Wildlife – Blog From A Hermit Dot Com

Shaky Photo of a Small, But Fearless Black Bear

June 4, 2009

I was walking up the hill just after sunset last night when I noticed a bear watching me from just beyond the shop (about 60 yards away). The bear had just entered the cleared area from the forest, he was perfectly still and because of the diminishing light, I hardly noticed him in the shadows. YoungBear10 He was staring at me and I stared back, initially asking myself “is that a bear or just low-light shadow play?” Once I focused more carefully, there was no doubt. I walked (swiftly) back down to the house contemplating whether to bother with the camera – light was fading fast.

This forest-to-meadow margin area is where we see most bears. They use the meadow northwest of the shop for forage, and as an easy path to water as uphill streams begin to dry at this time of year. My assumption was: by the time I get to the house and back up to the shop (100 yards one-way), the bear will be moving away.

But no, this young bear (350 pounds?) was lingering in the meadow fairly close to the shop. Apparently he’d found the rodents abundant and there are some small patches of clover in bloom there.

I got a few photos, but none of them turned out well – poor light was a factor, but the emotional state of the photographer played a bigger role. This young bear, who was obviously aware of my presence, was not moving away like I expected. He kept an eye on me, and even moved toward me several times.

It’s just so much easier to be cavalier about the bears when they’re moving in the opposite direction. They seem awfully big when they start taking an interest in you. Knowing they can run 30+ mph doesn’t help the nerves. I have the greatest admiration for the good wildlife photographers.

In the light of day, I worry about this young bear’s future. If he has no innate fear of humans, he’ll find trouble sooner or later in this rural-to-suburban transition area. We made sure our garbage cans were well-sealed last night – and turned on the seldom-used little electric fence which surrounds them – don’t want to be responsible for encouraging bear bad habits.

By Trish | Posted in Home, Nature, Wildlife | Tagged black bears, Wildlife, wildlife human interface | Comments off

Smokey In Smokey’s Space

April 24, 2009

A young black bear was captured this morning about a mile south of us on the median of I-5. bearcaught I’m sure he was just trying to establish his own territory which he’ll soon find somewhere else – compliments of WSDOT and State Wildlife agents.

Something that didn’t come out in the news story: the patch of woods where the bear was hanging also serves as a blind for radar traps frequently set up by the Washington State Patrol. This is one of the few wide-open spaces left on I-5 through Western Washington – the speed limit is still 70 mph, which means many people are pressing 80 mph or more on their way through. It’s the second highest spot in the state for number of speeding citations issued.

Gotta think the troopers were not happy to be sharing space with this particular youngster. Apparently, the bear was comfortable enough around traffic that it was visible to motorists part of the time, creating a risky distraction and slowing people down. Woops, there goes those tickets.

But the bear’s lucky he wandered onto the interstate median rather than into a local suburban neighborhood which always seems to cause panic. On the median, the bear was in more danger than any humans, especially with the cars moving so fast. And the humans most at risk (the State Troopers) were unlikely to panic – they were all packin‘ and hyper-connected to emergency services.

Photo KOMONews.com

By Trish | Posted in Home, Nature, Wildlife | Tagged black bears, habitat loss, Wildlife, wildlife on freeway median | Comments off

Our Well, The Red Squirrel Guard and Rodent Bigotry

November 7, 2008

A family of red squirrels has taken up residence in our pump house. Can’t blame them, the pump house is well insulated and a couple of 100-watt light bulbs keep it toasty over the winter. This will be the squirrels’ second winter there and, unfortunately, the population has increased enough that they’ve started messing with the insulation. I fear it’s only a matter of time before one takes a big, final bite out of an electrical wire. (Pretend I never said that, maybe we’ll make it through this winter with no fatalities or electrical failures.)

Why don’t I get rid of them, you ask? Simple. They’re CUTE! I can’t bring myself to evict them. I know how they get in the pump house – can’t get myself to plug the hole. They travel to and from the pump house and a large, nearby cedar. Little pump house guards, they scold the cats and me as we approach. What would I do with them if I trapped them? Using poisons near the well-head is a theoretical no-no. (Although, we have a drilled, 233-foot well, with a sealed head outside of the pump house proper, so the poison thing is somewhat less critical. Still, you don’t want to inadvertently contaminate your own water supply.)

The problem will only get worse, you say. That’s true. But I’m also armed with the knowledge that we’re rebuilding the pump house next Spring – a more exotic water system involving larger tanks and possibly harvesting geo-thermal energy. (Griz is an engineer, he can’t stop himself.) So whatever damage the squirrels render is only temporary.

So you won’t poison the squirrels to avoid contaminating the water, you say. Well, what about water contamination by squirrel poop? Hedging: a little organic matter in the water never hurts, obviously one can’t control all forms of contamination – like insect parts, dust, the occasional tiny turd. Our well-water is also treated. The guts of the pump house are a chlorination and filtration system – which would probably also handle warfarin if I decided to use poison and any made it into the water. I admit it – my squirrel diplomacy is all rationalization, based on cuteness.

