Thanks to our wonderful friends at Whole Foods Melrose, Thanksgiving around here was pretty great for any of the gang that happened to be hanging around! It doesn't get any better than this!
Tuk gave me a little scare. I was so used to seeing him every night, then suddenly I didn't see him at all! As it went on a week I became worried. Now I knew I would eventually start to see him less and less....just not so suddenly! I decided to take a walk out back one night and was thrilled to find the little fatty holed up in one of the den boxes left out there. Whew!
He's still happy to see mom, but he's officially a big boy now, acting like one of the wild gang. The whole gang has been pretty scarce lately, ever since the cold and snowy weather moved in, and he's been no different. He doesn't always stay in the den box either, but I pop down there to check, and run into him once a week or so and have a visit.
Things did not go so well for the last two young ones we had come in. I ended up having to euthanize the little boy I found out back while looking for Tuk that day. The rear legs were totally paralyzed and there was no chance of improvement.
Another youngster that Laurie had gotten in did not fare so well either. After a month of observation, she vaccinated her and moved her over here. We got her settled in and snuggled in a nice den box with a soft fur coat.Shortly after she began showing obvious signs of rabies. We ended up having to euthanize her and had her tested. She was, in fact, positive. Laurie has been keeping in contact with one of the vets at the rabies control program who is looking into the possibility of the rabies vaccine bringing it out if she was harboring it.
Very sad endings for two adorable youngsters.
There's been a lot of other activity out in the woods. The beavers are definitely back! Along with the familiar tail slaps I have been hearing again, they have been assisting me with clearing the paths and around the feeders. (Forgive the quality of the rest of the pictures...it was the best I could do in the pitch black with only my cell phone!)
Upon checking the empty feeders, I discovered this guy trapped in one of them. Seeing as it was pitch black out, I have him set up safe and sound inside for the night and I'll release him in the morning when he can see and it is safe.
While collecting the blue jay, a very eager flying squirrel did just about everything but run me over in an attempt to get to the feeder! It was adorable to watch because it really wanted to get to the feeder, but it didn't know what to think of me, so it kept running away then running back over to check things out, squeaking at me the whole time! I tried to get a picture, but zippy was pretty quick! Managed to get the tail end though, as it zipped up the tree one last time.
Ran into one last visitor before coming back in. Kind of hard to tell, but that's one of the possies hanging out up a tree, waiting for me to leave so it can come down and forage in peace.....or maybe hiding out after hearing the screech owls talking back and forth. (although, this guy was little, it was still to big for a screech I think.)
Otherwise, all is quiet on the home front for the time being....
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