Tuesday, November 21, 2023

A Chance

 





Today I found a severed stem
of milkweed, with each pod ajar –
so, like a wand, I waved it high
to help the tufted seeds fly far.

And many sailed into the sky,
but others tangled in small trees,
and so I went to pluck them there
and fling them out onto the breeze.

Were I a seed snagged on a bough,
I'd want someone to set me free,
and have a chance to reach the earth
to thrive where I am meant to be.

November 2020

(from the book Longing For The Light by Doris Potter)
© Doris Potter



 

Thursday, November 16, 2023

New Update on Venus

Today, November 16th, I contacted the shelter that took in the little fox, Venus, for another update.  Here is what I received:

Hi Doris!!!

Venus is doing fine, her skin and fur are a lot better, she can now stand on her back legs and she is starting to walk ... one of her back legs is worse than the other, so it is going to take time but I am pretty sure that she is going to recover at least 75%.  Here is a picture of her beautiful face!

Marie-Claude 



November 16th

Compare this to how she looked over the last few months!


July 11th

 (this may be a sibling but they were all in the same terrible condition)


September 30th

 (just arriving at the shelter)


October 16th


Further update of December 18, 2023:

Hello Doris!!

Venus is doing so great!!!!  She is not anymore in the care place; she is now in the "refuge" where she is walking and she started to run!!!!  Her fur is beautiful!!! She does not want me to touch her anymore which means she is going to be able to get back to the wild in the Spring!!!

Marie-Claude



Monday, November 6, 2023

Transformation

A garden, abandoned and wild –

liberated from man's designs –

basks in each summer day.


Then soon arrives November's chill –

and bitter winds and evening frost

mean winter's on the way.


The goldenrod – its treasure spent

in wild and wanton revelries –

retires in shades of buff.











The aster drops its purple fringe –

its yellow center detonates

into a soft, beige puff.













The milkweed's blushing, perfumed blooms

give way to tasseled seeds that sail

above a pale tableau.















Autumnal hues once warm and strong,

fade slowly from the cooling scene,

soon to be blanched by snow.


November 2020

(from the book Longing For The Light by Doris Potter)

© Doris Potter

Thursday, October 26, 2023

Update On Venus

I contacted the shelter that took in Venus and got this reply on October 16th:

Hi Doris!!

Her skin is a LOT better!!! At the end of the week she is not going to be contagious anymore [referring to the mange] and we are going to start her physiotherapy for her to get back her muscles in the back legs ... she is a lot too skinny, so for sure is going to be with us for the winter ...  That's the news for now, thank you for helping her.

Marie-Claude Poirier

I then asked for a photo and received this:




The most positive thing to me is that her eyes are wide open!  With the elimination of all her parasites, I'm sure she is feeling much better and hopefully her appetite will improve soon.

Then there was a big surprise in store for me when I returned to the area to try to get a glimpse of Jupiter!  A third fox kit has appeared!!  I call him "Saturn".


That's Jupiter in front (with a redder coat) and Saturn behind (with a straw-colored coat).

Back in July, I was talking to a woman who lives in the area and she said there were three baby foxes.  I only ever saw two together.  We both presumed that the third one had died.  I'm really glad to see that they all lived.  I will be monitoring both these kits and hope they stay in the area in case they need emergency care.




Thursday, October 12, 2023

Jupiter

 



I was glad to get a sighting of Jupiter today!  He is, of course, in bad shape from his mange but is still able to get around and his coat is getting thicker.

I am still hopeful that we can capture him (like we did with his sister Venus) so that he can be treated and brought to good health.

This video shows that he can walk and even trot although a close look (especially in other videos) shows that he is favoring his left hind leg.




Saturday, October 7, 2023

Venus and Jupiter – two little foxes

This is a story of extreme resilience and courage on the part of two small fox kits.  In particular, it is about a female kit whom I have named Venus.

Back in April of 2023 I got a quick sighting of an adult fox on land behind a local cemetery.


This was followed by a sighting of a different adult fox in the same area in May.



 
Shortly after those sightings, I heard from a number of people that fox kits were seen in the area as well.  I suspected the adults pictured above were their mother and father.  But it was only until mid-July that I finally saw two fox kits.  I was shocked by the sight of them!  They both had a severe case of mange (mites which burrow into their skin) causing their fur to fall out and their skin to become infected and covered with crusty scabs.  They were barely able to open their eyes!  I videoed them and photographed them and made an online report that night to an animal rescue group called Sauvetage Animal Rescue (SAR).


