A Night-time Visitor

Thursday evening was very windy. I was sitting in bed, checking my email with my cat, Winnie, by my side. The wind was blowing against the house and windows and one particularly loud gust got the attention of Winnie and me. I saw what appeared to be a light-colored leaf stuck in the screen. As we intently watched the 'leaf', I noticed it wasn't moving as a leaf would move. Winnie ran over to the window and jumped on the little shelf in front of the window that Karl constructed for her to sit on. I went to the window as well. In the darkness (our backyard is very dark) I couldn't tell if what i was seeing in the window was Winnie's reflection (she's the dark Tabby featured as my avitar) or an animal on the other side of the window. I then realized it was an animal sitting on the window ledge. I knocked loudly on the window and the animal looked at me...it was a raccoon! Unfazed by Winnie and/or me, it continued to sit on the window ledge and eat bird seed. I yelled to Karl that there was a raccoon on the windowsill and he immediately grabbed his camera and headed outside. Soon after, the raccoon jumped down but continued to eat birdseed. With the wind blowing as it was, Karl was able to sneak up on the raccoon unnoticed. After Karl took his photo, the raccoon dashed off for the safety of a maple tree. You can see the photo here.