I finally have Virginia Opossum photos that I feel are good enough to share! These “possum” images were taken yesterday at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge.
My friend and wildlife photographer, Steve Creek, spotted the possum and got us into position to take photos of it.
Virginia Opossum at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma – Canon R7, handheld, f11, 1/1250, ISO 1000, -0.3 EV, Canon 100-400mm at 263mm, natural light
I’ve taken a few opossum photos in Arkansas, but none I was happy with until yesterday. I have been trying—hard, in fact—to take images like these.
Fall Virginia Opossum at Sequoyah NWR – Canon R7, handheld, f11, 1/1250, ISO 1000, -0.3 EV, Canon 100-400mm at 234mm, natural light
Every time I see a possum, I am reminded of an encounter I had with one during a snowstorm in my garden in Virginia. It was late at night, and I was already dressed in a warm flannel nightgown, ready to go to sleep. My English Springer Spaniel, Beau, let me know he needed to go out one more time.
I put a heavy coat over my nightgown, pulled on some snow boots, and turned on the outside floodlight before letting him out the back porch door. Beau went on alert as soon as he spotted a possum on the east side of the porch. I quickly grabbed his collar and dragged him back inside.
Then I stood there, snow swirling around me, with nearly 12 inches already on the ground, wondering what to do. The possum? It was playing dead.
I trudged through the deep snow, found the snow shovel in my shed, walked back to where the possum was still playing dead, scooped it up into the shovel, and carried it to the chain-link fence. I lowered the possum onto a mound of snow outside the fence.
Beau could finally come back out to answer his call of nature while I stood there laughing about how crazy everything that had happened—and how I must have looked. I still laugh about that cold winter night.
My neighbors already thought I was a little odd, and they would have thought I was even stranger if they could have seen what went on with the possum. Not that I would have cared one tiny bit.
Virginia Opossum walking near a road – Canon R7, handheld, f11, 1/1250, ISO 1000, -0.3 EV, Canon 100-400mm at 263mm, natural light
Anyhow, taking these Virginia Opossum photos yesterday was great fun, and the possum brought back a terrific and funny memory. Now, I finally have a gallery for these amazing marsupials.
Isn’t life simply grand?
Mia
Check here to see more of my mammal photos.
Great story. Opossums are fascinating critters and these shots are marvelous. Thanks Mia.
Life is good indeed!
Your opossums are a bit cuter than ours in California, but I love our nightly visitors just the same! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful story and these fabulous shots.
Great photos, I have never seen a live one. We took a mammals triage class at one of the wildlife conventions where opossums were common. I worked on a huge opossum along with a de-gloved bunny and a cat attack squirrel, all dead from injuries, frozen and defrosted for the class. I was shocked at how big the opossums were. I learned a lot about opossums, they have a forked penis, making it look like they have two. the prehensile tail was very interesting, the scales on the tail were like velcro, I am sure it helps with holding onto branches. Obviously the neighbors think I am weird! We are in the best club, I’d say.
Your opossums are sooo different to our possums. And I love that story.
Thanks so much for these. I’ve never seen a good shot of an opossum before. I had no idea how cute they are. Glad your efforts were so well rewarded!
So, so cool.
Lovely image of the sweet face. Don’t often see opossums so it’s a treat when you do!