[NatureNS] Valley Gray Squirrels update + coot in Kentville

To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>,
From: "James W. Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:06:52 -0400
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NOV. 17, 2011 - My regular eyes exam with Dr. Katherine (Kathy) McKee  
was revealing regarding natural history in the Kentville area where  
she lives.  From her home near the funeral home just east of downtown  
Kentville, she frequently walks the nice Miner's Marsh trails (behind  
the King's Co. Municipal building).   She said the coot is still  
there as of a couple of days ago.

She said she has had several recent sightings of a "big Ontario  
squirrel" (i.e., GRAY SQUIRREL in gray pelage) at or near the marsh,  
and that another GRAY SQUIRREL hangs out at or near the Valley  
Regional Hospital.  I had heard about the latter from Richard Stern  
and others.

Lately I have had almost no reports of Gray Squirrels in The Valley,  
except for Ed Sulis in Kentville where there continue to be two at  
his feeders.  I haven't spoken with Jon Percy in Granville Ferry for  
a few months, but he used to have more than one at his feeders.  No  
recent reports from Wolfville or Canning.

I should also mention Clairmont Provincial Park near Kingston, where  
Bernard Forsythe very recently saw at least one gray squirrel.  And  
there is a history of others seeing up to several gray squirrels at  
once in that park, and in both gray and black pelages.

NOV. 18, 2011 - Today our very strange warm Autumn seems to have come  
to a very abrupt end, and Winter has begun! (with overnight snow (a  
bit) on the ground and cars and bushes and a high temperature of  
about 3 C.

Also today, at the annual Acadia Univ. Xmas Craft Fair at the Acadia  
Arena (get your new Blomidon Naturalists Society Calendar(s) on Nov.  
18, 19, or 20), Ed Sulis of Kentville brought me up to date on his  
yard GRAY SQUIRRELS.  Currently he has two gray-coloured ones  
regularly, and separately recently also a black individual.   
Incidentally, since Ed keeps and transports the BNS displays, at the  
Craft Fair we can see quite a few of his very nice photos of field  
trips, coastal scenery, flowers, water in its various forms, etc.  I  
told him that at least one of his photos on display would make a  
fabulous choice for next year's calendar!

Cheers from Jim in Wolfville

Jim (James W.) Wolford
91 Wickwire Ave.
Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada
B4P 1W3

phone 902-542-9204
e-mail <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>

"The Earth has spawned such a diversity of remarkable creatures that  
I wonder why we do not all live in a state of perpetual awe and  
astonishment." -- Howard Ensign Evans, in "Life on a Little-Known  
Planet", 1968.

"In wildness is the preservation of the world" -- Henry David Thoreau


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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font =
face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>NOV. =
17, 2011</b> - My regular eyes exam with Dr. Katherine (Kathy) McKee was =
revealing regarding natural history in the<b> Kentville</b> area where =
she lives.&nbsp; =46rom her home near the funeral home just east of =
downtown Kentville, she frequently walks the nice<b> Miner's Marsh =
trails</b> (behind the King's Co. Municipal building). &nbsp; She said =
the<b> coot</b> is still there as of a couple of days =
ago.&nbsp;</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: =
12.0px Helvetica">She said she has had several recent sightings of a =
"big Ontario squirrel" (i.e., <b>GRAY SQUIRREL</b> in gray pelage) at or =
near the marsh, and that another <b>GRAY SQUIRREL</b> hangs out at or =
near the Valley Regional Hospital.&nbsp; I had heard about the latter =
from Richard Stern and others.</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: =
normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; =
"><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">Lately I have had almost no =
reports of <b>Gray Squirrels</b> in The Valley, except for Ed Sulis in =
Kentville where there continue to be two at his feeders.&nbsp; I haven't =
spoken with Jon Percy in Granville Ferry for a few months, but he used =
to have more than one at his feeders.&nbsp; No recent reports from =
Wolfville or Canning.</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal =
normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: =
12.0px Helvetica">I should also mention <b>Clairmont Provincial Park</b> =
near Kingston, where Bernard Forsythe very recently saw at least one =
<b>gray squirrel</b>.&nbsp; And there is a history of others seeing up =
to several gray squirrels at once in that park, and in both gray and =
black pelages.</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal =
12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: =
12.0px Helvetica"><b>NOV. 18, 2011</b> - Today our very strange warm =
Autumn seems to have come to a very abrupt end, and <b>Winter has begun! =
</b>(with overnight snow (a bit) on the ground and cars and bushes and a =
high temperature of about 3 C.</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: =
normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; =
"><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">Also today, at the annual =
Acadia Univ. <b>Xmas Craft Fair</b> at the Acadia Arena (get your <b>new =
Blomidon Naturalists Society Calendar(s)</b> on Nov. 18, 19, or 20), Ed =
Sulis of <b>Kentville</b> brought me up to date on his yard <b>GRAY =
SQUIRRELS</b>.&nbsp; Currently he has two gray-coloured ones regularly, =
and s