You'll Love This

Heartwarming video

I wish I could embed this for you but it's from the National Geographic site. It's the story of some folks who are animal keepers of some kind in some far off land, because they have an elephant and an orangutan around... a hungry dog wanders in and becomes best friends with the orang, who shares her food with the dog and hugs him and holds onto him. This is one to share with kids or to watch if you need a heartwarming lift. I'd put this in the category of MUST SEE so please click!

http://5thworld.com/Paradigm/Postings/!Wisdom/OrangutanAndHound.html

PS: I want these people's lives!

Thanksgiving, Like Winter, Awaits

Have to share a beautiful post with you from the blog of a very talented man who lives in a little house on the river somewhere in Ohio. He goes by a grand monkier: the Grizzled-But-Still-Incorrigible-Scribe-Himself!

Every time I go to his blog, I get a sense of tranquility and peace. Somehow I can be restored and become centered in just that few minutes of reading, as if I've taken a walk in the forest or by the water's edge, in the snow or summer sun or brilliant falling leaves. How does he do that?

I highly recommend you scroll through and read his utterly lovely blog, and bookmark it to return all you want. He writes consistently, pieces of quality, thoughtful and thought provoking at times, entertaining and wry at others.

http://riverdaze.blogspot.com

Here is today's post, entitled: A Thankful Heart. I, for one, am printing it out to read over this Thanskgiving's meal. Emerson, Thoreau and Jefferson (Thomas, that is) -- you have company.

On the porch beneath a clabbered sky

I watch the day turn gold and slip away,

while gray squirrels rustle through leaves

browning beneath the big hackberry, and

chilled air carries a hint of woodsmoke.

Somewhere well upstream, geese are

honking on the wing, sharp yelps

marking their homeward passage

through twilight's steady gathering.

Another unveiled autumn plays out

as we rest in mild circadian confusion,

aware—though circumspect

in our affected silence—that November

will run its course and winter waits ahead.

Doesn't winter always wait ahead?

Isn't the still season of ice and cold and

keening wind always where years take us?

Is that why we make the time during

autumn's summation to gather 'round

a familiar table, bow our heads, and

declare our thanks before having our feast?

Do we celebrate in gratitude or prudence,

mindful that our lot is good, yet uneasy

we might have claimed too much credit

for the cornucopia we're about to enjoy?

The river is the color of old pewter in

the waning light, divided into many

small channels—a shredded ribbon,

whispering as it finds it way between stones.

Such beauty. And there, in the quiet eventide,

with a full moon rising to light the night,

I recount my blessings before the holy stars—

and pray I might always keep a thankful heart.

The Big King

As I have mentioned before, Jonathan, the majestic and regal African Lion at the Zoo is my self-proclaimed boyfriend.... that is, when I am not crushing on Kiva, the 18-ft tall Masai giraffe. But this is all about Jonathan.

Jonathan.....

Look at that face.

*sigh*

I wasn't kidding about him.

You can see it can't you?

They All Sleep This Way: Jonathan the Lion

We all know cats sleep a lot, and are nocturnal. Big cats are no different. Some of our lions sleep up to 20 hours a day. So I have seen our magestic, gorgeous male lion Jonathan dozing or outright snoring a LOT. However, he sleeps in a really comedic way.

At least in this picture he had the manners to have his head facing the window!

Are You Nuts?

Saw this and had to post it. Not sure if I like it or not, but let's face it, it's a squirrel thing, and they are rare. Someone out there likes squirrels enough to pay $89 for this lovely mango wood and pewter nut bowl.

But if it's for you, or someone on your list this holiday, you can find it at ORVIS.

Meow!

Worth Going Out For... a baby elephant

The weather has been gorgeous this week, and it's even been chilly in the mornings. After a hideous, humid, mostly triple-digit summer (about half the year here), it's a welcome relief. I have spent very little time out doors due to how incredibly uncomfortable it has been and because my allergies have made life a struggle, and what I'm allergic to seems to be the outdoors. That's right, the entire outdoors (and most living things, lol)

This has been a dilemma to say the least for someone who gets so much joy and calm from being in nature. I haven't ridden a bike, been in the pool, taken a walk, or visited the park for most of the year -- things I had been doing almost every day.

So when it began to feel like East Coast Fall outside, I took my sneezing, coughing, short-of-breath self for all of the above and more. This morning's activity was particularly wonderful thing to do in the cool air and sunshine... see Tupelo, our absolutely adorable new Asian elephant baby, take her first steps out into a protected area of the yard with her mom to meet the herd. She was only 3 days old.

Particularly cute was to see her older half brother, Baylor, just born 5 months ago touch her trunk with his. Until now, he was the littlest one. Born at 390 lbs, Baylor was still 90 pounds bigger than little Tupelo.

Check out the Houston Zoo's blog post to see a movie of her nursing for the first time!

And on the day I am speaking of, our talented videographers got a shot of her getting so sleepy after nursing she has to take a little nap. Warning: exceedingly cute baby feet...

Looking for a Wonderful Way to Pass the Time?

