Community Clean-Up Days...

So, I blog about the mess of a wetlands area not too far from me the other day and lo-and-behold this coming Saturday appears to be "Community Clean-Up Day" about the city.

I know I don't watch television, I don't read much in way of newspapers so a guy like me can be left in the dark about such an event. It's nice to see that such a thing exists, although I do recall it in previous years now that I think back. I guess I need some kinda advance notice?

It makes me wonder why this only happens once a year? Why not twice a year? Why not once for every season? Why not more people just NOT litter?

So, while I am not organized to get a group together and tackle an area; I plan on making an extra effort to pick up some trash here and there about my journeys over the next few days. I've got some latex shop gloves ready because who knows what I am going to find.



In a city this big, it will feel like a losing battle to try and make a dent; but in the end, I will know every little bit counts. Perhaps curious on-lookers will take it all in and continue where I left off?

Others have been doing this long before and for no reason other than to help keep their neighborhood or favorite park clean... they didn't need the city to tell them "This is 'Community Clean Up Day'... please help out". Kudos to them all...

Wincott Wetlands

Over this past Easter weekend, we ended up at a local man-made pond called "Wincott Wetlands" which many creatures have taken up as a seasonal home. Despite the garbage about the grounds these Mallard Ducks, Canada Geese, Red Winged Blackbirds, Mourning Doves and Common Grackles still reside here. It is awesome that the city and community came up with this great idea to have a nature setting developed where one was not before, a big (and once) beautiful pond; but shameful at the same time as it seems nobody comes around too often to give it a good clean up. I know after the snow melts anywhere, garbage is found in abundance... cans, plastic bags blowing around and whatever else. This place though... rusted steel tire rims, a mattress, a shopping cart stand out more than anything.



I am curious if there is a community clean up day? While this settling is not exactly in my community (over by my parents'). I'd probably step in with a group of people and take action for an afternoon... not for the surrounding residences by any means, but for the wildlife of course.



I guess that is life in the city and as with humans, the animals also learn to adapt. It is unfortunate that while they did not make the mess, they are the ones who must live in it. Would the people of the area like to live in such a mess? Probably not, but then again, you never know...

Kudos to Taiwan!

This one is just a shorty. I wanted to acknowledge this... great job to Taiwan in their on-going efforts to help preserve the Purple Milkweed Butterflies during their migration across the country. It seems part of their path is across a highway and in previous years hundreds die at the windshield of speeding cars. They have constructed a large netting system across this migration path. The net does not trap the butterflies but forces them to go up and over it, above the height of the traffic.

To many a butterfly is just another *bug*

Good for them and their efforts!

Who You Gonna Call (or would you?)

A rather thought provoking conversation a friend of mine and I had a number of weeks ago. We all know to call 911 in the case of a human emergency or injury. Who do you call when it's an animal... especially a wild one? Would you call anybody? Would you try to help the animal yourself? Would you just ignore the poor creature and carry on with your own life?



Without getting into the details of my own personal story or the one from my friend... but we've both had our experiences of coming across wounded critters in our days.



Take a look at these creatures pictured here, they are some of the local wildlife in the city of Toronto. Some may call them pests but I think they are certainly a welcomed addition of living things to our city. In a sea of people everywhere, spotting one or more of these species is nice. Sure Raccoons get into the trash, Skunks tear up lawns in search of grubs, Squirrels destroy tulip gardens for the bulbs and, well, I am not sure what an Opossum does but I am sure someone out there has a complaint about them.

But, on a warm summers afternoon in the park, isn't it nice to see the Squirrels among us? An evening in the backyard and you happen to notice a family of Raccoons come trekking through the fence... aren't they interesting to watch? Or, have you ever been somewhere, even another backyard summer's eve party or camp out, and suddenly a Skunk comes through, everybody freaks out and runs to get away from him. Wasn't that a good laugh? Nobody got sprayed and the evening continued. Once again, a 'possum comes along, and well, I don't know... I see them and they just walk about, doing their thing, just trying to make it from one night to the next. I do know some people get quite a fright at the sight of them, thinking they are some humongous rat like creature; but they are a gentle type, not to be handled, but they most likely won't come over and tear up your ankles.



So, one day or night you happen to come across one injured. Would you do something about it? Would you just leave it up to Mother Nature? How about if you find a litter in distress and the mother is nowhere to be seen? She may have been caught by a predator or hit by a car... but, be sure you know the litter has been abandoned.

All I ask, is that if you think you would most likely do something for a creature(s) in distress... please have on hand the number of your local animal rescue, just save it to your cell phone and hope you never have to use it. It's a lot easier than coming across one, wanting to do something about it, but have no idea who to call. Having that number saved could save a life one day.

