And days just blurr into one sometimes

The day started out early as usual. Off to teach my newbies how to use computers at NWTC in Oconto Falls, roads pretty well plowed from the surprise snow we got. YouSoStanky anxiously waiting his trip to the forest that was delayed by the 6" of snow on top of the cages. He needs about 3 days of decent weather to find his way & new sleeping arrangements in the forest. And no wind. Coonies don't like wind. They don't like to be touched and they are really afraid to be touched by something they can't see or touch back. So they hide from high winds.

I have some wonderful students in my class. One happens to own Maple Valley Orchards in Maple Valley and was discussing the donation of apples to the food pantry there in the Falls, you know? A delivery date for them [another student helps at one of the local food pantries]. So asking what apples were not human edible, he donated many bushels of apples to the Wildlife Orphanage. What a special treat to be able to feed apples to the coonies with a foot of snow on the ground!! When the roads up that way are driveable we'll take the ghetto van and go get those apples. Maybe on YouSoStanky's release day, who knows?

Around 2 p.m. the Eagle Herald came to do an interview for the newspaper and take photos of the Coondo & inhabitants. The photographer [Rick Gebhard] was like a kid in a candy store. Writing notes on his notebook and holding them up to the CoonCam for all the viewers to see. He was so funny. His poor colleague [Don Williams -- whom I hear is retiring] wasn't quite dressed for the outside weather and kept going to warm up while the photographer & I played with Shazbot. lol. YouSoStanky & the LilDood couldn't even be seen. Seriously, I looked in the mini-coondo and couldn't see where they were hiding!! They never even peeked out. This is wonderful as it means they are avoiding strangers! Definitely what we want to see before release of a wild one. As soon as they left, the boys were right back out as was Hiway, but she was still pretty upset about visitors. The article should appear in the Eagle Herald next week. What a wonderful opportunity to tell the community that spring birthing season is upon us and to please check Dory & the Orphans website BEFORE you try to help any wild animal. Your help could kill them and they may not need help in the first place. Babies with mother not right there does NOT mean mother has abandoned them. She needs to eat to produce milk to feed them.

At approximately 7:44 pm central time news was received from a Missouri LBA member that his brother Keith William Nolan (43) had succumbed to lung, stomach and brain cancer. Keith was a nationally famous researcher, historian and author, he had one daughter Britt (9). Keith was a wonderful and kind man. He was a volunteer and worked with raccoons exclusively about 10 years ago at the old Ballwin shelter. Erik says "He really helped me with my coonie litter last summer, until his doctors told him not to interact with them because he was so ill." The photo is one of the last times Keith was able to hold a coonie. Our prayers are with you Erik and your family.

Happy Groundhog's Day 2009

In Memory of Winnie the woodchuck
As usual, the coonies in the Coondo have their own thoughts about what any groundhog around the Northwoods might think. Seems checking the archives? The coonies have been correct more often than the 'famous' groundhogs. At any rate? This morning the coonies in the Coondo [on the CoonCam] have predicted an early spring for the Northwoods.Last year's over winters didn't even peek out of the cubby on groundhog's day. Today's overwinters are ready to go dig and climb and explore. Probably to find mates if they could as well.

Males and females don't stay together after breeding season. Males aren't allowed to remain part of the litter after they reach approximately a year of age. They are chased off and form bachelor groups. The older boar males prefer to be loners. But many times the families will reunite to den up over winter if it's a particularly cold one. Didn't see that happening this winter, as most didn't even go into their psuedo-hibernation [called torpor].

There have also been way too many rescue calls for this time of year. Porcupines are abundant in the Northwoods right now. Enjoy your sunny day today and be kind to our wildlife. Watch for them when you drive, many don't see very well.

Deep Freeze in the Northwoods

Yesterday the kids were told not to come to school today due to the deep freeze. Currently it is -23F with the windchill {that's -30.5C for my world wide friends}. The CoonCam window has been difficult to get the ice off to view the cam so was offline most of the morning. Nobody's moving around out in the Coondo this morning anyway.

Was watching some Ellen videos this morning and the word for the Raccoon Orphanage today is: just say no to putting lipstick on pigs.

New CoonCam!!

Photos are Arajah on intake & after care

And today the CoonCam arrived from the "Operation CoonCam" project at SX. Inside informants tell me the responsible parties are: Diana, Steph55, Soroya, Bonnie, Ewa, Cookie, Donna, Kim, and our fearless leader Adam. Thanks so much to all of you!!

This CoonCam can be mounted on a helmet and runs on batteries. What this means is that future release videos can be the complete release as I view it! I don't think Operation CoonCam knew how handy this little feature is!!

Meanwhile, we are still trying to get live streaming video out to everyone. For some reason only some can get the live feed, and others cannot. This is not broswer specific either so am running out of things to look at as the problem. Any input would be helpful. Just post a comment on this post and it'll get to me.

Thanks everybody for what you do to help our wildlife!!

So much happens ... so little time

Please excuse the fly-by post today. I am doing some serious multi-tasking here.

By the way -- this is Bonzai in the pic on the right. I mentioned he was not going to make it in the Coondo over wintering. Spent all his time making little snowballs and eating them just shivering. Never did put any autumn fat on his tail. Anyway, now he is hibernating somewhat and has put on a few pounds since New Year's Eve.

The CoonCam bit the dust. Started smoking and stinking and switched a breaker fuse even. Kaput went the CoonCam.

So I made mention of it on the CoonCam page. Also complained on StartXChange in the chat room - they were all helping get the live streaming working. A few days later when I let Kamir outside at around 1:30 a.m. here is a box on the porch. UPS delivery. It's a new CoonCam from Bill in the Adirondaks!! So I go post that in the SX Chat and come to find out that there was a covert operation going on in the ranks of Team Clean Living. So it appears we will have two views of the Raccoon Orphanage soon.

So of course, as soon as daylight was here I set up the new CoonCam and Soroya in Australia saw her first live snow. She has also seen her very first coonies ever. What do you think of that LBA?

Brrrrrr ....

The weatherman says it's minus sixteen degrees outside this morning. Was hoping the Wild and Wonderful Wildlife group would be able to catch a glimpse of the coonies this morning, but I seriously doubt that will happen with this extreme cold snap.

CoonCam Back Online

The CoonCam will be back online today for as long as the laptop cooperates.

CoonCam

Sorry folks. But the CoonCam is offline for a while. The monitor on the laptop croaked and went black. So the CoonCam will be down until I can figure something out.