Someone sent me this link to a blog about a squirrel that made a nest right on their windowsill. The pictures are amazing and so are the stories. For all my time in raising baby squirrels I've wondered how the mom does it... how often and how long they nurse, and when -- and how-- she starts teaching them how to be squirrels, so I could follow suit.

Here's a picture from the blog, which also has videos, of the mama sleeping with her three kits on her belly.

I have to share this with you, it's just too great to not be seen: http://www.thesquirrelinourwindow.com/

My favorite book is named something very similar... I wondered if the blog was done by the same author but it's not. The book is called Squirels at My Window, by Grace Spruch. Short of having my own squirrel babies to look after, nothing brings a sense of peace and burst-my -heart- joy like reading the chapters of this book. A pure delight to read, and I highly recommend it.

photo credit to Kenneth Feldman and Michelle Dortignac from The Squirrel in My Window blog.

Cold, Hard Reality

So, I was driving home from work past the same little stretch of park I've mentioned before and at the very end, on a little strip of green sandwiched between a parking lot and the fast moving, 4 lane road I was on, I saw something black. And big -- about the size of a high top sneaker. Sometimes I spot moss in a bundle and think it's a squirrel until I get closer but there is nothing jet black like this in the park. I knew in a second something was off, and as I got closer it was confirmed: what I'd spotted was a large, back rabbit with very long ears, munching on greens sprouting out of a faded flower patch.

I was planning on hitting the treadmill at home, but instead I parked. I figured if I walked up to it slowly and it didn't spook, it had been owned by humans. He moved as I approached but didn't go more than one hop, or lose interest in the tender greens.

It was obvious someone had dropped their former pet off. I thought through the scenario of putting him in my carrier and getting him to the Wildlife Rehab Center, a few times. They were closed. Would I have to do this in the morning, then be late to work? I guess I could go on my lunch time. But, I'm terribly allergic to bunnies, and I'd be paying for a week to do this... BUT I remembered I knew a spot in the outdoor mews at the Center where I could place the carrier and he'd be safe for the night, so I could drop him off. I'd have to put lettuce and water in with him, so I'd have to go home and get that first. BUT that was OK. So I went back to the car, opened the carrier, got my large net, and went back.

Where the bunny had let me get very close before, now he was uncomfortable. He eyed me, stopped eating. I was not moving any faster or erratically, and had the net flush to my body so it was not poised above him; maybe I was emitting a different scent...

I waited for him to relax and start nibbling again, but when I got close enough he'd hop. Because of the lay of the land, I was in a pickle. If I positioned myself in front of the dense bushes that lined the parking lot (a perfect rabbit hideaway), his only choice was to head into traffic. If I kept him from traffic, he'd of course end up in the bushes, where I couldn't reach him. Torn between the two, I stood between him and the traffic and long story short, I eventually lost him to the leafy cover.

I could have sat down and waited much longer so he could get used to me again before I'd tried to reach out for him. I could have waited for him to come out of the bushes. But I figured the temps have dropped so he'd be comfortable by day and through the night. He had food nearby, and though there was no water, he'd be OK until I came back the next day to try it again.

I admit, some of why I didn't succeed in catching him is because I was grappling with doubt that crept into my head when I told about the duck or they see the carrier, net, gloves and all kind of food and water in my car. If I were on Animal Cops, no one would blink an eye. But without a badge you get a few, boarder-line- crazy animal-lady looks. As a result, I wasn't as patient as I could have been with the net, and I didn't wait at the bushes to see if he would come out. I tried to think about it like other people might -- he'll be fine.

24 hours later, I was driving back and didn't see him. I parked and went to the flower patch by the bushes. A quick visual scan made it obvious he wasn't there... but as I looked up into the road, I saw something flat and dark. I probably said aloud what I was thinking, as my steps quickened. It was too flat and seemed too big to be him. I was sure it was someone's hoodie crumpled and flattened by tires.

But I was wrong. He wasn't fine. I'll spare you the close up.

I try to keep it happy here but nature has many sides, and all aren't always happy or fair. I've had to take those things in, process and accept them in my own way, if I wanted to work and play in it. I even try to respect it. But this is one example of man's failure, though, not nature's.

Lessons learned:
1. I will never feel doubt again when I see an out-of-place animal and try to do something about it. I am a sub-licensed wildlife rescuer and rehabilitator.

2. People who can't take care of pets (not to mention those who only want bunnies or ducklings --whose feathers they dye in pastel colors --for a few weeks after Easter), should NOT take animals on. When they don't want it anymore, they should not drop animals off in the park and hope for the best. They aren't necessarily able to adapt to the wild. If folks are going to do it anyway, then at least drop them deep within, away from traffic.

Maybe they tried to find someone to take it, maybe they thought it'd get euthanized if they gave it to a shelter, maybe in these hard times they had to decide between pet care and food on their own table. Maybe.

Perfect

Any glimpse into the
life of an animal
quickens our own
and makes it so much
the larger and better
in every way.

--John Muir

Baby Aminals!

Yesterday at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums convention, which the Houston Zoo is hosting, I sat and chatted for a bit with marketing master and science whiz Andrew Bleiman and portrait painter (fall-off-your-chair talented) and photographer Chris Eastland, the creators behind Zooborns.com.