Why? Why? Why?

Once again, somebody in the city of Toronto has let me down. I do not know this person, I do not know what they look like and honestly I would never like to know this person or someone much like them.

They have done something, which probably in their own eyes thought was a good deed... or they just didn't care. Their actions have impacted a number of lives now... both human and animal.

Please read on...

I know this couple, who have become pretty good friends to Angie and I over the last few years. They are very much animal lovers like ourselves. They do not hide their love for the furry and the feathered. I don't believe anybody should... unfortunately this can be a downfall.

This couple own a store in the area. It is a Wild Bird Store where one can definitely accessorize their backyard to attract wild life.

Someone, three weeks ago, drove up to the front of the store, and silently placed a box at the front window and quickly left unnoticed. What they left did not go unnoticed for very long. A card board box with 5 kittens inside. Actually, I should say FIVE NEWBORN KITTENS! A trip to the vet that afternoon verified that those kittens were barely 24 hours old. They still had the little umbelical cords attached to their stomachs!

I'd say it's cruel because it is March (still cold) but anytime of the year is not the right time to do something like this. Newborns need their mother for food, warmth and general care. The mother was no where to be seen. These babies need feedings every two hours. A lot of constant care that a mother cat can certainly provide but is much more difficult for humans with jobs. Now, multiply feeding one kitten every two hours by five kittens! A lot of time is needed. A lot of formula is needed.

I cannot imagine doing something so heartless as this but as I get older I realize there are so many people like this or worse.

Something similar happened to another friend of mine... a kitten left in a box at her front door in the middle of the night. She leaves for work by 6am and found the box on her way out. She works for the Humane Society so it's easy to figure the culprit is somebody she knows. They probably had hopes she would remove this kitten for them, taking it into THS. My friend has a heart of gold and just couldn't do this... so she has gone from 4 cats to 5.

So, don't be surprised if in another 6 weeks that you see a Blog here about yet another batch of kittens up for adoption.

He's Picked Me...

About mid-summer of 2008, I happened to be out gardening on the weekend (no surprise). I have a big dirt area to play in and I take full advantage of it.

Well, one day this small cat comes running out to me from the back of my shed, rubbing up against my legs, meowing at me and you would think I was his owner... or best friend. I had never seen this cat before. He looked a lot like the couple females a few doors over but much smaller and this one definitely is a male. He hung around me for about 30 minutes and then off he went. Over the next several days this happened, every day and this turned into the remainder of the summer. I wondered about this cat and especially if he had a home. A collar showed up on him after some time so that put my mind at ease although I still have a thing against people leaving pets outside in the city. We are so close to a main street!

He's quite fascinated with my backyard and I am certain the birds have a lot to do with that. He also enjoys a good chase with the squirrels. But, it seems his favorite part of the visit is when I come out. I don't have a name for him and I don't need to call him. I step outside and he comes running to me. He does not do this with other neighbors from what I have seen.

When I'd go to work, I would see him on the sidewalk, on the next street up from mine... stalking a Squirrel or basking in the summer sun on the warm concrete. I tried to guess which house was his. I wondered what his owners would think of his little visits to me everyday.

One here who really is not keen on the visiting is Meadow. Even with seeing this little cat daily, who I would say wasn't more than 4 months old at the time... Meadow hissed, snarled and swatted at him every chance. Even after weeks of this, she did not warm up to the idea of a feline visitor. Twelve squirrels can run past her, around her, and over her all morning long and she's cool with that; but not another cat.

Summer left and autumn arrived. In the coming weeks I saw less and less of my little friend. As it got colder out, he was gone. I guess his owners kept him indoors for the winter?

Today, March 21st 2009, I saw the return of my little friend... only he's not so little anymore. That white tipped tail of his is a sure sign to me of it being him. He was out on the back walkway of the house next door. I stepped out onto the deck, not saying a word... he heard my steps, turned and saw me and came charging up the walk, meowing, climbed up and over the chain link fence and ran right to me. The next half hour I spent out there with him and wherever I went, he was right behind or beside me. A lot of meows, loud purrs, leg rubs, licks and playing with twigs and sticks that I held up for him. We stopped to look at the birds from time to time and I waited to see if he would spring into action but he didn't... just stuck to my side. I do have my doubts he is that well behaved out of my sight.

I also happened to notice his owners have yet to neuter him... *tisk tisk*

So, what is it between me and this cat? Why is he so drawn to me? I should give him a name but right now he is referred to as "Little Friend".

Breakfast with the Downys

It's times like these, that I have to stop and enjoy the moment with nature. Who wouldn't miss seeing these two everyday right outside their kitchen window?