Apparently this is what has been going on in my back yard

And what about the raccoon that loped across my backyard yesterday afternoon? It scared the squirrel, the starlings, and me. The squirrel ran, the birds flew. Happily, I was in my house. Also happily the raccoon climbed the fence and then ran across the Shuells' yard.

I have questions:

1. Where did it come from? Is it nesting under my deck or the Bakers' porch? Raccoons have nested under their porch in years past. They have also left unpleasant evidence of their presence in my yard, which I cleaned up and then treated the ground thereunder with bleach. Too much information, I know. But I had to do the job. It shouldn't be so hard to read about it.
2. Raccoons are nocturnal animals, why was this one out in daylight?
3. Have I seen the last of him/her? I hope so but doubt it.
4. Is this animal what happened to my sparrows?

I figured I had a chance to answer #2. All the sources I consulted--online, of course--said pretty much the same thing.


When you see a raccoon out during the day you can know the animal is rabid. Swell. Or perhaps it could be a mother looking for more food for her young, and she may or may not have rabies. But probably she does.

I cannot answer the other questions and wonder what good it does me to know the answer to #2. Of course I'm going to stay away from a rabid animal anyway. And of course I'm going to stay away from any raccoon day or night.

Squirrels I don't like, but I tolerate them, mostly. But raccoons I really don't like. They scare me.

I don't usually see what's happening in my back yard, but I'm shut in for a few days. A person wants to get out a bit.

Could I? Should I put out some poison food? Or get a gun.