If you've never gone to this website, YOU NEED TO, immediately (well, as soon as you finish reading this of course). There you'll find a daily dose of pictures, videos and news of baby animals born in zoos all over the world. It's a great way to show the good work is being done in zoos and conservation, but it's also just good squee.

Not long ago, they featured the pictures of the Houston Zoo's 6 tiny meerkat kits.The only pics I've seen that were cuter were of the baby hippo (click link to see) and the baby otters (below), both found in these fabulous books.

Simon and Schuster made the smart decision to publish their material; as a result Zooborns have have two new books coming out. Zoo Borns!, a book for kids age 2 and up, on sale starting October 19th, and ZooBorns, a picture book with animal facts, available November 2. But, you can order them now, right here on Zooborns.com through Amazon.

10% of the sale profits go to the AZA's Conservation Endowment fund, which makes a good thing better. And they were so kind as to give me a signed copy of each to auction off at the Wildlife Rehab and Education Center's Open House in Houston, on October 15. Good Karma and great success is clearly in line for these two guys.

Look for the books --At $12.99 each (even less at Amazon.com), they are perfectly priced for all those kiddie birthday parties your child is invited to, for your Godkids, nieces and nephews, for holiday gifts, baby showers or sweet 16-- and it's not just for kids. As we well know, just about everyone swoons over baby animals. It will cheer a friend in the hospital or anyone you know who's blue; it could be a hostess gift or be an original way to say thank you, or just make any average day that much brighter...

I'll be stocking up on a few to keep in my gift arsenal.

You can also follow Zooborns on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo credits: Zooborns.com

Guess the Flea Circus was the First....

I have never seen something like this. It's amazing how the longer I study animals, the more I find examples of how those "things" have more consciousness going on than they are normally given credit for. We love our dogs, we love our cats. But chickens are just chickens, right? Lambs, cows, horses. I know, horse lovers know that horses are amazing, but non-horse people like myself, someone who has spent some time around them but just see them as big, unpredictable, potentially scary large muscled beings. Who knew this is how a horse would react to a big green ball:




Seems every few years we suddenly realize that dolphins are terribly intelligent and complex, then whales, then... what's next? Makes you wonder what other animal you've been underestimating!

DOLPHINS!!!

Thank you to commenter (and pal of course) Meb for another of these great animal vids. This one has dolphins, which I think I've never posted on the blog before -- mostly because I usually only post things I have shot myself and I live in scalding hot, non-oceanside Houston.

Dolphins are the BEST! Check out what their Sea World keepers saw them doing one day...

http://wimp.com/dolphinbubbles/

Joy

Well, I can't seem to embed this video but it's a must see. A black lab playing with a young deer. Watched it twice myself. Here's the link at least:

http://www.wimp.com/oneball/

It reminds me of another video I put up on a prior post of an elk playing in the middle of the forest in a little pond probably made by a recent rain. This one splashed and danced around, took a break and did it again. It is just the most magical moment that someone (I assume with a camera mounted on a tree) happened to catch. Please check it out if you have a moment.

Love and protect ALL animals, please.

Owlet hatched!

Last night the first egg hatched, and the chick was making itself known with the sweetest little peeps, though buried under Molly's abundant feathers. It's name is Ashley, I believe after a niece or granddaughter in the Royal family... The second egg should hatch anytime tomorrow, Monday....

Guess it will be hard for many to get any work done tomorrow! :-)

Molly the Owl -- Surprise News!!!

For anyone who had been watching the Owl Cams from my links this spring, just as the babies flew the nest, MOLLY had a surprise second clutch of eggs -- 6 in all. She and McGee are such good parents, I guess it's not that much of a surprise, but there was a nice piece about the owls and Carlos and Donna Royal -- the couple who happened to set up the owl house with cameras in it in their back yard -- were on the TODAY show this morning.

They started out with 5 viewers, all family members, and as we who have checked it out (and could not stop watching) know, they have had over 15 million views from people like us all around the world. It's so compelling -- there is always something happening, especially at night, when Molly starts to vocalize. We know McGee is on his way. He flies in and they interact in very dramatic ways, as he brings her dinner. She dozes but never really sleeps as she carefully tends to the eggs, rotating each of the six again and again, tucking them under her with her beak and so on. They the eggs hatch, one by one -- which is as riveting and stomach churning as any final game of your favorite sports team or season cliffhanger of your favorite TV show. The chicks get named and we watch them grow --and grow and grow -- as McGee starts to fly in with meals more and more. Mom teaches the babies how to eat. Then they get bigger and bigger but they're all crowded into the little box. And finally, one day, each baby steps outside and flaps it's wings. One of those times it takes flight and lands on a nearby stand that may have been set up for that very thing. Then they become able to land on the owl house roof, which looks pretty cool. Eventually the nest is empty... but not anymore!!

Back to addiction watching, owlaholics! Here's the direct link again:

http://www.ustream.tv/theowlbox

For more personal stories of my own little visits with owls, you can click OWLS from the categories on the right.

