CHEE CHEE
Chee Chee came into our lives on a hot summer day as she foraged for food on our gravel driveway and ended up in Ron's hand. The baby red squirrel had lost her way and her mom. Fortunately, we keep a can of puppy milk formula for just such occasions. Using an eye dropper, Ron gently fed her till sated, she fell asleep in the palm of his hand. Covering her with the palm of his other hand to keep her warm, the two of them would sleep contentedly. We housed her in a sizeable transport cage for the first couple of weeks and then we moved everything into our large flight cage. As she matured and became 'squirrely', Ron would hold her while I fed her until she was able to feed herself with sunflower seeds. To take her out of the cage, Ron would simply put his hand in and Chee Chee would race madly up his arm making several quick, haphazard runs around his head, shoulders, arms. chattering gleefully. When we were all tired out, we'd return her to her cage. She shared our lives for approximately two and a half months until she was ready to be released. Our squirrel population had been decimated that summer, probably by a fox or a weasel. We took her to a place where she would meet other red squirrels and also have plenty of seeds for the winter. She leapt joyfully into the trees and we never saw her again. We left a huge supply of sunflower seeds under the tree and spent a tearful journey home. She was a lively, happy presence in our lives and we miss her still. PRICELESS!!!
PUMPKIN
For four years we observed this beautiful, long-haired orange cat moving around our property. My first sighting of him was around 5 am one summer morning. I was awakened by the huffing and stamping of one of our does who was grazing with her fawns. Pumpkin was nonchalantly walking by and mamma deer was protecting her babies. We developed an incredible respect for him as he survived four harsh winters living outdoors. Folks who tire of the responsibility of a pet, often drive to the country and drop them off in the middle of nowhere. Pumpkin was obviously one of these. For 4 years we thought he was feral. Whenever we appeared he would quickly disappear, darting into the closest bush. He was and still is an exceptional hunter and he would catch his dinners close to the house but he was terrified of us.
We noticed that he was looking rather rough during that fourth winter so I started putting food out for him, calling to him as I carried it out. It was always eaten but we never saw him. After several months I'd hear him responding to my dinner call from quite a distance....but we never saw him. A few months later he poked his head out between our parked cars until he saw me looking at him and he was gone but at some point he ate the food. Eventually he allowed us to watch him eat from a safe distance as long as we didn't move at all.
Then one fall day he had settled on our bottom deck and watched Ron working on the gazebo all day. When I returned later with groceries, he ran up to me meowing loudly as I got out of the car. I realized that he must be exceptionally hungry and quickly brought his bowl of food out. He was eating out of it before I set the bowl down. I was certain that the movement of removing my hand from the bowl would provoke a scratching and biting attack. When he kept on eating without a reaction, I began petting him. The biggest purr I've ever heard from a cat came out of him. He left his eating and was all over me to be petted, rubbing his body against me, a beautiful animal who was starved for affection. With tears in his eyes, Ron joined us and was treated to the same love.
Needless to say, Pumpkin moved in with our three other cats and eventually won them over as well. Since then he has slept with us every night putting us to sleep with his resonant purr. He is truly an amazing animal, Ron's constant companion outside, in good weather, of course. He is intelligent, affectionate and surprisingly, non-aggressive. How could someone part with such a beautiful animal, dooming their pet to what is usually a short, terrifying life in an unfamiliar environment? With all the predators, most cats who are 'dropped off' do not survive more than a day or two. We are so grateful to have Pumpkin in our lives but he did not deserve the life he was forced to live for four years.
This experience with Pumpkin has been PRICELESS!!!
