The mink and Ms. Marten have new competition. A gray fox found its way up to the second floor deck yesterday.
Mink Today, I discovered that the date mash has disappeared and the bacon and suet were not in their usual spots. The mink and marten seemed confused. Ms. Marten then eyed a red squirrel from under a balsam fir branch and made a dash, but she didn’t have a chance against the agile squirrel that leaped five feet at one point on its way to a tree. A few days ago, a red squirrel confidently stayed quietly on one side of a tree as Ms. Marten paused on the other side on her way to the ground. It happened too quickly for a picture. Today, she left by that same route. Shortly, Mr. Mink appeared and disappeared. I was starting out the door to solve the mystery when he appeared from under the deck. He held still for a picture and then ran by me and down the stairs. With the carnivore threat past, the red squirrels lined up for their piles of sunflower seeds.
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| Pine marten | Red squirrels | Mink |
Lily Fans are giving good input on merchandise for the expanded Gift Shop. Suggestions include: pillow cases, holiday cards, laminated book marks, blank note cards, coffee mugs, photos (framed and suitable for framing) mousepads, a collector plate, 100% cotton t-shirts, and totes—all with pictures of the bears we know, plus our logo. Lily Fans like to advertise! Also, a smaller desk size version of our calendar and a return to using all the bears of years past in the calendar. Sweatshirts without hoods. Also a collector plate featuring the bears we know; a nice, realistic, masculine black bear tie bar; holiday collector ornaments, and 10-year anniversary items like a t-shirt with a collage of photos. Don’t stop sending your ideas!
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center