by Jayne Winters “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds,” is a phrase we associate with U.S. postal carriers, but I think it could easily describe Don Cote and his volunteers at the Wildlife Care Center in Vassalboro. (Out of curiosity, […]
by Jayne Winters I love chatting with Don Cote at the Duck Pond Wildlife Rehab Center – he has over 50 years of critter stories to share! Not all have happily-ever-after endings, but I think every one of the animals Don and his late wife Carleen cared for over the decades touched his heart. It’s […]
by Jayne Winters Admissions at Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center slow down at this time of year; the only new resident I saw today was a gray squirrel which had been hit by a car several days ago. No external injuries were seen and Don said it was eating and drinking normally, so hopefully it […]
by Jayne Winters I knew immediately what I wanted to write about this month after seeing a young red squirrel recently admitted to Duck Pond Wildlife Rehab – he was the sole survivor of his litter mates who had come in contact with a glue trap. Although typically used to control or eliminate insects, mice, […]
by Jayne Winters I wasn’t sure what this month’s column would be about, but I needn’t have worried. Don always has a story or two (or more) to tell about the critters and experiences at the Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center! After over 50 years in wildlife rehab, you’d think that he’s seen about everything, […]
by Jayne Winters When I stopped by to chat with Don at the Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center today, I expected to see the usual pet carriers and cages with rescued critters in the living room. I was surprised to find no one in the incubators or cages! Sadly, the chipmunk that had been admitted […]
by Jayne Winters As I slowed down to turn into the driveway at the Duck Pond Wildlife Rehab Center, I couldn’t help but notice the SUV ahead of me did likewise. I could never have imagined the story the driver soon shared with me and Don about the three-week-old fawn she had in the dog […]
by Jayne Winters I was planning to write about the two fawns at the Duckpond Wildlife Rehab Center, but after reading through some old columns written by Don’s late wife, Carleen, I was again moved by the years of dedicated, tireless – and often under-appreciated – commitment the Cotes have given to literally thousands of […]
by Jayne Winters In mid-April, I got a call from Don at the Duckpond Wildlife Rehab Center, asking if I still wanted to take pictures of a “little red.” I’m always up for a photo opportunity, especially of young critters, so I headed over expecting to see a baby red squirrel in one of the […]
by Jayne Winters Even though most of us still have some patches of snow in our yards, it won’t be long before it melts and we have more constant warmer temperatures of spring. For wildlife rehabbers, spring brings an increase in phone calls from well-intentioned folks who are worried about young animals that appear to […]