Rocks and Raccoons

 

I have a bowl fountain with a solar powered pump. It used to be part of a cascading fountain but the raccoons kept climbing on it, knocking it over, and eventually breaking all the bowls except the largest bottom one.

I've filled the remaining bowl with small stones and let it go at that. I have some spray nozzles but during the brightest sun, the pump sprayed the water out of the bowl. So, without the nozzles, I let it burble. Works just fine.

It also serves as a birdbath and watering spot for the squirrls and raccoons.

Raccoons have very sensitive pads and fingers. They see by touch almost as much as they do with their eyes. At night I hear them playing around the water bowl. They like to grasp the rocks in the water and move them around. Often they'll lift the small stones out.

 

I took this photo this morning. You can see one rock they've taken out of the bowl and two others they've tried to lift out (the two that are poking above the water).