Skunks in the garden beds

These aren't the greatest images, but they were taken through both a glass and screen sliding doors.

It was evening and I happened to look out at the patio when I heard some movement in the garden beds. First a skunk emerged from the upper garden bed Cuphea Minnie Mouse shrubs, and climbed down to the lower garden bed.

We have some native plants growing there, Sticky Monkey, Heuchera Maxima "Alum Root", as well as an abutilon and Chiapas Salvia.

The skunk was rooting around in the soil for a long time, probably finding grubs and worms just under the top layer of soil.

And then another skunk climbed down from the upper garden bed.

At first I thought they were a couple, but then it seemed to be a standoff over territory between two males.

At the end of the standoff and some nipping at each other, the first one walked away, while the second skunk lingered back in the upper bed for a while before it too, wandered off.

I'm always happy to see wildlife visiting our garden.

It's a sign of a healthy garden.