Monday, April 18, 2016

Porcupine hit by car and left


April 14th 2016 on my way home from a great 3 days in Algonquin with a friend. 5 min. from my home this little guy was in the middle of the road. Quills all over the road. I feared for what I was going to find. But we stopped. Put the 4 ways on and off I went. She was breathing. Not to much blood. Her back end bare and her tail quills sheared off. But she was alive. As I waited for my husband to bring the big bin she came around. Held up her head and got up on all four legs. Poor thing. So gentile. It must of hurt. Took 3 of us to get her into the bin. As she was not wanting anything to do with that. But that was a good sign to. We duck taped the lid on. Drilled many holes all around the edges. Put a plank on top and a heavy bag of soil on that so she would not get out. She spent the night in my screened in back porch all secured in. She was quite active for a while and then settled. I checked her through the night. I met my friend from Toronto Wildlife Center next morning early and he took her to work. She was checked out. Some trauma to her stomach along with the other. But she had a good outlook to recover. It was 2 days before we found out in fact it was a female. Because they did not want to handle her right away with her injuries.And I saw a small porcupine next night around same time. But unfortunately I could not find it. So we are now looking for the baby. Mom is going to be okay. I hope we can reunite her  with her baby. 
When you see an animal hit on the road. Please stop, put your 4 ways on and keep other cars from hitting the animal again. Check it to see if it is alive.A bin or box gloves and towels make good rescue tools. And a book with local or Ontario Wildlife Rehabilitation Facilities phone numbers. Dont feed or water injured animals. Talk to the rehab facility first. They will walk you through. There is no better feeling than saving ones life . If you happen on a dead opossum please check her pouch. Babies are often okay and can be saved. If she has babies in her pouch take her to a wildlife rehabilitation facility. In tact. Dont remove babies.Keep her warm til you get there so babies will be okay.It is such a simple thing to do. It is not always a happy ending. But if you think about the pain and suffering and you have stopped that animal from any more suffering. It to is an ending for the better. Keep a shovel and  heavy gloves in your trunk also so you can move dead animals off the road. So they don't get repeatedly run over. I do not understand the total lack of human compassion.




Muskrat caught in chain link fence


This muskrat took a wrong turn and got caught in a chain link fence. Only thing is it kept trying to go through. Its back end was not gonna fit. Older folks I know saw it around midnight when there dog was out for the last time but thought it would get out on its own. It didn't. It got stuck. 16 hours later they asked for my help. Fortunately as I was trying to cover it up to calm it down and cut the fence. It put it in reverse. Well if it didn't get out on its own. Color me happy. It tried again in a different spot but I shewed it out. It then hunkered down in a corner were it was sheltered. It groomed itself. Then fell asleep. I went back just at dark and still sleeping soundly. By 11 pm it had gone after a much needed sleep after its ordeal. Luckily it did not get injured. That is not always the case.Lucky little muskrat.















Bear Encounters

Although I had seen bears before on the run. Usually only the butt running into the forest. 2014 was the year I actually had my first bear encounter. The real deal. Having gone for a walk up a trail in the woods, I was on my way back dressed in complete bug gear as bugs were ferocious.Well the bear thought that to and was walking down the road and heading to the trail. Trying to keep out of the woods and bugs. Well what a surprise I had. I got the one photograph off of him and stood realizing he did not see me. So I stood firm and started waving and clapping my arms. The bear looked up at me and gently turned and walked into the woods. Like oh well I gotta do the bugs after all. I cant say my heart wasn't pumping just a little faster than normal. Because I would be lying. But I stayed calm as that is very important. I stood my ground because you never ever run or turn your back on a bear. And I did everything I knew I was suppose to do. I had just had my very first real bear encounter. And it was amazing,I was proud of myself and couldn't wait to show the others my picture and tell them my story. 
As for all the other bear photos. It was the summer of the bears. A field full of blueberries. A field full of bears and their cubs,all eating blueberries, and people picking them. And then there was the photographers that were majorly misbehaving. Lenses so big they could of gotten the bears from the other side of the field. But no that was not good enough. Surrounding the moms and crowding them out. Forcing them to flee and getting between the moms and their cubs.  Hoping to get that shot. Well at what cost. The mother bear. Because she would be the one at fault after all. I saw them crowd one mother out and she finally panicked and ran, stopped called her cubs from up the tree they were in. They didn't come so she ran back ears flat against her head. She got them and they all ran while the so called photographers all stood there and laughed as they were all so proud of themselves. Hoping for a charge shot or something exciting. Just the fact we were all there together safely was very exciting. Of course they were hoping for more but momma wanted to just get away to safety. She didn't want anything to do with those dumb humans.Thank goodness. That should NEVER of happened and I will not be a part of that type. Always report things you know are wrong. Always respect a wild animal, Always give it space. Keep that safe distance and watch for signs of stress. An animal never should feel stressed,ever. Never feed them,a fed bear is a dead bear. Remember that. Dont run,turn your back,feed,or harass in any way. If you must. Wave your arms ,clap your hands,carry a whistle,air horn or bear spray only to be used as a last result. Yell throw things if it is being persistent. I have never known anyone who has had to go to those last results but be aware.Be safe and be prepared. If you see a bear. Enjoy your safe encounter,they are amazing animals. I will never forget the spring/summer/fall of 2014. I will never forget the bears,wolves,ravens and more that all shared the blueberry field. But most of all I will not forget those horrible people who treated those bears with disrespect. All for a photo. 