PS: I haven't fact checked these but considering the source, I'm sure someone has. Here's a bunch of general info about owls from the Early Show website:

OWLS
Owls are nocturnal hunting birds. They are carnivores and closely related to hawks. Owls sleep during the day and emerge at night to hunt small prey. It is believed that there are a little over 200 species of owls in the world, inhabiting a huge variety of ecological niches, from rainforests to tundra. Owls have a large head and large eyes that face forwards (unlike other birds, whose eyes are on the sides of their head). This eye placement gives them binocular vision and very precise depth perception. Also, there are circles of radiating feathers surrounding each eye, giving them a wide-eyed, alert look. Owls cannot move their eyes within their sockets like we can. In order to look around, they have to move their entire head, which has a range of movement of about 280 degrees. They use their keen sense of sight to find prey in the dark (owls see mostly in black and white). They have an acute sense of hearing which also helps in finding meals. Owls are stealth hunters, they can easily sneak up on their prey since their fluffy feathers give them almost silent flight.

Barn Owls
The Barn Owl is one of the most widely distributed birds in the world, found on all continents except Antarctica. It is a medium-sized owl. White or mostly white underside. Heart-shaped, white face. Back tawny, marked with black and white spots. Long legs. The Barn Owl is one of the few bird species with the female showier than the male. The female is more heavily spotted. The spots may signal to a potential mate the quality of the female. The Barn Owl has excellent low-light vision, and can easily find prey at night by sight. Its ability to locate prey by sound alone is the best of any animal that has ever been tested. The Barn Owl is the best pest control, eating approximately 1,000 mice a year. These owls are often associated with ghost stories because they fly silently, their white coloring makes them appear to be floating in the night, and their call sounds like chains rattling. The Barn Owl dwells beyond the forest and lives in manmade structures such as barns.

Screech Owls
These small owls are widespread and common. The Screech Owl is found in nearly every habitat throughout the eastern United States and southern Canada. It is common in urban as well as rural areas and readily nests in nest boxes. It is one of the smallest species. It has feathered ear tufts and is highly camouflaged. Gray, brownish gray, or reddish-brown. Screech Owl pairs usually are monogamous and remain together for life. Found in most habitats with trees, including urban and suburban areas. They are great insect control, and also eat crayfish, earthworms, songbirds, rodents. A screech owl was featured in the Harry Potter movies as one of the Weasley's pets.

Barred Owls
A large owl of extensive woodlands, the Barred Owl is familiar for its distinctive "who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you-all" hooting. Head round with no ear tufts. Great Horned Owl is the most serious predatory threat to the Barred Owl. Although they often live in the same areas, the Barred Owl will avoid parts of its territory occupied by a Great Horned Owl. They eat small mammals, rabbits, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates. They live in forested areas, from swamps and riparian areas to uplands. Barred Owls typically hunt at night or at dusk by sitting on a high perch and looking and listening for prey, which they catch with a short flight or drop to the ground. Barred Owls can be aggressive, flying at and fighting rivals at the edges of their territory.

Great Horned Owls
Found from the Arctic tundra to the tropical rainforest, from the desert to suburban backyards, the Great Horned Owl is one of the most widespread and common owls in North America. It is a large owl with prominent ear tufts widely spaced on head. These feathered ear tufts are not ears, but are part of the owl's camouflage. Although they are one of the largest species, they are not heavy because they have hollow bones. The Great Horned Owl is one of the only animals that regularly eats skunks, because they don't have a sense of smell and their eyes have built in goggles that protect them if they get sprayed. They will take large prey, even other raptorial birds, even regularly killing and eating other owls. Broad diet of animals, from small mammals to rabbits, geese, and herons, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates, but mostly mammals. Uses a variety of nest sites, including trees, cliffs, buildings, and the ground. Does not make its own nest. Typically takes over nests in trees made by other bird species. They have a traditional hoot.

Thanks to earthsky.org and Shireen Gonzaga for the photo of Molly and babes.

What Ever Happened to that Duck?

Never got the chance to continue the white duck story. So, as I posted below, I fell when I went against my own rules and jogged around trying to catch this bird. I dusted myself off and tried to enlist a few people to assist me in diverting the duck so I could pick him up but NO ONE responded as they passed. I mean, I was in a Zoo polo shirt, had nice hair, earrings. I looked perhaps like an upright person clearly with a job that involves animals... You'd think they'd at least say something back. Nope.

So I decided to walk him back to the Lake.

I left the carrier where it was, and picked up the blanket I'd brought, stretching it across the front of my body from arm to arm, forming a kind of cloth wall. And I started walking behind him. He marched forward, occasionally looking back at me. If he veered to the left, so did I. Ditto if he veered right, and it got him walking straight again.

We marched past the train tracks, and a sidewalk, the outdoor grills and a swing set, past gravel where people were playing ball and continued over the grass. The duck eventually started quacking at me, the frequency and volume escalating in direct relation to his increasing annoyance with me, I'm sure.

Apparently he can't fly, or I'd assume he'd have taken off at some point. Which most likely means he was owned by someone who dropped him off when they got tired of caring for him.

