3rd Place Opossum Caught On Camera!

Photo Credit: Sara B.

Last week, PMFA reader Jess reported on an opossum in his backyard on 4th Place between Clinton and Henry Street. I posted his email to me and asked if anyone else had seen it.
Someone reported spotting an opossum on Huntington Street. There was also a report of one crossing the Carroll Street Bridge.
Just today, Sara B., another reader, sent me this message along with a photo. She writes:

Last night, while coming home to my Carroll Gardens apartment at Henry and 2nd Pl., my friends and I spotted an opossum running towards us from 3rd pl. Was it the same opossum that has been spotted by other neighborhood residents? This one's coat appeared lighter in color than the opossum pictured April 13 , but since it was dark it was hard to tell.
I was able to nab a quick photo of the little critter, which I've attached.

I just hope our little neighbor doesn't get hit by a car!   I must say, the little fellow is pretty cute. But I agree with Sara. Lets hope that he stays out of harm's way.

Thanks for the photo, Sara.
And to everyone else, please keep on sending in your sightings.

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Another Opossum Encounter In Carroll Gardens

(photo credit:TJ)

Carroll Gardens, like other Brooklyn neighborhoods, seems to have a thriving population of opossums. Over the last few years, people have reported quite a few sightings, including one of a mother opossum and her babies on Clinton Street.
Yesterday, I received word of yet another encounter, together with the photograph above.  This one actually involves a capture and a relocation.
Reader TJ writes:

I recently saw a blog post you had about Opossums in the neighbourhood. We have been plagued with one for over a month now that created an evening routine of coming down the fire escape on the back of our building from the roof then down a trellis onto our terrace. Although it was not causing any harm, it was a little disruptive during our time enjoying the terrace and making unannounced appearances, it was definitely not afraid of us. 

This week we had a humane trap placed out the back and along its route, in the hopes to snag it in order to release it far away in the park. Last night was the triumphant night we caught it and what a big thing it was! 

Hopefully this will bring some night time peace to the backyards of those on Court between 3rd and 4th.(No possum was harmed in the making of this blog [post].)

The reader added: "They are surprisingly docile despite that one photo of it bearing its teeth! Hopefully, it will be comfortable roaming around Prospect park and will make a nice new home there instead."

One of my own neighbors just told me that he and his daughter spotted an opossum in their back yard.  So far, I have not seen it myself.  When I do, I hope I can grab my camera in time.


***Update***
Just got an email from Carroll Gardener Ellen. She says:

"I too have recently had an opossum in my yard. I am wondering if the one TJ caught is the same. I live on 3rd place between court and Clinton but my yard backs up to Court street between 3rd place and 4th Place.
I have attached the picture my husband took two nights ago. "

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Morning Encounter With Opossum On Court Street

We were walking on Court Street this morning when we noticed people stopping and looking at the storefront of 352  Court Street near the corner of Union Street. Balancing on the handrail next to the building's front door, was an opossum, who looked frightened and obviously regretted having ventured out in public.
As many local residents can attest, opossum sightings are quite frequent here in the neighborhood. However, one does not often see them on Court Street in the middle of the day.
We hope this little fellow found his way back to a quiet backyard.
Have you ever encountered an opossum in Carroll Gardens or Gowanus?

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Raising Young'Uns in Carroll Gardens: Neighborhood Opossums Multiplying

(photo credit: Reader J.)

They may not be part of the Carroll Gardens stroller set, but opossums are raising their young alongside right here in the neighborhood.

A few months back, there were quite a few possum sightings in the neighborhood. In April 2009, Reader Rose sent me photos of one of these marsupials running around in her back yard near the Gowanus Canal. Then in September '09, came reports came from readers Sara B. and Kari who spotted two in one night. The first was seen running from 3rd Place at Henry Street, the second was hanging out on a stoop on First Place between Henry and Clinton Streets.

At the same time, Reader J. told me that his wife came across a critter under their fig tree in the back yard on Fourth Place. Last week, he wrote to tell me about yet another sighting, but this time, the guest in his back yard was a baby opossum.

He writes:

Last year I told you about my wife spotting an Opossum under our Fig Tree.
Well there must be more than one Opossum on Fourth Place because tonight we saw this little guy around 10pm. He must be about 6 to 8 inches long (not including tail).
Sometimes at night when the windows are open we'll hear our cats go crazy, pouncing at the screens - we always thought it was squirrels. But this little guy twice tried to to climb the screen and each time our cat pounced. We watched for about half hour as he hid amongst our patio furniture, waiting for the opportunity to come up to the window. The second encounter with the cat sent him off into the night.
I must say, this little guy is quite cute. Has anyone else potted opossums or their offspring in the neighborhood?


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Yet Another Opossum Sighting In The Neighborhood

photo credit: Reader Lawrence

Yet another opossum sighting in the neighborhood, this one at the corner of First Place and Clinton Street. Just last week, a Carroll Gardens resident saw a little baby possum in his back yard. Just yesterday, Reader Lawrence sent me the photos above of a visitor to his yard.
He writes:

These are not very good photos as they were taken through a screen door but this fella had no fear…my son and I stood at the door while he walked right up and sat there to look at us. He stared at us for a little while, turned around and walked away. The photos don’t capture it but he had really interesting colour variations in his fur. He also have very sharp claws and teeth. I wouldn’t mess with him.

I wouldn't mess with an opossum either, but sure wouldn't mind having one visit me. Judging by all these sightings, we are experiencing quite an opossum population boom. Neat, I say!

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Hey, Neighbor! Pardon Me For Asking, But...

Have you seen an opossum on 4th Place?
Reader Jess sent me the following email yesterday evening:

My wife just went out to the back garden to pull some swiss chard for dinner and spotted an Opossum under our fig tree. They exchanged glances, then he waddled off into the night. He's hanging out somewhere between on 4th Place between Clinton and Henry. Has anyone else seen it? Please let me know.

