Our for a stroll

This morning held another first in store for me at the marsh.  I never know from one day to the next what I will encounter there.  My son and I were nearing the end of the trail, although we were off to the side trying to get shots of some damselflies, when a women who was walking her dog came along and said, "There's a skunk!"  Sure enough, several feet further along the trail, we could see what looked like a couple of skunks.  We started snapping pictures and moved a little closer, then were able to see that there were three skunks - an adult and two kits - and they were moving our way!  They didn't stop until they were directly across from us - we on one side of the trail, they on the other.  That's when I took the first shot, with 'mom' in the centre.  We watched to see what they would do, as the dog was getting a little excited - they did turn their backs to us and raise their tails (bottom shot), but that was the extent of it.  Thank goodness!  They finally turned and disappeared into the tall grass.  

Apparently skunks, although their smell and hearing is very good, can only see clearly for about three metres, which may explain why they moved toward us rather than away from us.