Her name was McGill, and she called herself Lil, but everyone knew her as Nancy.

This is just one of the many great lines from the Beatles’ 1968 song, Rocky Raccoon.

This song was my first introduction to the concept of a raccoon. Since I heard that song I have seen a few raccoons in zoos and several in cartoons. They look interesting in zoos and adorable in cartoons, but when one showed up on my patio I suddenly had to reevaluate my perceptions.

A raccoon made itself heard in the shrubbery near my patio a couple of days ago. It was making an odd, loud, chirping noise and I thought it was a bird. In fact, I clicked on my bird song app to see if it would provide an identification. As I was doing this, the “bird” ran out onto my patio. It was a raccoon! I managed to get a quick photo before it started sniffing around the door to my bedroom.

I had the bedroom and living room doors open to let in the breeze, but they were covered with screen doors, so there was no immediate danger of the raccoon getting into the apartment. But, it was too close for comfort. That bedroom screen, in particular, would be easy to break through because it isn’t fixed into a frame. (Note to self: Email Phantom Screens)

My knowledge of raccoons was, at this point, limited to admiring their cuteness, but as soon as I mentioned my uninvited guest on Facebook, friends and relatives quickly made me aware that raccoons are the devil in disguise. They will enter any tent, home, vehicle, or patio where they think there may be something to eat, and they will look for and eat just about anything. And, just to be diabolic, they don’t care how much mess they make in the process.

After my raccoon saw me, it ran back into the shrubbery and then along the curb beside my patio and then off to visit the neighbours. I managed to get a short video of this escape.

Today, as I was thinking about taking a nap, I once again heard a strange noise and I suspect it was that same raccoon. I didn’t see a raccoon, but as I lay down on the couch my eye caught sight of its paw prints! On the lower part of my patio door, there are definitely paw prints. My raccoon has clearly been back when I wasn’t looking.

OK. So, this is war, Lil Nancy McGill. I am now researching raccoon repellents, and I may never leave my door open again. I will, however, start work on a raccoon-proof retractable screen.

*******

Edit to add:

I just discovered that my new security camera recorded three raccoons having a tussle on my patio a week ago.