Back in April, another opossum was spotted in the back yard, near the Gowanus Canal of another reader, who was able to capture her little visitor on camera.

The one on 4th Place can hardly be the same.
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Knock, Knock! Opossum At The Front Door

(photo credit: Nicholas Gorczynski)

Opossum sightings have become quite frequent in Carroll Gardens the last few year.  Here is yet another one.  Local resident Nicholas Gorczynski found one just outside his front door.  The little critter must have climbed up the stoop.
Nicholas grabbed his camera and shot these very funny photos.  He writes:

Not too long ago you had some articles about an opossum family that was proliferating in the neighborhood right? This [Friday] morning there was a little guy at the front door on (2nd place between Clinton and Henry). I opened the door and he was looking up like he was waiting to get in. He kind of blocked me in so I went out through the garden entrance instead and took some pictures.I don't think he was dangerous, just cold and scared. From reading anyway, I learned that having opposums around can be a good thing. 

My neighbor had a little interaction with him (his tail got caught in the door!) and once free he went on his way peacefully. She mentioned that she has seen these little guys on the block for some time and they make their appearance on occasion.

I must admit that opossums are quite cute, but I probably would not have tried to walk passed him either.  Thanks for sharing this, Nick.



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More Proof That Opossums Have Settled Quite Nicely In Carroll Gardens

photo credit: Susanne

Over the past few years, there have been quite a number of opossum sightings in Carroll Gardens and it is clear that the little critters seem to be quite comfortable in the neighborhood. So comfortable, as a matter of fact, that one tried to get a table at Wilma Jean last Sunday morning. The police arrived in time to stop it from entering.

The photos above were sent to me by reader Susanne, who reports that her husband saw the scene in front of the eatery. "There were 4 policemen trying to capture the little guy, but my husband didn't wait to see how it ended because the animal was pretty frightened. Everyone in the crowd seemed to have seen an opossum around the area."

The top photo was taken in Susanne's back yard on Sackett Street a few days ago. "It comes by our window about once a day. With the size of an adult cat. I could not believe that he/she? could do that tightrope act. That's where we usually only see birds. Or squirrels."

Though I have yet to see an opossum in my backyard, I did encounter a mother with her babies on Clinton Street a while back. The little ones were quite adorable.

Susanne sent along a link to a Gothamist article, which explains that opossums were brought into Brooklyn on purpose in the past few years to help combat rats.

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Rare Opossum Sighting In Gowanus Back Yard

Just when I thought I saw it all, these photos land in my mail box.
They were sent to me by Rose, a resident of Carroll Street, near the Gowanus Canal. Rose writes that on Saturday, during the rainstorm, this opossum appeared in her backyard. She just had enough time to grab her camera and take these pictures.
Rose has seen this critter only once before, but her son spotted him a few times around the neighborhood.
I know that there is quite a population of raccoons living in the area, but I had never heard of opossums making their home by the Gowanus. Isn't this amazing? Have other area residents had the pleasure of meeting this little fellow?



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Yet Another Sighting Of Carroll Gardens "Rodenti Stringytailum"

photo credit: Kari

What are the odds of running into two opossums here in Carroll Gardens in one night? Obviously pretty good, because that is exactly what happened to Reader Sara B, who also sent in this critter snapshot. She thinks they were definitely different possums.
Damn! What's going on?

Susan writes:

No joke, we just saw another one. It was definitely different from the first; this one had a darker body with a lighter head, whereas the other was almost completely light. I was with the same friends -- ie: my neighbors. We were on 1st place between Clinton and Henry this time.
The critter was just hanging out on someone's porch. Are we chronicling an opossum infestation; a rodent family expansion; a beautiful gift from the genus rodenti stringytailum? Either way, one thing is for sure: CG is host to more than one O.Poss.Um.

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Opossum Rearing Young'Uns In Carroll Gardens

There have been numerous sightings of opossums in Carroll Gardens in the last few years, but today, I caught sight of a mother and one of her little ones.  She was standing on the gated steps of an apartment building on Clinton Street near Union Street.  Another passer-by said he had seen a few babies, but I only saw one hanging onto her fur.
I know opossums  aren't the most cuddly features, but how cute is this?




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Hey There, Gowanus Possum!

(photo credit: Martin Bisi)

Though the Gowanus Canal area is known more for its pollution than for its natural wildlife habitat, there occasionally are reminders that wild creatures can thrive in the most unlikely places.
Take opposums for example.  Over the past few years, there have been quite a few sitings reported in Gowanus as well as in Carroll Gardens.
Just last night at about 10 PM , friend and music producer Martin Bisi  came across the little fellow above at the corner of President Street and 3rd Avenue.  Obviously, Martin and the other passers-by were more thrilled about the encounter than this little marsupial.
At least, he did not 'play dead' as opossums are known to do.

From Wikipedia:
"When threatened or harmed, they will "play possum", mimicking the appearance and smell of a sick or dead animal. This physiological response is involuntary (like fainting), rather than a conscious act. In the case of baby opossums, however, the brain does not always react this way at the appropriate moment, and therefore they often fail to "play dead" when threatened. When an opossum is "playing possum", the animal's lips are drawn back, the teeth are bared, saliva foams around the mouth, the eyes close or half-close, and a foul-smelling fluid is secreted from the anal glands. The stiff, curled form can be prodded, turned over, and even carried away without reaction. The animal will typically regain consciousness after a period of between 40 minutes and 4 hours, a process that begins with slight twitching of the ears."

Gowanus is also home to a growing population of raccoons, which, unlike opossums, seem to be less shy when encountering humans.


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