Never a dull moment here on the nature channel. A cougar seems to have gone for a marathon summer swim to our island.

It killed three sheep on the farm Tuesday night and is causing plenty of concern. It’s been many many years since a predator visited our island.

Years ago John came out of his house and happened to look up to see a cougar asleep in the tree above him. He slowly retreated to get his rifle, but it was gone when he went back. A tracker and his hounds came over to help and they followed the scent for a while but lost it on the other side of Link. It was shot shortly after in Ladysmith.

A wolf attack on the farm sheep in the nineties didn’t end well for the wolf either. One of the women on the island shot it after she sat up all night in the farm greenhouse waiting for it. She had left the sheep carcass in front of her as a lure. It worked.

On Tuesday night about twenty of the island women had gathered at my neighbors for cocktails at five. Everyone brought appies and had a grand time, young and old. Some left at a reasonable time walking home at dusk. Some, who shall remain nameless stayed far too late. Had to walk down the narrow treed lane by the light of my phone. 

Conservation officers were here early this morning with their hounds but couldn’t find a trace of whatever killed the sheep. They confirmed however it was likely a cougar.

One of my friends who walked home at dusk from the party, walked through the farm. She was taken with how pastoral the sheep looked in the field and she stood for a moment taking pictures.

This morning her daughter had the brilliant idea to go through the pictures looking for any sign of a predator. Lo and behold far away on the other side of the field where the sheep are minding their business you can see the outline of an animal stalking them. It’s about as good a picture as your normal Sasquatch or Loch Ness Monster picture but still, there

is something there

• 

•