August 18, 2016. Western Head, Nova Scotia. Porcupines.

We see them all the time munching along in the grass.   I like them, but I don't have a dog.  Once a dog attacks a porcupine and ends up with a nose and mouth full of quills, the trip to the Vet will be expensive.   A smart dog learns to stay well away from a porcupine.

The other evening, Karen drove me home from Gills.  As she pulled into the parking area,  we spotted something under the picnic table that looked like a pile of rags.  But I do not keep old rags hanging around outside, so Karen drove closer to get a better view.  Then the rags moved.  A porcupine and a baby had been just sitting under the table.  When we disturbed them, they wadled off into the rose bushes.

They move quite slowly, unless they are alarmed.  When threatened, they turn around very quickly with their sharp quills ready to attack  Their quills are light in color while the rest of them are brown. I walked up the driveway yesterday to see a small one munching the grass behind the sitting lawnmower Ken uses for getting around.  From a distance, I could not understand why Ken would have put something right behind the wheel.  I watched the porcupine for ages.  They have poor vision.  While I stayed quiet and still he continues to eat away.  They do cut the bark from the spruce trees.  Often they will eat a ring around the tree, which results in one dead tree.  But the rest of the time they seem to do no harm.  In fact they help to cut the grass.