Tuesday, February 3, 2009

SHADOW CRITTER


Two weekly memes that I enjoy when I visit other people's blog, but have not yet participated in myself, are Shadow Shot and Camera Critters. I'm sure we've all experienced the "can't do it all" blog syndrome. However, when I took this shot late last year (before the snow arrived) I thought I might post it for one or the other. Well, I just can't make up my mind which meme to choose - it is a shadow, but it's also a very good likeness of a critter - so I decided to post it here on an "off" day for double the fun.

I was driving back one afternoon from Point Pelee National Park when I braked for this odd little shadow by the side of the road. It looked remarkably like a coati (coatimundi) to me. This morning I did a Google image search for coatis, and found the photo of this little guy, in almost the exact same pose! These relatives of raccoons are such charming creatures; I wish we had them here - the real ones not just their shadows, but of course it's far too cold. I'm used to thinking of them as a South America mammal only, but apparently they can be found in the southwestern U.S. as well. I would love to see one in the wild...maybe one sent his shadow for a visit!














Coati photo at
www.trp.dundee.ac.uk/
~BL/mammals/P112131coati550/jpg

12 comments:

Kat Mortensen said...

I just left you a message. I'm puzzled by this shadow critter. Is it upside down?
They are cute, aren't they?
Now you're going to have ME looking at shadows, but I always forget to carry my camera.

Kat

word verification is a "shadow critter" in its own right: "basmouse"

Great Grandma Lin said...

interesting critter and shadow photo. I had heard of that name before but never knew what it looked like.

bobbie said...

Great picture. Lots of people are doing double-meme pictures. And both of these are published on Sunday.

Sylvia K said...

I love your photo of the little "critter" and the shadow! Really great! I've never seen the real one although, I too, have heard that they can be found here. Thanks for sharing!

Kim said...

I love that shadow shot and yes it does indeed look like that little critter.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Cute idea to combine both shadows and critters, Deb. I've never heard of nor seen that critter before--but your shadow does look a little like him!!!!

I agree about all of the weekly meme posts. Someday I may do some of them--but right now, I still have plenty to say without those memes!!!! I will say that some people seem to show the same things every week for these memes.. Could it be that they are OUT of things to say????

I did enjoy your "Shadow Critter" blog.
Hugs,
Betsy

Shelley said...

Great comparison! I'd love to see one of these critters! But I guess I'll have to leave the winter wonderland to do that..... :-)

Avid Reader said...

I'd never heard of a coati before! Is it like a kinkajou? (I learned about those from a Guinness Advert. Calendar.

Quiet Paths said...

i see it! Cool bark too; or lack thereof. I'd never heard of this creature before now. Thanks.

Cloudia said...

O see it too! How cool. Aloha-

spacedlaw said...

What a cute creature.

Kathie Brown said...

Very clever! I live down here where they can be found but I have yet to see one in the wild myself.