Tag: wildlife

Creature Thoughts May/June 2022: “AL-VIN!”

Chipmunks, it appears, have amazing spatial perception. One little fellow was helping himself to my birdseed (most likely a descendant of the critter in the photo), and completely ignoring the dog…until the dog spotted him.

The games began. Kira ran to the full length of the leash, which brought her to about eight feet from the trees. That striped varmint eyed the exact distance, knew right away that the dog’s reach was limited, and ran.

Right toward Kira.

Creature Thoughts, March-April 2022: Dear Dear Deer

I don’t mean to feed the deer. I know it’s not legal to do so. In fact, it’s illegal in my state (and many others) to feed any wildlife other than the birds. However, the deer (and the squirrels and the chipmunks and the occasional raccoon, saints preserve us) have minds of their own.

I had no sooner put the seed out for the birdies this morning, when I turned to see three large does helping themselves to my feeders.

Creature Thoughts: May 2020, Wildlife Season

This year’s wildlife season brings many challenges to wildlife rescue centers and rehabilitators. The COVID-19 situation, with social distancing and limited gatherings, has meant that many wildlife centers have lost a key source of their donation income. At New York Wildlife Rescue, the organization I work with, the educational programs have had to be put on hold, and that means that a large percentage of their donations have dried up. There are many other wild animal rescue organizations, and individual rehabbers, in the same situation.

Creature Thoughts Oct. 2019: Our Birds are in Trouble

Everyone knows I love birds. I’ve been a bird-watcher since early childhood. Some of my favorite early memories involve lying in my Aunt Sis’s hammock as she taught me all about the birds that visited her feeders. I am now so fortunate to live in a place where I am surrounded by miles of natural habitat. From my vantage point, with all of the wonderful species I see every day, I would never have guessed that nearly 3 billion birds have disappeared from North America since the 1970s.

Creature Thoughts, July 2016

This month, I’d like to share an excerpt from Through Their Eyes: The Nature of the Beast

I first encountered the word anthropocentrism when I was beginning to seriously study animal communication.