Flounder

Flounder found his way to Animal Friends a little over a year ago with his brother Sebastian. We knew immediately that these lovable boys were inseparable. Despite being infested with parasites and suffering from severe dental disease, these amazing kitties never lost their sweet, friendly personalities. Even after they developed IBD, a disease that attacks the digestive system, Flounder and Sebastian leaned on each other and relied on the love and care of our compassionate staff and volunteers.

Sadly, at the beginning of the New Year, Flounder and Sebastian were separated in the worst way imaginable. Sebastian developed Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), an incurable and fatal disease and passed away. Being that FIP, although not contagious, has a genetic component, Flounder is potentially at risk of developing the disease.

Despite Flounder's health concerns we are dedicated to finding him a loving home. Nothing would make Flounder happier than a cozy lap next to a warm fire. It could be a few weeks or several years, but this sweet and affectionate boy deserves the best life possible for the rest of his days.

If you can give Flounder the gift of a loving home, contact Animal Friends' Adoption team today at 412.847.7002 or AdoptionInfo@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org.

Mind Full or Mindful?

The rhythmic patterns of undulating water are calming.

"It has been shown that being near, in on or under water 

can make you happier, healthier, more connected and better at what you do."

Taken from the book "Blue Mind", by Wallace J. Nichols

Watching soft waves lapping over sand in shallow waters

with the gentle ripples just catching the sun and drawing my attention 

to a beautiful white pebble beneath the surface.

Being mindful seems to be talked about a lot, but do we really know what it is?

Our busy lives are very full, so are our minds as we rush from one occupation

to another, sometimes doing several things at once.

Even our leisure time can become stressful when we try and cram in

too many things.

"It is only through the senses that we experience what it means to be fully human"

extract from "Sight and Sensibility" by Laura Sewall.

The ocean brings in a new energy.

When we are near the sea, all our senses are awakened;

sight, sound, smell touch and hearing.

The ocean awakens us so that we may understand life and live it more deeply.

Tender embrace

Noticing things as if for the very first time in a contemplative manner,

without labelling or judging.

This little catkin full of yellow pollen entwined in last year's leaf.

I loved how the soft natural background brought my attention to this lovely scene.

A play of shadows on a white wall and door 

brings me into a whole different dimension that feels surreal.

Shadows can transport us into a whole new world.

I recently came across these sweet snowdrops nodding their little heads

in the breeze.

They brought me totally into the moment, despite the town environment.

As I contemplated their welcome presence

all other sounds and distractions disappeared.

My breathing slowed and I felt my body relax.

I brought some pussy-willow into my home and notice how the little fluffy balls

change a little each day.

Nature is a perfect way to absorb life mindfully.

Walking along the lake, besides the lovely view on the water and mountains,

I am taken by the shadows of the decorative iron railing.

Walking mindfully, conscious of each steps I take, and how that feels,

is another way of calming the mind and letting go of any overflowing thoughts.

Have you noticed that when in shock, saddened or grieving, our breathing

becomes more rapid and shallow?

This immediately increases our feelings of anxiety.

The best way for me to calm down is to slow my pace, 

become aware of my breathing and consciously slowing its rhythm.

Here is a link to slow, calm breathing:

HERE

The cardiac coherence is a rhythmic or a coherent heart rate variability (HRV)

that balances the nervous system associated with stress and emotional state.

This can be attained through this 5-minute breathing technique.

Perhaps you use your own methods of practicing mindfulness,

it is possible that you're even doing it without even giving it a name!

It is useful to know that bringing ourselves into this state can

lower our blood pressure, reduce our stress levels, enhances sleep and improve our concentration.

Being aware of the beauty before us, and immersing ourselves

quite totally, allows us to take a step back from our over-active lives

and minds and bring us into a field of inner peace and contentment.

Breathe in the sky!

Many people manage to make space in each day to do mindful meditation,

but even without this, sitting quietly and breathing calmly for five minutes

will certainly be very beneficial.

I'd love to hear if you give that a try and how you feel about your experience.

Walking meditation is something which anyone can do.

Try it!

Slow breathing is something that can be practiced anywhere.

I sometimes do it when waiting in a queue. 

It calms any feeling of impatience I might have.

It can even be done when stuck in traffic jams or when travelling on public transport.

