It is with much sadness and great appreciation that this month’s column is written in memory of Amy Messier, who passed away unexpectedly on December 4, 2021. Amy had been a volunteer at Duck Pond Wildlife Rehab Center in Vassalboro for almost 20 years. Although unable to work most of this past year due to Read More
Critter Chatter
Critter Chatter is published in the Town Line newspaper and reprinted on the Nature of Maine blog. This column is written by NRCM member Jayne Winters of South China and highlights the wildlife rehabilitation work of Donald Cote of Vassalboro, Maine, at the Duck Pond Wildlife Center.
Critter Chatter – Changing Seasons
As most of our readers are excitedly anticipating the holidays and time off from work and school, daily chores at Duck Pond Wildlife Rehab continue, no matter the weather, dropping temperatures or reduced daylight. Carleen described preparation for winter in portions of earlier columns: From 2008: “The babies that arrived in the spring and summer Read More
Critter Chatter – Odds & Ends
Chatting with Don Cote at the Duck Pond Wildlife Center is always enjoyable. Don has years of interesting experiences and his stories are touched with a sense of humor, as well as extensive personal knowledge and an obvious love for animals. I thought I’d mention a few of them this month. Earlier this year, Don Read More
Critter Chatter – Three Little Kittens, Part II
When I stopped by to talk to Don Cote at the Duck Pond Wildlife Center today about this month’s column, I was surprised to find all but one carrier empty of critters! Usually there are a variety of newly admitted chipmunks, squirrels, skunks, possums, and young porcupines or raccoons in small cages or carriers in Read More
Critter Chatter – Fall Freedom!
This is the time of year many critters are released from the Duck Pond Wildlife Center, although if animals are old enough and sufficiently rehabbed, releases also take place throughout the summer. Chipmunks and squirrels are usually not turned out after mid-October, as their primary natural food sources have dwindled. This year’s fawns are still Read More
Critter Chatter — Three Little Kittens
This month’s column about the Wildlife Care Center in Vassalboro was going to be about fox releases, but before we got too far into the conversation, caretaker Don Cote mentioned he had three bobcat kittens on site. I “pounced” on the idea of writing about the bobcats, so we’ll address critter releases later. In late Read More
Critter Chatter — Little Stinkers
Over the past month, I’ve had the unexpected pleasure to see skunk families waddling along the side of the road. Just watching them makes me smile, so voila – the topic of this month’s column! I suspected Carleen had written about skunks in the past and sure enough, I found an article, some of which Read More
Critter Chatter – Mother Nature’s Amazing Genetics
Facebook wildlife and rehab groups often share photos of interesting critters, but I don’t know how many readers have ever seen a piebald animal. My husband and I were fortunate to see a wild piebald deer in the Hancock area a couple of years ago, and when I recently came across old photos of a Read More
Critter Chatter — Who You Gonna Call?
When Don and I talked about a topic for this month’s column, he suggested letting readers know what the differences are between an Animal Control Officer (ACO) and an Animal Damages Control Agent (ADC). Although the titles of “Animal Control” and “Animal Damage Control” are often used interchangeably, they represent two different areas of specialty. Read More