He finally got tired and resigned -- just stopped in his tracks. I slowly approached, and gently picked him up, just like I was taught as a docent at the Zoo. He sat calmly in the blanket as I walked him steadily the rest of the way, though his bill was open a little the rest of the way. Didn't know if he was hot or pissed. Just a few more steps and I could place him into the water. There was another duck already paddling around close to shore and I hoped that was a good thing. Maybe this duck had been bullied and was seeking refuge so far away. Or maybe it just needed to see another duck in the lake to realize he was one himself, and should take like the proverbial duck to water.

Once floating, I watched him for a few minutes. He seemed unsure he wanted to be there but that faded with in 60 seconds. His bill closed, he took a few dunks in the water, and then began to nibble at the greens growing below the water's surface, as naturally as if he'd been there all his life (and hadn't been annoyed by a 5'7" wingless, webless biped)

I headed all the way back in the scorching sun, numb from my chin to my hairline, collected my carrier and bread, then trudged even further to where I'd parked the car. My jeans were ripped, and prime spots were covered in dirt from my fall. So far, the novicane was holding (this paragraph only makes sense if you read the previous post). I got home and fell into bed.

Two days later, my tooth is 100% better. I'm driving to work and see a bright white football shaped thing in a similar place in the grass.

(yes Ellen, you're psychic)

THE DUCK WAS BACK!!!

The Duck is White and I'm Black and Blue

This is a continuation of the story I started about the Pekin duck I found dangerously close to a busy main road at the Park. If you haven't seen it, it would help to click the link to read it first.

The next day, I find myself dying at work. Had a massive toothache out of the blue, radiating into my eye and jaw. Left work for an X-ray and they said I had to see a specialist right then who'd fit me in. I drove back to work first to get some papers to bring with me, and I see a white fluffy butt on that lawn, STILL.

I could not stop now, but I thought about it all the way through the two + hour root canal I had done that afternoon. She shot me up with something just as I was leaving and told me that would help me when the novicaine wore off, but after that I ought to be where I needed to be for the rest of the night because I'd be in pain. Knowing I had an hour or so before I might be unable to function, I had to go save that duck. He was so far from any parking lot, it was going to be a hike, in boiling temps to boot. With a fresh root canal.

I parked in the lot near the fountains, and studied what I had in the trunk. I decided on a carrier, cracked corn, bread, and a blanket. My large net might have been good, but I'd left it at home. I bucked up and began the walk, thinking of my strategy the entire time. I decided to put the carrier down, and gently approach the duck, drop bread pieces and earn it's trust, then pick it up, put it in the carrier and take it to the lake.

Long story short, it didn't work. He was rather skittish and while interested in the bread, there was no way to get close. It's pretty clear that I was in a hurry under the circumstances, and he sensed that. Not my usual whisperer style... so I did what I never do -- I chased him. This is never a good thing. The animal always wins. I was wearing keen sandals, and if you know them you also know they have knobby rubber toe guards. Well I caught that on the edge of the kiddie railroad track and landed hard on my knees, then fell to the side on my right hip.

Here were the knees two days later. The one on my hip looked like I got it skiing (and falling) 0n the icy slopes of New England.And three days later, the bruises that had astonished me to begin with were MUCH worse -- 5 x larger -- on both knees.
What? Do I have a vitamin deficiency???? And yet, when I think it was all to save a duck, it makes me smile.

Oh yes, I did end up delivering him safely to the lake. To be continued....

Danger! Danger!

Tuesday I was driving home from work, which is a whopping 6 minute commute. I drive past about a mile or so of grass on the back end of The Park, continue on a few lights and boom: my apartment.

So I'd just turned onto Main street and within several feet saw a large Pekin duck (the Alfac kind) about to step into traffic. There is no curb, only two lanes in each direction, with a MetroRail speeding down the middle. I quickly checked my mirror and saw I had a few seconds before the fast-moving cars behind me would be on my fender, so I hit my blinkers, hopped out of my jeep, and shooed the single webbed foot that was poised above the hot cement, ready to step itself into feather heaven, back onto the grass (or in this case, a puddle left by an afternoon downpour).


... to be followed by the next step, and the next, as I continued behind him making encouraging motions and sounds until he was safely over the sidewalk, and the kiddie railroad tracks beyond.

As I did this, I glanced over my shoulder at the car several times, realizing it was highly likely someone could not be paying attention and ram right into it as I was busy walking the duck back to safety. But I have my priorities! (If I'd gotten a flat, that's what I'd have had to do, so people could think I had car trouble for a few seconds, and go around me. I've since bought florescent orange, mini construction cones for extra assurance that I would act responsibly toward humans as well, should I need an emergency stop again).

I'd never seen waterfowl on this side (not to mention this far from the H20) in the 4 plus years I've been here. To get to this road, he had wandered past picnic benches, rest rooms, BBQ grills, playgrounds (with their attendant kids, parents and pets), the children's trains' tracks and it's pick up station and two sidewalks spread across acres and acres of grass and gravel.

While I was marching the duck inland, I calculated just how far away the lake was, and realized that I could not exactly leave my car where it was for long enough to get him there. By this time he'd begun to quack loudly, clearly annoyed by me. I got him to another deep double puddle made by the earlier rain. Once his feet were in water and he had something to drink, I decided that would have to do. And he seemed happy enough to stay here. I raced back to the car and drove off, hoping that he would remain safe...