I called the group the next day.  As eager as they were to help, they had to seek special authorization from the Quebec Ministry of the Environment to use a live trap on foxes and so I waited.  When several days went by, I called again.  They were still waiting but said they would contact the government again.  More time passed and I was told finally that permission had been denied.  All we could do was wait for them to become so weak that they could be caught in a net!


I knew that those kits could have been trapped quite easily.  I don't know what happened to their parents as they usually remain as a family unit for 7 months.  These two were about 4 1/2 months old.  My frustration (with the government, not the rescue group) grew as I saw these baby foxes suffering immensely from the mange.  After every few steps they would stop and scratch, shake their heads, or rub against each other.  They were in total, unrelenting misery.

A 90 second video can be viewed below. (It may be best to play it on mute due to a loud whine of construction work nearby).



On August 11th, I saw Venus and she was looking better.  Her fur was growing in and I felt that maybe she could overcome the mange.


But then on September 21st, I was devastated to see her dragging herself across a field.  Her hindlegs were useless and I didn't know what to make of this.  Had she been hit by a car or maybe a train?



One week later I saw her again and watched as she dragged herself across two fields and then along railroad tracks over large chunks of gravel and rocks that must have cut into her legs.  A very long freight train came rumbling down the tracks and, once it had passed, I looked in fear of seeing her crushed body but there she was still hobbling over the rocks.  (She is to the left of the tracks near the center of the photo below).


I took a video and made a new report to SAR.  With the fox in such a weakened state, maybe we could get her.  An attempt was made on September 22nd when a team of three rescuers arrived only to miss her by 15 minutes! (She had been sleeping).

Then, on September 30th, I spotted her in the distance in a grassy area near some greenhouses.  We looked at each other and, to my astonishment, she started an arduous trip through the grasses and fallen leaves until she was right up beside me!

Check out this 30 second video:



After that, she dragged herself into a shady place to rest and I called the group again.  They could come within 40 minutes with nets to try to catch her!  Great!

I was hoping she would stay put but this little fox was always determined to keep moving even though it must have been exhausting and painful for her to do so.  She dragged herself to an area behind the greenhouses where there were some large metal storage containers and wooden pallets.  At one point she got spooked and wedged herself between a container wall and a large wooden pallet leaning against it.  I was able to block off both the entrance and the only exit (or so I thought) with weighted down plastic bins.  When the team arrived, they soon discovered that there was an opening under the container (just fox-sized!) and the little one had crawled through it. She then managed to crawl from one container to another and only through a team effort and quick action was she finally confined to a place where she had only one exit available.

Then came even more hard work (by the rescue team) to hold a flashlight and gently prod her with a long pole until she emerged.  I was standing at one end of her exit route with a net and as her head emerged, I watched her size up the situation.  She first looked at one of the team members on her left, then she turned her head to the right and looked straight into my eyes, hesitated, and finally made her move toward me.  In a quick motion, the second team member was able to immobilize her and she was transferred to a carrier without incident.  The whole process took over an hour and I am so impressed by the dedication, quick-thinking, and physical effort these young women exhibited!  I am very grateful to Sauvetage Animal Rescue and their volunteers.


Soon thereafter, Venus was being driven to a wildlife rehabilitation shelter in an undisclosed location.  Immediately upon her arrival, primary care was provided which included rehydration, medication against mange, bathing and feeding.

Later on, I received an update that the shelter staff (these people are saints!) had spent over 3 hours cleaning her fur and skin that was infested with mites and larvae.  Two days later she was examined by a vet and found to be in pretty good shape despite being extremely thin.  The vet also determined that her legs were not paralyzed but were very weak due to loss of muscle mass.  The latest update said that she will be "on her feet" within 2 to 3 months.



Now I am trying to monitor the second kit (whom I've named Jupiter).  I saw him yesterday (just a glimpse) and I have recruited a couple of "look-outs" in the area who will let me know when they see him.  His mange looks just as severe as was Venus' but, so far, he is strong enough to be able to run (although I have noticed a slight weakness in one hindleg).  I hope I will be able to give positive news on Jupiter's situation in a future post.

Jupiter





















Sunday, July 23, 2023

Playful young Cooper's Hawks

 


As in previous years, a pair of Cooper's Hawks raised a family in a nearby cemetery.  The nest was not well situated to get shots of the nestlings but as soon as the four young hawks were flying about, they have been giving me many photographic opportunities – especially when on the ground and being playful.

I have been entertained by their antics: running around a small tree and "ambushing" each other; throwing leaves up in the air to pounce on; sneaking up and pulling each others' tails; etc.  I was lucky enough to get a two minute video of the four of them playing around a small tree.  

You can watch it here:  young hawks playing

Enjoy!