"IT'S RAINING, IT'S POURING"

Porcupine (North American) - 6 Photos

To paraphrase that children's nursery rhyme:  "It's raining, it's pouring, the porcupine is motoring".

Having spent a few hours watching & photographing a porcupine napping and munching on fresh tree buds, with some scratching, the weather had begun to turn from a mixture of sun & cloud, to an occasional light shower. 

Although there were several false starts by the porcupine to climb down from the tree but whether it was just a re-positioning to remain out of the wind or a change of mind because the rain had stopped, it just didn't happen.

That all changed when the heavens opened and there was a huge downpour of rain mixed with snow. 

There may be some that believe porcupines, like their beaver cousins, are slow moving large rodents. However, when the moment or need arises, porcupines can be very fleet of foot. With those long sharp claws on all four feet, the descent was rapid and straight down the tree, with no side to side positioning (Photo #1). 

Once I realized the porcupine was actually going "to ground", I waited to see which direction he was going to take to ensure safety for both of us.   And yes, towards me was the answer. So I stood back out of the way and let the porcupine motor on by, Then there was the hasty departure from the woods (Photo #2 through Photo #4), across a series of fallen tree branches (Photo #5 through Photo #7),  followed by a run across a flat meadow to an undetermined but safe shelter, out of the rain.

I say "undetermined" because at the point the porcupine exited the woods, I did not follow. First and foremost, was the welfare of the porcupine, avoiding any additional stress to an already anxious mammal. Second, the only photographs you can achieve with such an exercise, are the south end of a porcupine going north. And third, believe it or not, you cannot outrun a porcupine. :)

PHOTO #1

PHOTO #2

PHOTO #3

PHOTO #4

PHOTO #5

PHOTO #6

PHOTO #7