Porcupine!

While riding home from the kids evening dance classes, Keira and I spotted a porcupine in the bush just off the trail! Keira had a quick look, but then rode on ahead to try and chase down Finnegan who'd rode on without us...



Can you see it? (click on the pictures to see a larger version)



I tried my flash - which I very rarely do - which probably scared the willies out of the poor critter.



Ooh! There you can kind of see his eye. I started to move away and he climbed a tree so I walked around to see if I could get a better shot...



Up in the tree... again with the flash...



Prickly porcupine butt.



One last try... Curse these cute nocturnal creatures and my crappy little not-so-good-at-taking-picutres-inpoor-light camera...

Then I had to chase down the kids who were a couple hundred metres down the trail. I passed a couple on the way that felt the urge to admonish me and tell me to hurry up and that my kids were "very worried" about me (Seriously!?). When I caught up to them Keira was almost on the verge of tears - thinking I had taken too long and the porcupine had attacked me!?