The Young and the Wondrous at Edith Read

“Fawns are being born and soon you’ll see them moving about with the adults, or you might just see them curled up in one location for hours at a time. Their spots make them practically disappear in the dappled sunlight of the forest. They also have no scent for a few weeks, which makes them even more secure from predators that might find them by following their nose.

“A fawn is often left alone by its mother for hours, while she is feeding nearby, but often out of sight. She has NOT abandoned her young so do not be tempted to try to approach it. It will be fine just where it is – in nature.
“There are also many baby woodchucks or groundhogs out and about now. These ‘chucklings’ are adorable to watch as they venture just a few yards from their burrow and explore the world.

 “Baby Cottontail rabbits abound, and are so small right now that they could fit into the palm of your hand.

“Coyotes and their pups are also out there for hours, playing with each other until the pups are big enough to strike out on their own, which isn’t until the fall.

 “Many other birds and mammals are raising young in our parks and backyards. Please remember that these cute animals are wild, and do not make good pets. It is illegal to capture, possess, or harass wildlife. Some may carry disease organisms; others can become aggressive if harassed or handled. If you touch a fawn, you are ‘tagging’ it with human scent, and to many predators and scavengers, human scent often means there is food there. As such, you might unwittingly be leading a raccoon or coyote to the fawn, blowing its cover.

“If you see an adult coyote or pups, do not approach them. Keep your eye on them as you move away. If the coyote feels her pups are in danger from you, she might act instinctively to protect them. Coyotes are canines, and will defend their territory against other canines – aggressively if need be. If you are faced with a coyote that does not run away at the sight of you, but rather looks like a threat, present yourself ‘loud and large’ by shouting and waving your arms, even throwing sticks or rocks at the animal. This may seem like harassment, but by doing this you encourage the animal to fear humans. This will be best for both coyotes and people.
 “When it comes to the beautiful and fascinating wildlife living here at the sanctuary, the simple rule is, ‘leave them be.’ Appreciate these splendid creatures, but from a distance.”

— Photos by Marcus Robertson

Worth the wait: photographer Jay Mahoney has been making regular trips to Edith Read Sanctuary to catch the osprey nesting there with a fish. He landed that shot Wednesday morning. He got close enough to see there are three chicks in the nest.

{gallery}jaymahoney6.7.13{/gallery}

— Photos by Jay Mahoney