G O
L D C
O U N T
R Y L
I V I N
G
Please Help Us to Protect Wildlife
Babies!
By Nan Powers
One day last spring, a Placerville couple
began to burn one of the large brush piles that they had
accumulated over the fall and winter. Minutes later, a baby brush
rabbit ran from the pile. After several frantic efforts, they were
able to catch him. His fur and whiskers were badly singed, his eyes
were closed tight against the stinging smoke, and he was gasping
for air. Alarmed and compassionate, the couple immediately
contacted a Sierra Wildlife
Rescue rehabber, who was able to give the
baby medical attention and save his life.
The lone baby was lucky,
probably the only survivor in a litter of six or seven, the rest of
whom perished in the burning brush. With spring just around the
corner, foothill residents are beginning to think about tidying up
their houses and property. Throughout the spring, summer, and early
fall, Sierra Wildlife Rescue receives large numbers of orphaned or
injured baby birds, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, opossums, fawns,
and other animals who are the unintentional victims of property
clean-up.
With the shortage of
natural habitat caused by increasing development, nesting wild
animals often take advantage of new types of "habitat" created by
humans – planted trees, lawns, shrubbery, brush piles, woodpiles,
roofs, basements, crawl spaces, porches and attics.
Sierra Wildlife would like
to ask property owners to become more aware of your wildlife
neighbors as you begin tree-trimming, brush clearing, shrub
pruning, lawn mowing, and garden and deck tidying. Birds nest on
tree branches, in tree hollows, in tall bushes, in brush piles, on
high decks and porches, and under the eaves and archways of houses.
Waterfowl often lay their eggs under bushes and shrubs around
lawns. Tree squirrels build nests high up in conifers, oaks, and
other trees; some species nest in tree hollows.
Jackrabbits keep their
babies in shallow depressions in fields (where they may be run down
by mowing or plowing vehicles), while brush
rabbits and cottontails prefer dense
brush (including your brush piles!); bunnies also nest in tall
grass in open meadows, or on overgrown lawns. Fawns are left for
long hours by their mothers in depressions near trees, or in tall
grass, while raccoons and skunks prefer hollow tree trunks, or den
under logs, rocky outcroppings or, sometimes, buildings.
You can clean up property
in a way that will get the job done, but avoid harming nesting
wildlife. Check small portions of brush piles at a time for nests,
and move each portion to another site before burning. Before you
rev up the lawn mower or tractor, be sure to look carefully under
shrubbery where you plan to mow, and over the rest of the area, for
nesting sites or dens. Ensure that you or your workmen carefully
check for bird or squirrel nests on branches and in hollows before
you trim trees.
It is not only harmful,
but illegal, to remove birds' nests or eggs. If you find bird or
squirrel nests in trees, or other wild critters nesting under your
roof, in your attic, or under your house, please just wait a couple of months before trimming
branches or repairing any openings. Try to be sure, before you do,
that all the animals and their babies have vacated the nest or den.
You can also call Sierra Wildlife for more advice on animal nesting
seasons and how to avoid harming wild babies.
These simple efforts can
save compassionate home-owners a lot of heartache and help to
preserve the precious heritage of varied and abundant wildlife
cherished by all of us who live in the foothills.
If you do find an orphaned or injured wild
animal, please call us, 530-621-4661, and you will be directed to
an appropriate rehabber for the species. For more info on
volunteering with SWR, classes, or events, please call Barbara
Barker, at 530-621-2650. (Nan Powers is Public Relations Chair for
Sierra Wildlife Rescue, editor of SWR's bi-annual newsletter, the
Paw Print, and a wildlife rehabber for squirrels, fox kits and
coyote pups)
The Calaveras Enterprise announces TWO
Home Shows!
The Calaveras Enterprise is proud to announce
its 10th year hosting the Calaveras Home Show. To celebrate the
occasion and to give attendees twice the enjoyment, the Enterprise
doubles the excitement with two shows – a spring home show April 26
and 27 and a fall home, garden and recreation show Sept. 27 and 28
both at Frogtown in Angels Camp.
"After extensive research,
the decision to hold two shows was overwhelming," said Patti
Hennessee, event coordinator. "Not only will vendors have the
opportunity to feature their products and services in spring, they
now have the opportunity to showcase their wares during a normally
quiet time of year in the fall."
The Calaveras Spring Home
Show features everything having to do with home improvement and
construction. For the benefit of attendees and participants,
vendors will be conveniently located indoors. During the warmer
fall show, vendors will fill not only the halls at Frogtown, but
also the outdoor venues. "In fall we can feature more gardening and
recreation, as nurseries ready for the best planting time of the
year and winter recreation businesses are just getting into gear
for their busy season," adds Hennessee.
Both shows will also
benefit the community. Portions of the proceeds from the spring
show will benefit the Bret Harte High School Athletic Complex,
while the fall show will help Calaveras Habitat for Humanity.
To reserve a booth or for
more information, contact Hennessee at (209) 754-3861 or
patti@calaverasenterprise.com. Frogtown, Patti 209-754-3861.
Back to Top
2nd Annual Amadoropoly
A FUNdraising event supporting 35 local
charities February 22, will be held from 5-8pm at the Sutter Creek
Auditorium. $25 donation gets you $100 Amadoropoly Bucks, drink and
raffle tickets. Buy a house, hotel or pay rent to your favorite
charity. Enjoy free refreshments at Free Parking.
Amador Community
Foundation is hosting the 2nd annual AMADOROPOLY FUN-draiser.
Players and participants will engage in raucous, good-natured real
estate wheeling and dealing, including jail time and other antics
played out on a life-size game board that fills the Sutter Creek
Auditorium. Last year’s first-time event benefited 28 local
charities raising more than $11,000. This year’s event has grown to
35 groups.
The local version of the
familiar game has two goals: To raise money for local charities and
create awareness of the many volunteer groups serving a wide
variety of Amador County needs.
"We have supported many of
these groups, and this event seems like a good way to pull everyone
together and build overall community support for their projects in
addition to making some money," explained Stan Lukowicz, president
of the Foundation.
Shannon Lowery, Executive
Director of The Amador Community Foundation, developed the local
take-off of the popular board game. "Last year, the charities that
dressed the part of their property, had a great time and made the
most money," she said. "I didn’t know what to expect but I had a
great time and look forward to playing again next year," one player
laughed.
Amador Community
Foundation meets local needs through the charitable contributions
of local donors. For more in-formation and tickets, contact Amador
Community Foundation at (209) 223-2148, or write: Community
Foundation P.O. Box 1154, Jackson CA 95642. For more information,
call Shannon Lowery, Executive Director at 223-2148. E-mail
acf@amadorcommunityfoundation.orgAmador
Back to Top
If you are interested in
Organic growing then enquire about WWOOF (Willing Workers On
Organic Farms). They offer you free accommodation in exchange for
some work. Each farmer is different, but if you are a willing
worker you can have some really fun times. Some farmers give you
gourmet meals and drive you round to see all the local sights and
functions when they have spare time. Combining that with subsidized
transport will really help you to grow your retirement savings.
Visit online: http://www.wwoof.org
Back to Top
|
|

Amador Flower Farm



Murder in the Gold Country
Support the fight
against Breast
Cancer


The Bluffs,
Lockeford

Firefall Jewelers

Pinnell's Carpet One

Ione Pharmacy

Sleep N
Save

49er Grill
Ironstone Vineyards

Morning Star CF

Clear Water

PCACC
|