There's much more to this story so keep an eye out for the next installment!

There's Something About Mary

Get ready for a dose of sweetness. I just melt into a puddle when I see these movies. Baby squirrel season is long over... it won't come again until Fall, but now I get to sort through various pictures and little video clips I've taken along the way. Too busy while they're in my charge to do it. It's just the most enormous privilege and I still can't quite believe that I get to care for these darling little beings. I dare you to look at these and call them Tree Rats!

I had a trio I've written about. Like any rehabber, I don't name them, because they're wild animals, not pets, and I'm just a temporary caregiver, there to serve their health and growth for a short time until they can be released back into nature. But for the purposes of telling a story on the blog, I usually attach names to animals and in this case, I called this one Mary -- as she was part of a trio with two brothers (Peter and Paul, natch). It's easier to read about PP&M than # 18 19, & 20 isn't it?

I've had infant squirrels, eyes as yet unopened, who lift up their little noses when I've raised the lid of their tank to peer in. Even if they are in a dead sleep, it seems the squirrel's highly developed sense of smell (which later serves them in locating nuts they've buried, even if the ground is covered with snow) lets them know "mom" is there. And since they don't interact with me for the most part except at feeding and cleaning time, mom really means MILK.

But there was something about Mary... she did something to-die-for cute, which was to start smacking her little mouth in anticipation when I'd lift her up. I got the camera one morning and managed to catch it. Here, I'd just put her brother who I'd just finished feeding into a fleece lined bowl with the other brother who I'd fed first. Mary was in a deep little sleep (they look like such angels) and like any sleepy baby, was not sure she wanted to get up for breakfast. I stroked her nose to try to give her a little warning. But once I lift her up she realizes what's happening and does her uh-dorable little smacking thing.

AND NOW YOU CAN SEE THESE MOVIES FULL SCREEN FINALLY!!!! Just click the little arrows in the lower left corner of the screen below.



Aaaaaahhhh so cute! Those little paws pushing out, like Heeeey wait, where are we going? Then a little clip of her sweetly drinking:



A few cc's later and she is conked out, trusting, innocent, peacefully sleeping in my hand. And you have NO idea how utterly soft and feather light these little ones are. And that thin little tail, curling up on reflex. I could watch these 1000 times, while my heart swells and a plethora of little cartoon hearts float around my head.



WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE?

An Enchanting Story

Hey everyone --
Hey Everybody!

One of our fellow bloggers, Bindu, whose blog is fantastic (called Transient Lives), wrote a blog post when I first dicsovered her, that I never have forgotten. I asked her to write it up for me and send the pictures she'd taken so I could re-post it on the Houston Zoo's blog as a guest blogger. Having just read it again, I am still feeling the journey of the story. It's so well written, I just thought you might want to read it. Trust me, it's worth the click!

See the Post HERE.

And if you care to, please leave a comment and support a fellow blogger! We all live for comments!

Today's Giggle

Otter Love! So Cute I'm Melting!

I don't often put on stuff that's not my own but this is just major smile material. Cheer you up no matter what you're day's been like stuff.

Trust me, this is one of the cutest videos ever. Watch it to the very end though... there's bonus cute stuff when they float away and then come back together.

Beware!

Another Good Day

I stopped by The Center Wednesday in the middle of the day... now that I am working full time, and was packing/moving/unpacking in every spare second for the last 8 weeks, AND have had the absolute worst seasonal allergies ever for months, I have not been able to physically volunteer there. I have been doing other things for them and I do miss being hands on.

But I found a juvenile blue jay floundering in the middle of the road with two cars speeding toward it from opposite directions. I thought someone had hit it or it'd fallen out of a nest or had crashed trying to learn to fly. I leapt out of my car, stopped the traffic, grabbed some cloth from the backseat, slowly approached the bird, and it allowed me to pick it up ever so gently.

The mother was doing all kinds of kaw-ing and fluttering from branch to branch overhead. I did follow her onto someone's lawn and held the baby up to the mother, who definitely turned her head so that one eye could fix on the fledgling. I was hoping the bird would just fly up to mom, after being stunned in the street. It's mouth was wide open, and while there was no blood, it's right foot was crunched up beneath her and her right wing was askew. There was no flying to mom, and mom eventually flew further away, though still sounding distressed. I was thinking, broken wing, and was hoping it didn't mean internal injuries instead. So I put it in my carrier and called work.


My fabulous boss suggested I indeed go ahead and take it to the Center, which fortunately was only about 12 minutes drive (with me speeding a little, of course). I noticed that the bird seemed quite calm, and had shut it's mouth, and was not seeming stressed. That was good. When I dropped the bird off, no sooner was it put on triage row that it suddenly came to life. Both feet and wings seemed to work okay! And it was tapping it's beak against the glass, like let me out. I asked, "Do I take it back then, and set it free?" The answer was no. There could be injuries, it could have been a stroke... better to be there where it could be observed and treated if so, and well fed and protected from predators, leading to being set free in a few weeks anyway. Win/win.

