{"id":10720,"date":"2018-03-26T06:30:36","date_gmt":"2018-03-26T10:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=10720"},"modified":"2018-03-23T17:01:23","modified_gmt":"2018-03-23T21:01:23","slug":"take-5-rascally-raccoons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-rascally-raccoons\/","title":{"rendered":"Take 5: Rascally Raccoons"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mating season for raccoons winds down around the end of March so females will be looking for safe place to\u00a0establish a nest within the next month or two, often in a hollow tree, chimney, or similar cavity. She will raise her 2\u20135 young here for about the first eight weeks of their lives, then as the young gain mobility, the whole family will move on.<\/p>\n

Because they can find good food where people live, these furry bandits have increasingly made their homes in urban and suburban neighborhoods where food litter, trash cans, and dumpsters are plentiful. This can potentially cause issues if they move into your chimney or attic.\u00a0Learn more<\/a>\u00a0about what to do if you have raccoons in your chimney, attic, trash, or garden.<\/p>\n

We should note that raccoons can transmit disease<\/a> to other wildlife, pets, and occasionally to humans, so while there’s no need to panic if you see a raccoon in your yard, it is best to avoid contact with them.<\/p>\n

Got a cute picture of a furry critter? Submissions for the 2018\u00a0Picture This: Your Great Outdoors<\/a> photo contest open in early summer, so stay tuned! In the meantime, enjoy these five cute raccoon photos that have been submitted to the contest in the past.<\/p>\n

\"Raccoon

Raccoon \u00a9 Roberta Dell Anno<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Raccoon

Raccoon \u00a9 Lisa Gurney<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Raccoon

Raccoon \u00a9 Steven Brasier<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Raccoons

Raccoons \u00a9 Kwan Cheung<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Raccoon

Raccoon \u00a9 David Morris<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mating season for raccoons winds down around the end of March so females will be looking for safe place to\u00a0establish a nest within the next month or two, often in a hollow tree, chimney, or similar cavity. She will raise her 2\u20135 young here for about the first eight weeks of their lives, then as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":10742,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[158],"tags":[83,84,215],"class_list":["post-10720","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-take-5","tag-photo-contest","tag-photography","tag-raccoons"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/03\/3174David_Morris11607-1.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-2MU","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13706,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-barred-owls\/","url_meta":{"origin":10720,"position":0},"title":"Take 5: Barred Owls","author":"Ryan D.","date":"March 23, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"\"Solemnity is what they express\u2014fit representatives of the night.\u201d\u2014Henry David Thoreau The shy but stocky Barred Owl does indeed cut a solemn figure, with its soulful, dark brown, almost black eyes and stripes of mottled brown and white crossing its body. Many nighttime travelers in the New England woods have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Barred Owl \u00a9 Cynthia Rand","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/03\/6039Cynthia_Rand30889.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/03\/6039Cynthia_Rand30889.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/03\/6039Cynthia_Rand30889.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/03\/6039Cynthia_Rand30889.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7921,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-down-the-rabbit-hole\/","url_meta":{"origin":10720,"position":1},"title":"Take 5: Down the Rabbit Hole","author":"Ryan D.","date":"July 6, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Did you know that there are two species of cottontail rabbits in Massachusetts? The New England cottontail, and the Eastern cottontail. While there are very slight differences in appearance between the two species, it can be nearly impossible to tell them apart by just looking at them.\u00a0The Eastern cottontail\u00a0was introduced\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"\u00a9 Susumu Kishihara, Photo Contest Entry 2013","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/07\/161SusumuKishihara7774.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/07\/161SusumuKishihara7774.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/07\/161SusumuKishihara7774.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14969,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-squirrel-away-for-a-rainy-drey\/","url_meta":{"origin":10720,"position":2},"title":"Take 5: Squirrel Away for A Rainy Drey","author":"Ryan D.","date":"November 30, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"With most of the leaves fallen to the ground by now, you may have looked up into the canopy, noticed the occasional ball of sticks and leaves tucked into the branches of large deciduous trees, and thought, \"What enormous bird lives there?\" Believe it or not, you're probably looking at\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Red Squirrel \u00a9 Sue Feldberg","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/11\/1773SueFeldberg6289.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/11\/1773SueFeldberg6289.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/11\/1773SueFeldberg6289.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/11\/1773SueFeldberg6289.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14642,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-you-musk-be-joking\/","url_meta":{"origin":10720,"position":3},"title":"Take 5: You Musk Be Joking!","author":"Ryan D.","date":"September 7, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"While they do belong to the order Rodentia), muskrats are not, in fact, rats at all (i.e. members of the genus Rattus). Plus, they're actually more closely related to lemmings than they are to their look-a-like cousins, beavers. The latter is a case of what is known as \"convergent evolution\"\u2014two\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Muskrats \u00a9 Sylvia Zarco","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/09\/2851Sylvia_Zarco10205.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/09\/2851Sylvia_Zarco10205.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/09\/2851Sylvia_Zarco10205.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/09\/2851Sylvia_Zarco10205.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14401,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-one-in-the-oven\/","url_meta":{"origin":10720,"position":4},"title":"Take 5: One in the Oven","author":"Ryan D.","date":"July 20, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cThere is a singer everyone has heard, \/ Loud, a mid-summer and a mid-wood bird, \/ Who makes the solid tree trunks sound again.\u201d \u2014Robert Frost, \u201cThe Oven Bird\u201d An unassuming warbler more often seen than heard, the Ovenbird's loud \"tea-cher tea-cher tea-cher tea-cher\" song is prevalent in forests across\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ovenbird \u00a9 Asli Ertekin","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/07\/5334Asli_Ertekin26233.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/07\/5334Asli_Ertekin26233.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/07\/5334Asli_Ertekin26233.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/07\/5334Asli_Ertekin26233.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5417,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/trailside-to-the-rescue\/","url_meta":{"origin":10720,"position":5},"title":"Trailside to the Rescue","author":"Hillary T.","date":"May 13, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"When\u00a0four great horned owl chicks and their nest blew out of their tree near Blue Hills Trailside Museum in Milton due to high winds in early May, the team at Trailside knew exactly what to do.\u00a0Trailside has successfully placed\u00a03,000 baby hawks and owls into foster nests over the past 30\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Stuff We Love"","block_context":{"text":"Stuff We Love","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/stuff-we-love\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Photo by Dan Burton ","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/05\/GHO_1-1024x768.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/05\/GHO_1-1024x768.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/05\/GHO_1-1024x768.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10720"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10720\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10743,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10720\/revisions\/10743"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10742"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}