You’ll change your mind when they chew the wiring and the water stops flowing, you say. But no, our well is low-flow artesian and located at the top of our sloping property. We get water even when the power is out (though with less volume – no dishwasher or laundry in power outages).

But if the wiring gets damaged, you’ll have to call an electrician, you say – and that can get expensive. Handily, of the many varieties of engineer – Griz just happens to the electrical type. (I know, I SO take him for granted.)

Squirrels are rodents, of course; but by virture of their “cuteness,” most of us don’t think of them that way. You know if a family of rats (even mice) was living in the pump house, I’d get rid of them in a flash. IT’S RODENT DISCRIMINATION – and it’s based on that classic premise of discrimination – how you look established through cultural precedents based on how your ancestors looked.

I admit it – I’m a mouse/rat bigot. Spiritually, I try to honor ALL life, but when it comes to mice and rats, I’ll honor them outside of my house (and outbuildings), thank you. I don’t bat an eye when the cats capture a mouse or field vole (aka field mouse); I praise the cats as good hunters, look the other way and let them have their fun and snack. In summer, the cats are also reasonably successful bringing in baby wood rabbits. When the bunnies seem unharmed (other than psychological trauma), I sometimes rescue them. Definitely discrimination - possibly even betrayal from the cats’ point of view.

Although the squirrels’ arborial skills make them a rarer variety of prey, Dart sometimes snags an adult squirrel as it traverses the ground from tree to tree. But when the prey is that large (full sized voles, half-grown bunnies, adult squirrels), the cats make a quick kill and don’t play around – so there is no option for rescue. Law of the wild – that’s what I tell myself. I’m not one of those who promotes making vegans out of cats. Cats are true carnivores, not even omnivores like dogs. Other than attempting to train the cats to keep their prey out of the house (not always successful), I don’t mess with their hunts – other than when it’s those CUTE little bunnies.

I’m not going to roust the squirrels. Let them have another warm winter, although I’m a little concerned about creating a generation of red squirrels that won’t grow thick winter coats – light-bulb dependent tamiasciurus hudsonicus. When eviction occurs, I’ll handle it as the weather warms – at least give the little buggers a chance to fluff-up before the next cycle of cold temperatures.

The mice, rats and voles, of course, will have to fend for themselves against all elements, including the cats.

By Trish | Posted in Cats, Family, Home, Nature, Wildlife | Tagged Cats, cats hunting, red squirrels, rodents, wells, Wildlife | Comments off

The Elusive Bobcat and the Blogging "OFF" Switch

November 2, 2008

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A Blogging Hermit Status Report That last post on on Most Memorable Hermit Dick Proenneke flipped a switch. It flipped my blogging switch to the”OFF” position and I’ve been searching for the “ON” switch for a whole week now. I’ve had several opportunities and flashes of insight that would have easily translated into decent posts, [...]

Documenting a Life: Hermit Dick Proenneke "Alone in the Wilderness"

October 24, 2008

No Most Memorable Hermits list would be complete without Dick Proenneke (1916-2003) whose hermit life can frequently be viewed during PBS pledge-drives. “Alone in the Wilderness” tells Proenneke’s story of life alone in Alaska, relying on simple hand tools and his own physical labor to build his cabin and sustain himself with little outside assistance – no small feat [...]

Requiem for WAMU: Gone the Way of Namu and Shamu*

September 28, 2008

At Griz’ insistence, I’m going to write about my personal sadness over the seizure Thursday by federal regulators of Washington Mutual Bank and the concurrent firesale of WAMU’s assets to JP Morgan Chase. I am not an economist and have never worked in banking or any part of the financial sector, so much of what I have to say may sound extremely naive if not downright stupid. Oh, too bad – what are blogs for (especially one that not many read anyway). Disclaimer: I have been a customer of Washington Mutual (WAMU) since the days when they were a lowly Seattle savings bank. I also have financial interests with Chase Bank. I hold no stock in either institution. It appears I may suffer some inconvenience, but I will take no personal loss as the result of this seizure and sale. I’m just a customer – one who admittedly used Washington Mutual primarily as a cash-flow utility, and sometimes a mortgage-bank. I’ve rarely rested any significant assets there; although, I did purchase a small certificate of deposit or two back in the day when there was some profitability in doing so.

WAMU was founded the same year Washington State was granted statehood – 1889. That’s a long history of good business down the tubes. Survival through the Great Depression was probably the result of staying an in-state savings bank. WAMU’s transition to commercial banking and interstate expansion began in the 1980′s.