So I went to leave, and one of the volunteers happened to walk by holding this:

A most beautiful bobcat. Look at that foot! I'd never seen a bob cat before, and here this little one was, as sweet and docile as any house kitten. I asked if she snapped or bit or clawed and the answer was no... but we all know someday soon, that will be her nature. In the mean time I did have to reach out to touch it's furry head and take hold of one paw, just because...

I'd read on their website about this one who was brought in by a hiker who said it had followed her around the woods for over an hour, no mom in sight. I thought, darn, I will not be able to see something so extraordinary, because I'm not able to be there as much right now. And lo and behold, I got this little blessing.

Add that to the fact that the blue jay did not meet her end on the hot concrete and has another chance to grow up and live and fly, and it was a damn good day.

Baaah

It's not quite Teddy, the goat beloved by this blogger and apparently this blog's readers but this little lamb came to The Center for day care. While he was able to curl up and nap in this area, I caught him awake and saying hello.



Short, but sheep.

Just Ducky

.... and Geese-y, to be completely accurate.

I took a walk in The Park for the first time in a long time. I've been so busy with all the other ways I've gotten involved with animals that the place that started me in this direction -- The Park and all the animal regulars in it -- have fallen on the back burner. * hanging head* Isn't that just like life... I never want to take things for granted that are that special. So I got myself there, with bread and cracked corn in my pockets.

I've written often about the ones who I developed relationships with, Mr. and Mrs Goose probably getting top billing (had to say it). So the first two I looked for were them. They are the biggest and the loudest, so they are not hard to find, if they're not resting deep within the thicket on the island in the middle of The Lake. Thankfully I saw them right away, padding around in a rather soggy patch of forest, pecking at greens, which seem to be a daily part of their diet.

However, when I held out a little bread, it got their attention!


I included this second picture because it shows both of their faces in profile. It's worth clicking on the picture to open and see how beautiful they are. And she, who is the smaller of the two and in the lower right of the picture, has features that just look more feminine, even though their markings are almost identical. She looks like she has a more almond shaped eye, or up-swept eyeliner on....


And then there was Elvis.... the Muscoy duck. Once in a while I don't see him but overall he is a fixture, never straying from the edges of the reflection pool


And I also saw the third of my top three favorite buddies, the Indian Running duck. I don't have any name for him but as I've written here, he quacks me up with his adrenalized personality. He runs faster than any of the others over to me, and can't stand still be cause he is so revved up. He quacks at rapid speed and also stamps his little orange feet. So funny.


As a result, most of my pictures of him are blurred like the one below, because he's in such constant motion. And he's in the middle of talking to me. Fast talking, fast walking, very verbal... this duck could easily be a New Yorker (said fondly, as I consider myself to be one -- a New Yorker that is).

He looks like he's saying: WHERE WERE YOU??? DO YOU LIKE SQUIRRELS BETTER THAN US NOW????

The answer is, no.

I'm quite smitten with them all.

A Wee Turtle's Lucky Day -- And Mine

On a recent, wet and overcast spring day I was walking through The Park in what I call "squirrel forest." It's an area that was full of tall trees and populated by tons of Fox squirrels. While there still are a lot of those, the trees took a hit between Hurricane Ike and the massive construction that went on in the area for most of 2009. There are still things that go on in the name of improvement and restoration over there, and the day I was walking it seems they'd put in a bunch of new mulch.

To this day I have no idea how I spotted this but I had just handed out nuts to dozens of squirrels and was ready to get home. I started walking toward the path when somehow my eyes fell on a tiny little shape that looked the color of the bits of tree bark mixed in with the dark, moist topsoil. I stooped to get a closer look and I thought I saw little hands or a foot. By the time my eyes focused those were gone but sure enough, it was the underside of a tiny turtle. Thank goodness I stopped because I don't know what would have happened otherwise. It was a miracle I didn't step on him, but he was also so far away from the water, I have no idea how he got there, let alone how he'd ever get back.

I picked him up in my gloves and saw that he had indeed both sets "hands" and "feet", a tail and head. And he seemed alive though his head was tucked so far back into his shell (as mine would be if an utter GIANT had picked me up) so I couldn't see his eyes. I wish I'd have thought to take a picture of it, but I was more concerned that he was alive and well. I walked as carefully as I could with him in one palm, upright and flat, with the other had cupping over it, to give him a sense of security -- if that can be had while something has taken you waaaay up into the air and now you are inevitably jostling with each resounding step.

I went to a place I knew there were lots of turtles and babies, but there was no shoreline. If he was not well, or unable to swim, I wanted him to be able to get out. I know nothing about turtles, and maybe he'd have been fine, but I wanted to pick a place that would give him the option to stay on land or step into the water when he was ready. I also wasn't sure if other turtles were territorial, or if he'd be bullied or picked on by others if he was not a part of their group. I thought of the shallows where so many seasoned duck mothers lead their little babies, but I know that snapping turtles lurk just below and with one swift motion can grab something little on the surface for s snack. I am not sure a turtle would eat a turtle, but I continued on. Finally I found a moss covered log, the same one where I've seen a turtle sunning himself every now and again. That could act as a "shoreline", where the little guy could stay until he wanted to swim away. I put him down and stood there for about 20 minutes, watching.