BABY BEAR
One hot summer evening after working on grant proposals and insurance evaluations for several hours, we decided to take a drive to clear our heads. We had driven just a short distance when we discovered a young cub walking dazedly down the highway. We quickly developed a strategy to assist the little guy who was in obvious distress. I drove the car slowly along the shoulder as Ron walked along side the cub, speaking gently to her and occasionally stroking her head. The strategy was to give Ron a safe, quick retreat in the event that momma bear was close by. We did this for an hour or so. Passersby stopped to take pictures but eventually three young people who genuinely wanted to help, assisted us. Ron picked up and wrapped a blanket around a howling baby. Momma didn't appear, but just in case the young people stayed with Ron and baby while I drove the short distance home to get a baby bottle and some puppy formula. Baby was still howling when I got back but as soon as I placed the bottle in her mouth she looked up at Ron, tucked her head under his chin and proceeded to suck away.
We managed to get her home and made her comfortable in the flight cage in the garage. She was obviously starved and dangerously dehydrated. The veternarians we called would not see her but recommended that we take her to a woman in Nakina who was a registered wildlife rehabilitator. Baby needed to be rehydrated intravenously as soon as possible. Nakina, a five hour drive would have to wait until tomorrow.
That night Ron drove the van up beside Baby Bear's cage and slept there monitoring and reassuring her when she woke. Ron wore the same clothes all night that he'd been wearing when he first picked Baby up so she would recognize her urine smell on him....as everyone else did. Those same clothes travelled all the way to Nakina and back.
We stopped a couple of times to feed Baby but she was taking very little milk or water now. Once in Nakina she settled into a large cage with her blanket and seemed quite comfortable until we were leaving. She began bawling frantically. It was hard to leave her but there was nothing more we could do for her. Unfortunately, Baby Bear only lived for an hour after we left her.
When we first moved here, our intention was to establish a wildlife rehabilitation centre on our property. We had visited Audrey Tournay and her centre outside of Parry Sound and spent an afternoon with Ron Laurence and his wife at their home near Algonquin Park. We picked their brains regarding structures, habitats and observed and questioned these dedicated animal rehabilitators. We have the perfect setting for this work. However, the area where we planned to set up our centre was illegally stripped of 20 acres of trees within a month of our purchasing the property. Fifteen years later, there is substantial new tree growth in this area. We pass this possibility on to the new owners of the property.
We never sought accreditation but assisted whenever it was necessary for the survival of an animal. In fact our relationship with the animals who have visited filled our lives with delight, vitality and gratitude. They have taught us so much. PRICELESS!!!
BIRDS
We have several bird feeders on our deck where we watch the various species come and go with the seasons. In winter we have pine grosbeaks, blue jays, woodpeckers (downy and hairy), chickadees, crows, ravens, redpolls, grey jays (whiskey jacks). In spring and summer we have evening and rose breasted grosbeaks, red winged blackbirds and their cowbird chicks, indigo buntings, least flycatchers, pine siskins, gold and purple finches, yellow-rumped warblers, flickers, Lincoln and house sparrows and robins. The hummingbirds arrive on or around May 8th and their feeder is always ready for them.
We've had unusual birds arrive occasionally. One morning in 2001 we discovered a blue heron walking cautiously on a large blue tarp that we'd laid down to discourage weeds in what was to be our garden. It spent 2 or 3 hours investigating the yard around the house, picking up bugs, before flying off to more appropriate feeding grounds. A sandhill crane spent a full day feeding on bugs and worms on October 5, 2007. On November 6 & 7, 2008, a Cattle Egret was a long way from home foraging for dew worms.
Year after year we have had the privilege of observing males doing their vigorous mating dances to woo a partner, of parents feeding and teaching their young to fly, and insistent regulars tapping on the window when the feeders are empty.
Visitors to our home often get no further than our dining table as they heave that huge sigh of relief, seat themselves comfortably and observe the comings and goings of the various birds, squirrels and chipmunks on our deck. Our daughter-in-law calls it 'dinner theatre'. PRICELESS!!!
This Home Can be viewed by calling to arrange a private showing. Check the online listing at www.thunderbayhouses.com. http://www.thunderbayhouses.com/houses/1150highway590/index.asp