Living With Wild Life in Washington

You never know who might come to visit when you live in Western Washington. Recently four wild turkeys dropped by my yard. I live in the midst of a neighborhood, so I was surprised by their visit. However, then I remembered that our lake community here in Mason County is bordered by timber land. As I told people in my office about these visitors I learned that the county had made a concerted effort to restock our area with turkeys. It must have worked.

We are used to seeing deer, of course, but not turkeys. Our regular visitors are also birds: mourning doves, goldfinches, purple finches, starlings, robins, blue jays, crows, humming birds, wood peckers, ducks, to name just a few. And of course, there are the usual wondering possums and raccoons (and neighborhood cats).

Our neighbors have claimed to see cougars now and again, but I haven't seen one. When I lived in North Snohomish county on the north fork of the Stillaguamish, we had frequent visits from bears as well as deer. I haven't seen any bears here yet.

You can often see coyotes or fox alongside the roads, as they travel quickly from place to place. But you need to look fast, or you will miss them.

I'd love to hear from you,and what wild life are visiting your yards here in Western Washington!