re: the black squirrel head left under the bird feeders.
i consulted my possum rehabber friend, who consulted an expert raccoon rehabber, who said definitely NOT a raccoon, because they leave the skin behind. there was none, thankfully, the head was enough 🫣
they said that cats are notorious for leaving the heads behind, can't crunch them. so i'm thinking they're probably right, it's likely it was the new Maine coon in the neighbourhood. first time for a squirrel head, hopefully the last.
it also may have been the Canada lynx i saw awhile back.
but apparently, raccoons do night raids on squirrels sleeping in trees, so it is possible. they couldn't catch them otherwise.
@holon42
I wouldn't think that a racoon could catch a squirrel. The ones in my Texas neighborhood are so slow and most of the cats around only watch. But I've heard bobcats have a taste for squirrel.