Close encounter

During one of the days spent at Ding Darling, I was thinking of what other animals I would like to take pictures of while in Florida. Bald Eagle of course, owls would be nice and a raccoon could be fun. I had some tips and hints of where to find them and while slowly driving along the one way road I where planning how to get more details and getting to those spots.

Behind the next bend is a car parked somewhat on the wrong side. It is clearly stated that you should park at the right side of the road to let others pass without your car being in the way. A little bit further down the road is a man standing in the middle of the road with a big lens on a tripod doesn't make it less strange. So I suspect there is something nice to take pictures of :-). So I parked my car - on the right side - get my camera and slowly approaches the car and ask them what's up. " Its a female raccoon with a couple of cubs in there" said the the family in the car and were pointing in to the dense brushes.

Did my wish already come through? I quietly walked up to the guy with the big lens and he pointed in to the wood. Just a few meters in between twigs and branches I spotted the small family while they slowly were moving parallel to the road. The wood were quite dense and very dark so there were not ideal conditions to take any pictures.

I hurried up the road to find a gap in between the branches and finally  finds a small opening. It doesn't take more than a half a minute and then a small face pops up and looks straight at me. Shortly after that the family gets out of the opening and crosses the road just a couple of meters away from me. Thankfully I got my 100-400 mm with me as I left the car, because my other option would be the 500 and would have been useless at this point.



The raccoon-family carries on on the other side, still parallel to the road. On that side the wood is just a few meters wide and beyond that is the water. They can be out to get a drink or they will continue along the road. I put my money on the second option ( I could get through the wood anyway so that was not really a option for me) and move quickly up road to find a open space. Just a little bit later I find what I was looking for; a piece of open grassy/muddy ground. I lay down and wait.

While waiting a car pulls over and the driver asks what I was doing. "Waiting for a raccoon" is the simple answer.  "Oh, then I'll go on. Got a lot of them at home by my garbage can". Seems to be very common animals here i n Florida.

Nothing is happening and I start to figure out if I locked the car before I left it. It is parked out of sight and I have some photo gear inside that easily could get lost if I stay here to long...

Then I get a glimpse of a movement in the dark. I recognize the characteristic black "eyes" and the white stripes in the face of the raccoon. The first cub carefully get out in the open and looks cautiously at me. "hey guys, there's a strange dude up ahead". But the mother gives the go-ahead and they continues moving.


A quick look at the mother and then full speed - straight towards me. Now I feel the difference towards the 7D. 5DII isn't that quick in focusing moving targets.


The cubs passes me in less than a meter and whiel the mother is closing in, I start to wonder if she could be aggressive. I am quite exposed if she's in that mood. Raccoons can be really tough, at least according to what I have seen on tv and mothers with cubs isn't to be played with :-)  The mother checks me out and passes me sideways...



...but since the cubs already have passed she ignores me and follows the others while I sigh in relife. So I get up, chats a few words with the others that have been taking pictures and hurries back to the car just to find it locked. All is well and a I can enjoy the good feeling of a nice encounter and hopefully some nice shots.