males come out their shelter at the end of February and the females mid-March.

The racoon can live 12 or 13 years in its natural habitat. They are solitary animals and males keep from spending time with other males.

Their sense of touch is much developed and their front paws look like hands. It can easily turn the button of a door and this happened to a friend of mine, during a summer night when she was at her cottage with friends. She had to call for help as the racoon was pulling the door with its "hands" and she told me it was very strong!

They also can grab small objects easily, they swim and climb to trees with ease. It can go down a tree with its head first and this is what the racoon in this picture, the on in the back did, he plunged its head first on the corner of the feeder.

Racoons are seldom observed during daytime. They leave their shelter not long after sunset and they remain active throughout the night.

In the 1920's the fur of the racoons was used to make the famous "capot de chat" (cat's fur coat). Their fur is still used these days to make coats and hats. Its name "chat sauvage" (wild cat) was most certainly attributed by the first Europeans who mistaken them with the European Wild Cat (Felis Silvestris). Its common name, "raton" (racoon) comes from the Algonquin word Aroughcoune meaning "one who scratches with its hands".

Racoons often cause damages to agriculture and the backyards. You have to install the beehives on a pole of at least 1 metre high. Even that, they can push it so hard that it falls down and then they can reach the honey (or seeds) that they love so much.

Like here in St-Alphonse and in the many little villages in the forests, the garbages have to be put to waste in a closed wooden box or something they won't be able to open up with their "hands".

I really love those little racoons because of their mischiefs, their intelligence and, also, their kindness. They are not mean animals and you can approach them easily. The only thing, is that one has to be careful because, like squirrels, they are known to carry rabies.

Hope you enjoy this nocturnal snapshot of a mischief. Thank you!

Francine

shot in jpeg, cropped and resized for TN

Information found in the book "Mammifères du Québec et de l'Est du Canada" (Mammals from Quebec and Eastern Canada) by Jacques Prescott and Pierre Richard, published by Éditions Michel Quintin
nglen, rousettus, eqshannon, MMM, CeltickRanger, Heaven, JPlumb, Argus, angela926, wuta, uleko has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Francine,
I like racoons, they are lovely animals. But I didnt see them, I saw only old american films and documentary films. Your capture very nice and funny as you mentioned. Great POV and focus. Nicely composed. Colors also very nice. good informative notes. TFS, well done. Ahmet

I don't think you could have saturated the background any possible way other than orange...right! Wow! Does it stick right out...oh yes and there are some animals as well:-) I say this in kidding of course. It is a fine image and as most come with super notes..and yes I did think Virginia Woolf words were good..AND I just learned that one of my good friends who lives sp by my cabin is SON of Jim Whittaker the 1st US man to climb Mt Everest...this has me excited because he is also good friends with the Kennedys and I am an Obama backer..and now maybe I will finally have a chance to more to the other Washington and take editorial pics again...but no I have not been back to the cabin...what a day this is turing out to be!
Bob

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 787 W: 0 N: 1581] (7260)
  • [2008-02-20 15:16]

Salut Francine
Jolie presentation.Bien composé avec de jolie couleur.Bon focus et merveilleuse couleur.Excellent texte.
Merci Michel

bonjour Francine

j'aime beaucoup ta photo prise sur le vif,
quelle belle image de ses 2 « cute bandits of the night »
malgrè les difficultés d'éclairage de la nuit
tu as fait un superbe travail de camera pour
avoir une image auss net et avec d'excellent détails, TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • Heaven Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 535 W: 90 N: 1030] (3797)
  • [2008-02-20 21:39]

Hi Francine!

It's not only and not always the perfection on the technical side or concerning the composition that makes a picture an outstanding one. Other factors as general interest, emotions and originality ma be as important. Your picture is original and funny, there's a story and therefore there are emotions behind it.

That means it is a good picture. I like it, and I read the notes with great pleasure and interest.

Kind regards

Markus

Hi Francine,

You said it all, it's not a great picture.
Nicely composed and for a dark photo really good.
The picture is nice and the moment is beautiful.
Good notes also. TFS

Regards Gert

  • Great 
  • JPlumb Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 644 W: 160 N: 894] (2837)
  • [2008-02-20 23:50]

Haha, but you caught them in the act Francine. That's gotta be worth something.

Actually with all things considered the shot didn't turn out half bad. You should see some of my nighttime bat pictures (you won't). You have good definition on the two raccoons, you're getting some red eye (bounce of light off the retina), but there's not a lot you can do about that. The shot isn't going to win any awards, but sometimes shots should be taken for fun too, or for family interest, and I'm sure you're family wanted to see these guys, and I'm sure I'm not the only one here who laughed at it.

Thanks, John

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2770 W: 151 N: 7984] (24857)
  • [2008-02-21 3:35]

Bonjour Francine,
Maybe we don't want to see the feeder and the strange orange light but you did right to post this one. You caught these two cheeky raccoons impressively well with a two-second exposure at a good moment with fine clarity.
Thanks for sharing this interesting image as well a good note,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1888 W: 245 N: 6180] (22002)
  • [2008-02-21 6:00]

Very good shot of these two rascals!
They do look like they're up to no good!
Excellent flashwork and lighting.
I love all the colours in the BG.
Amazingly sharp for a 2 second exposure, even if you did use flash!
Great DOF.
The notes were an excellent read.
Well done Francine!

Cheers,
Joe

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2130 W: 9 N: 5960] (22528)
  • [2008-02-21 10:43]

Hi Francine . Got them red handed. They look well fed and healthy living on all your bird food. good detail for a night shot. well done TFS. good notes too.
Nick..

Coucou Francine,
j'adore ces rongeurs ils sont superbes, on commence à en avoir en Belgique depuis peu de temps, ils s'acclimate très bien, trop bien même d'après ce que j'ai ouï dire ....
La photo est bien réussie, juste dommage ce coup de flash dans leurs yeux,
bravo et à bientôt,
amicalement,
Pat

Bonjour Francine,
I loved this photo myself!
The subject is well captured with perfect sharpness, real colour and details, and the colourful bg makes this image so outstanding!
many thanks for the notes too
merci
tony

Hello Francine,
WOW! Fantastic funny capture of these cute little bandits, good colors and details in the fur.Very informative and interesting note, i enjoyed reading it.TFS
Angela

  • Great 
  • wuta Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 884 W: 2 N: 617] (2072)
  • [2008-02-22 6:31]

Hello Francine , AH sweet one Fantastic capture ,I like it good sharpnes details ,very nice ,Greetings Teunie .

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-02-22 12:51]

Hello Francine

Wow,this is such a striking shot,and you have captured two bandits too.
Lovely colours and interesting lighting.
The eye contact is super.They look so guilty.
Great job.
TFS


Rob

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2585 W: 170 N: 7879] (24911)
  • [2008-02-23 1:32]

Hello Francine,
Wow, this capture is really on fire! And with two rascals hiding from it!! These animals look really cheeky, I hope they leave some food for the birds! We have our Red Squirrel doing the same thing.
An excellent and well-timed capture showing these two nicely in focus. Well done!
TFS and regards, Ulla

Thanks for the joy and experience you transmitted! CarOze

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