September 11, 2018 – White Squirrel with hickory nuts in Bent Tree
This is Just Nuts
Category Archives: wildlife
Three Ducks and a Turtle
August 17, 2018 – Three ducks and a turtle together in Bent Tree (click photo to zoom)
Green Heron vs Grasshopper
The heron won.
August 11, 2018 – Green heron with a grasshopper in Bent Tree (click photo to zoom)
Bear News
UPDATES:
- “To the best of our knowledge, the bear family remains alive and well and has not been trapped. Since they have not returned to the Swim Club area, DNR is picking up their two traps from the property today.” - Jill Philmon, General Manager Big Canoe, from July 18 email blast to BC
- “Please Note: As you may know, the bears in Bent Tree are busy migrating around the property. Bent Tree Public Safety asks that you do not leave trash, pet food, bird seed or any other edible material outside, in your vehicle, garage, porch or other accessible areas. This would include the common trash pick up areas such as the mail center, golf course and pavilion. Lastly, remember to keep all exterior doors locked.” – Tom Fowler, General Manager Bent Tree, from July 20 email blast to BT
The subject of trapping/euthanizing “nuisance” black bears has been in the news this week. Click here for a post from five years ago that addresses this same subject. From that post you can link to even earlier posts on the subject. It is a sad situation that won’t get better unless people quit feeding the wildlife (whether intentionally or unintentionally). The photo below is from 2011 and shows a bear trap in Bent Tree, set by the DNR to capture a nuisance bear.
Please do not feed the wildlife…
July 29, 2011 – Bear trap in Bent Tree
They made it across the lake.
While crossing the dam yesterday evening, I glanced over at the geese paddling in the area and noticed something else in the middle of the lake. Thinking it might be some ducks, I grabbed my camera and zoomed in. It was a doe and fawn swimming across the lake. About 10 or 15 minutes earlier, while heading to the spillway, I had seen the doe and fawn running into the woods at the edge of the spillway, white tails raised high. I guess they were spooked by something, spooked enough to run on into the lake and swim across. From the time I saw them in the middle of the lake, it took them about 10 minutes to get to the other side, so I’m guessing it took them about 20 minutes total to swim from the spillway to the other side. They crossed a couple of pretty strong currents that I thought were going to sweep the little fawn away or under, but I shouldn’t have worried. Both the doe and fawn made it safe and sound to the other side. A couple of the pictures below are without the zoom and give an idea of the location of the deer in the lake (deer are highlighted in yellow in those pictures). By the way, the geese seemed to be following the action themselves. Click the thumbnails below to scroll through larger images:
Well, hello…
June 10, 2018 – Fawn in Bent Tree (click photo for larger image)
Things are Squirrely Around Here
Squirrel in Bent Tree, bouncing off the window
The main presentation at today’s Lake and Wildlife Partners meeting (9:30 at Club Tamarack Rec Room) will be about “Bent Tree Squirrels”. There will also be a short presentation on “the Administrative Building Project”. Lake and Wildlife Partner meetings are open to Bent Tree property owners and residents. Coffee and doughnuts are available at 9:00, before the meeting.
The photos below are some of the squirrel pictures that have been posted on this website over the years. The photo above is of a squirrel that was literally bouncing off our windows a few years ago, shortly after it ate a bunch of mistletoe berries from a Christmas decoration. Watching squirrels in Bent Tree made me think it might be fun to be a squirrelologist. Then I wondered if that was even a thing. It is…click here for an article on “a leading squirreologist”.
Click the thumbnails below to scroll through larger images:
Soggy Deer
February 25, 2018 – after a rain in Bent Tree (click photo to zoom)
Lake & Wildlife Partners Meeting Today @ 9:30 a.m. (get there around 9:00 if you want coffee and doughnuts)
February 22, 2018 – Lake and wildlife in Bent Tree
The meeting will be held downstairs at Club Tamarack, in the Rec Room, and is open to the Bent Tree community. The L&W Executive Committee members will present the 2018 plans that they are recommending to the partners. Quoting from the email that went out to the partners, “We hope this will be an interactive meeting and help in getting us focused on what Lake & Wildlife is all about.”
A sensible step was taken last year, when a wildlife subcommittee was added to the L&W organizational structure. Click here to link to a related previous post.
What’s a mother to do?
These twins can forage for themselves at this point in life, but they kept trying to nurse a few days ago. The doe rejected their attempts until both fawns came running up at the same time, and she couldn’t escape. It may have been frustrating for the doe, but it was pretty comical to see. The doe kept backing up while they nursed and she was finally able to break free. All three deer went back to eating acorns after that. The three photos below tell the story.
November 4, 2017 – twins rushed the doe at the same time
These kids are kind of big for this…
The doe breaks free