I always liked Washington Mutual – it was a bank with heart. That was particularly true before their expansion, but even afterward, the WAMU branch employees were always friendly to all customers – whether the customer owned five accounts and a big mortgage, or just one little free checking account. Those free checking accounts (free even with insignificant min. balances) will undoubtedly be a thing of the past with Chase Bank, who from my experience is very fee-oriented. It’s not something us “more-fortunates” think about, but those monthly, per check and high NSF fees deprive low-income citizens from bank accounts – they just can’t afford them. A minimum balance of even $500 is out of their reach.

I’ve also always thought the Washington Mutual Tower – WAMU’s former headquarters building is one of Seattle’s most distinctive. The 55-story building is the second-highest in Seattle’s skyline. With a bluish-green tint, it rises over the “Emerald City” to a spire that resembles the tin-woodman’s hat.

That Washington Mutual became known as WAMU a few years ago tickled me, too – something Pacific Northtwesty about the abbreviation, on a par with Namu and Shamu, the first pair of captured orcas (killer whales) that launched the whole trained-orca entertainment business. (I consider training large sea mammals to entertain tourists only slightly less humane than making 95% ARMs on $350,000 homes for middle-income families who leverage their 401K’s for a down payment and haven’t a snowball’s-chance-in-hell of maintaining the monthly payments once the interest rate goes up a single point.)

*Although Namu and Shamu were the first male and female orcas captured for human entertainment and both are long deceased; Sea World now owns the trademark names Namu and Shamu and uses these names for generations of captive, trained orcas.

Greed by WAMU management set up the bank’s decline. During the height of the real-estate boom and sub-prime mortgage frenzy, you couldn’t walk into the branch to get cash without someone (even the tellers) trying to sell you a less-expensive mortgage once they identified you as a “valued” customer. Two weeks ago WAMU changed CEO’s and put itself up for sale. JP Morgan/Chase was one of four interested buyers. JP Morgan was also in negotiations with WAMU last year, but backed out of a merger when the WAMU stock was at $10 per share. Last week WAMU’s price per share last week fluctuated between $1.23 and $3 as hopes of a federal bail-out rose and fell.

Here’s my totally fictional conjecture of what finally killed the WAMU whale – why WAMU got seized rather than bailed-out:

Treasury Sec. Paulson: Congress isn’t going for it, Mr. President.
Dubya: I don’t get it. Look at all the money we’ve already spent bailing, what’s the big deal?
Paulson: They want oversight to see how we use the money. They want to restrict golden parachutes for bank executives.
Dubya: We can’t have that – we’ve gotta protect those banker boys, we owe ‘em. What can we do here to push things along? Maybe we need to kick up a little dust.
Paulson: I suppose we could actually send the regulators in and sieze one of the banks that’s on the brink.
Dubya: How do we do that? Are there any particular one’s that would be a good example. Any in Democrats’ states? He, he.
Paulson: Well, Washington Mutual’s the biggest, wouldn’t hurt to get it out of the bail-out anyway. That way if we have to compromise on the total bail-out package – WAMU’s big lump will already be out of the figures. It’s a Seattle based bank – Democratic governor and senators (all women by the way), majority of their congressmen are dems, too.
Dubya: Sounds good – that’ll surprise those Dem bitches. So we just march in and take over – federal employees grab up the bank like evidence in a drug raid or something? What do we do with it then?
Paulson: Ideally, we only have to hold it until we find a buyer for the residue. We’ll just be selling the assets. No one will buy the bad mortgages though, we’ll be stuck with those, you understand.
Dubya and Paulson together smiling: SOMEONE ELSE’S PROBLEM!
Dubya: How do we find these potential buyers – can we let them know ahead of time so they’re ready to take it off our hands?
Paulson: We could pre-arrange the sale – so the buyer just takes over as soon as the regulators seize the bank. JPMorgan/Chase has been interested in WAMU for a long time – they want to expand onto the west coast. WAMU’s got lots of branches out there and stuff. Chase’s people have already been making inquiries to our people. They don’t really want WAMU rescued and off the market – they are so close to getting their hands on it.
Dubja: JP Morgan/Chase, huh? Yeah, I like them boys. Wasn’t it them that helped us out with Bear-Stearns? Let’s get them boys in here and see how much they really wanna pay for WAMU.

And the rest is sad history. In June 2008, Washingotn Mutual’s assets were listed at over $200 billion. On September 25, 2008, JP Morgan/Chase purchased WAMU’s assets for $1.9 billion. (Incidentally, WAMU’s recently hired CEO, Brooklyn banker Alan Fishman was coincidentally in New York during the FDIC/JP Morgan negotiations and subsequent seizure of WAMU. He will walk away with approximately $20 million for 2 weeks’ work – combined signing incentive, year’s salary and, of course, golden parachute).

Note to my blogging coach smays.com: If the conjecture in this post inadvertently touches close enough to the truth that I wake up Monday morning with Homeland Security on my front porch; or if I wind up having my taxes audited for the next 30-years for no particular reason, I will never forgive you.