Critters

Part of the fun of walking is the chance of encountering a critter or two. We have yet to encounter a moving object Grace is unwilling to chase. Leaves, snowflakes, bumblebees, any size or shape of bird, squirrels, chipmunks, whatever. Of course humans, other dogs and cats are of special interest.

Bassets were bred to hunt rabbits, but as far as I know she has only ever seen the one on Saturday May 17th, which I saw run from a brush pile on one side of the road to the bushes on the other side. Grace saw it as it disappeared on the far side. Carmen tells me she saw one a few days before, but Grace was so busy sniffing the ground that she missed it completely.

She did knock a bumblebee out of the air last week, and step on it. She rooted up and chased a cricket a few nights ago. And probably her best conquest ever, she scared up a mole. She chased it, caught it, flipped it into the air,.chased it more, caught it again, tossed it up, chased it etc. etc. until it finally ran into some thick weeds along a fence and escaped.

My favorite so far was a killdeer. You nature lovers out there (you know who you are) will know that the killdeer builds its nest right on the ground. If a predator threatens, mama will run erratically away from the nest, dragging her wing as if it is broken, to lure the predator away. Yesterday morning, I saw a killdeer performing this stunt for the benefit if Grace and me. She ran until she ran out of room, flew back nearer to us and took off running again. Two more times she performed this stunt trying to lure us away from her nest. Grace never ever saw this impassioned performance. I applauded, but I don't think Mama Killdeer knew what it meant.