Slowly, his head came out, then a foot, then all his limbs and his tail. He hung there for another 10 minutes, and then I noticed he ventured into the water, hanging on to the log with the toe nails of one little foot. I smiled and took a few pictures, and decided all was well enough.

If you'd like an idea of just how small he was, here is a picture that will show you. This log is about as big as my forearm.... And that's my shadow snapping the pic.

It's this kind of stuff that makes me feel I've earned my day on earth. Call me crazy, but it makes me feel good.

Life is Good

When you have a nice fuzzy place to sleep!



CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO SEE JUST HOW COMFY THIS CORNER REALLY IS!

Wise Words

Any glimpse into the
life of an animal
quickens our own
and makes it so much
the larger and better
in every way.

--John Muir

How About a Twin Foal Cam

Here is a link to a mama horse who had a set of twins. One needed to have a kind of cast on first one front leg and then both because of soft knees. This was shortly after it was born, but with the exuberance that all newborn baby animals seem to have, it innocently accepted that this was the way it was and did a great job of hopping around after his or her sibling, nursing and taking naps in the nice hay.

This trio is lovingly cared for by a staff night and day, who you will see interact with them often, doing chores around them or attending to them. Check it out by CLICKING HERE or go to: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sunnyandangeltwinfoals


Thank you to commenter and very good pal Laurie for sending me this link!

More Dogs

Picture of the Day

I was going in to the grocery store the other day and saw this utterly sweet doggie dozing outside. It had the most peaceful, lovely face. I only had my iPhone with me (no zoom) and I didn't want to get too much closer to get the shot for fear of him or her moving, so I snapped what I could. If you click on it, maybe it will enlarge enough to see what I mean. Click on the photo to enlarge it.

Dogs are just such special beings. They wait for you, they are so patient, they love love love you and no matter what, that tail will start wagging.
Anybody know what kind of dog this is?

It's GOAT TIME on the blog!

Hello -- I'm looking right at you with my horizontal pupil. Do you like my hair? Do you like my ears? I hope so because I've been told I'm just really likable in general.

And what do I like? Just about anything I can chew on.... um, because I'm a GOAT, and that's what goats do.

Here I am last summer in my pen when Rochelle took a little movie of me. Her camera looked pretty tasty -- and so did her shirt sleeve, come to think of it -- and I tried to get to it but she was just out of reach. So I stood around a little and then I got disinterested.



If you want to see a pic of me as a baby, CLICK HERE -- Don't pass it up. Go ahead, I was really cute. Not to say that I'm not really REALLY cute now.... But I prefer handsome, or striking since I am indeed all black and white.

It's Baby Bird Time!

Baby birds start out as small as this. The first time I saw one -- with such thin skin you could see all their blood moving through their veins, with eyes undeveloped, and the tiniest little half limbs -- I didn't believe it could possibly eat or live.

But even in such a vulnerable state, that little rim of bright school bus yellow opens wide as soon as food it put near and every morsel delivered is consumed with great vigor. It's flabbergasting, and only reinforces what miracles of nature go on every day, all around us, all the time.

As they grow, the little half-limbs I mention become strong and feathered wings, their eyes mature and finally open, their little legs get strong enough to shoot their growing bodies straight up when I walk by because I MEAN FOOD (and they want it every 15 minutes it seems, except at night, when birds settle in for sleep) and their little yellow beaks open to reveal the brightest pink and red mouths. Here's what I see when I walk by a tank:

Now once the bird gets to a beginning fledgeling, we move them to bigger tanks and put them in a room that's enclosed in netting, as when you open the lid, often a hungry baby now can flit up and out. Here is one who did just that but simply perched close to me on the lid of the tank next to it. Generally speaking, it's often the babies who are most aggressive get the most food in the nest -- though some experienced mothers make sure everyone gets enough. But this little guy kept hopping out to beat out his or her two siblings who stayed in the tank.

Fledgelings add flapping their wings and making much noise, squawking "SEE ME, FEED ME, ME ME ME mom!!!!" Now when I'm out in late springtime I can make out fledgling squawkings. If I take a second or two to look, and indeed I do, I manage to find a nest and a mother nearby.

At some point, that turns into the babies taking their first tentative steps out of the nest, so you may see them actually sitting on a branch next to it, looking all fluffy and even a little like their molting as bigger feathers begin to replace their baby fuzz. Soon they begin flying lessons I think, since I've seen them trying to hop to nearby twigs following the mother who hops ahead of them -- I assume she's showing them how it's done.

I think grackles must be like those kids who never stop going to college, or come home to live after... they look fully grown and still hop after their mothers flapping their perfectly competent wings, insisting loudly that their mother give them half of whatever she's got. The more you observe, them more you realize that animals are really not that much different than us in so many ways!

Good Doggie!

I walked out of the Kroger the other night and as I approached my car, I saw this:

I think dogs can be hilarious in so many ways. But this one was rather unique in that in waiting for his master....

he took a chill pill.

Yeah!
It would have been no surprise to me if Jazz music was playing from the radio and there was a thin line of cigarette smoke rising out of his nostrils.
Dogs are so great.