These first 3 photos are of the cubs come fall. How they grew. It was amazing to see them . So beautiful.This was a foggy morning. Giving the photos an interesting look.


One of the moms,the tags mean she has been in trouble. With humans,taking food most likely. Campers need to abide by the rules,keeping food in a safe place and not leaving anything out. Dumping dishwater away from the campground. Doing everything you are suppose to and are told to to keep the bears from being attracted to your space.

                                                  Sitting down to have a good scratch.
                                                  One of her two cubs. So darn cute.
Feeding on some tasty berries. These photos are taken with a 150-500 mm lens and most are cropped.
                                      Feeding on blueberries while the cubs play near by.
                                                             Whatcha doin mom!!!

                                        Im a big cub,they were priceless to watch. So amazing.

                        You can see another mother bear in the back ground who also had 2 cubs.
                                                                   Following mom.
I came across this momma sow as I rounded a corner in a bushy area. Her cubs were playing ahead of her thankfully. I stopped and spoke softly to her and stood still facing her but not making perfect eye contact. I waiting and she just walked away gathered her babes and off they went. But first grabbed a couple more of those amazing berries.
This would be my first bear encounter. Big boy long legs just sauntering down the road. And he was big. I will never forget it. But he was no threat and he just continued on into the bush and the bugs poor guy. Never saw him again. But I walked back to the car with one ey always facing my back.
The two book ends. Are they not incredibly cute or what. Remember,Fully respect bears of all shapes n sizes.

And then you have the folks that had little kids picking berries all on their lonesome with the bears not far away. Yet nothing ever went wrong. And none of the berry pickers ever stepped out of line.

Swan rescued December 11th 2015 Tiny Marsh


Many people walked by this poor swan in need but had no idea it was in trouble. It was always in the same spot moving a bit here and there. But never far. Never going with the other swans,never seen flying. Sitting and preening a lot. One wing was not like the other. It suffered for at least 2 weeks maybe longer. It had been shot and its wing had been badly broken. It grew weaker as the days went by. It was in pain,it got infection that was going to kill it if we didn't get it. It was very week. When I saw the photo someone had taken and saw the droopy wing and found out he had not left that area. I knew he needed help. And I set up the rescue. Toronto Wildlife came up and did the rescue. A difficult rescue from canoes n kayaks in December. Paddling all the way to the other side of the marsh were the swan was residing and back. But they got lucky and he was week enough now that the fight to go to far was just not there. Andrew got him. Wrapped him in a sheet to calm and protect him. Tucked him safely between his legs and made the journey back to shore with his patient. Andrews assistant Stacey went back to get the equipment that was dropped off in the marsh. Unfortunately. This is not a happy ending. The medical staff was awaiting this patient when it arrived. But turned out that this swan was shot. Causing it to fall and break the wing. Bad. Infection had already set in. The wing could not be fixed. He had 4 shot gun pellets in his body.He had to be euthanized. A waste of a beautiful life. A protected species. Shot in a wildlife area. Need I say more. If you see anything like this. Dont sit back,report it,help save a life. After all it is an innocent life,a beautiful life,a protected life.







                                                         Andrew about to get the swan
                                                                     Loading in.
 There is even a very large sign to warn hunters of these birds and explain they are a protected species.


 Andrew arriving back with Lonesome,a swan who had been adopted by the Wye Marsh adopt a swan program. Named Lonesome and was 9 years old.No known mate.But were unsure of that.

                                        Carrying this precious life to the awaiting carrier. This picture gets me every time. The compassion stands out far and above the call of duty.
                                    Safe and sound in his carrier for the trip to the big city.
 We didn't know we wouldn't see him again. You always hope for the best. But you always have to be prepared for the worst as well. He no longer had to suffer. The pain must of been horrible for this poor swan.
                                                       A very tired Stacey pulls up.
                                                       Loading up for the trip back.
                                                            In goes Lonesome.

                      Submitted photos of Lonesome's x-rays. You can see the break and the pellets.