As a last thought,

Jon Kabat-Zinn, in his book "Wherever You Go, There You Are"

says:

"Mindfulness provides a simple but powerful route for getting ourselves unstuck,

back in touch with our own wisdom and vitality.

It is a way to take charge of the direction and quality of our own lives,

including our relationships with the family, our relationship to work

and to the larger world and planet, and most fundamentally, our relationship

with ourself as a person."

I have enclosed a photo of some of the books that I have found useful. 

Gyrfalcon

North America's Rarest Falcon Seen in Nova Scotia

Gyrfalcon - Dark Morph - Juvenile  [Jason Dain Photo]

The Gyrfalcon is a very rare winter resident and migrant to Atlantic Canada.  For the last few days there has been one reported from the River Hebert area, near Joggins, NS.  This bird was seen and photographed by several birders on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017.  A big 'thank you' goes out to both Jason Dain and Carmella Melanson for the use of their photos.  These are prized images which provide a great educational opportunity for birders, environmentalists, and general nature lovers.

The Gyrfalcon is the world's largest falcon.  It is 51-64 cm long (20-25 in).  For comparison, the Peregrine Falcon is 41-51 cm long (16-20 in).  The Gyrfalcon sits upright often on manmade structures or cliff edges, presumably watching for prey.  It is a super hunter, capable of taking down flying geese or cranes.  Here it would probably be feeding on waterfowl or pigeons.  Its colour is variable.  It occurs in three colour morphs; white, gray and dark; sometimes listed as white, intermediate and dark.  Genders are similar but juveniles are a bit different.  As in most raptors, females are larger.  

The Gyrfalcon is a large, bulky falcon.  It is not as sleek looking as our other falcons (kestrel, merlin, peregrine falcon).  Its wings are wide at the base and pointed.  In flight the tail base looks wide and the tail is longer than that of the peregrine falcon.  When perched the wings extend about 2/3 of the way down the tail length.  In flight its wing beat appears slow but don't be fooled.  This bird is a very fast killing machine.  

The dark morph is dark gray to gray-brown on the back and wings with heavy striping on the breast and underneath.  The gray morph is similar to the dark morph but much lighter overall.  The white morph is all white with dark wing tips and streaks mainly on the upper body parts.  Underneath all morphs show lighter trailing edges of the wings and darker wing coverts.  See photo below.

Gyrfalcon - Dark Morph - Juvenile [Jason Dain Photo]

The adult Gyrfalcon shows yellow on the cere (base of bill), feet and around the eye.  In the juvenile, these features are gray.  

Adult Gyrfalcon [Icelandic Bird Guide, Hilmarsson, JO, p. 106]

The Gyrfalcon has been a famous hawk since medieval times when it was the most desired species for falconry.  Only kings were allowed to use this species.  Unfortunately, falconry is still going on today and these birds are being captured and kept in captivity for this purpose.  

The Gyrfalcon is a holarctic species. In North America it is a year-round resident of Alaska, northern Yukon, Nunavit and Northwest Territories, Ungava, north to our northernmost islands.  It is rare south of these areas, usually coming south in winter.  We have records for New Brunswick for 1989, 1991, 1994, 2000.  I have been lucky enough to have seen 2 gray morphs in Iceland and a white morph here in New Brunswick.

Gyrfalcon [Carmella Melanson Photo]

Gyrfalcon [Carmella Melanson Photo]

Gyrfalcons nest on cliffs or in abandoned raven nests.  Breeding occurs only in the far north.

All the photos shown (except the light gray morph taken from the Icelandic Bird Guide) are of the same bird now present somewhere in Nova Scotia.  It is possible this bird will stay around for a few days yet.  We were unable to locate it yesterday.  We wish it well as it soon journeys to the far north to breed.

The Little Things Around Us

Beauty is all around us to awaken all our senses

but how often do we think about the beauty of all the little everyday things?

We sometimes just take them for granted, or don't even notice them.

A simple needle and thread which is taken out and used

Do we really see it?

We may appreciate how useful it is and even look at it

differently one day and see how aesthetically lovely it can be in its simple way.

Matches are in most households

I keep this little decorative box in my living-room,

always on hand to light a candle.

There are so many useful little tools in my kitchen area.

One of my favourites is this small ginger-root grater.

I use ginger a lot, both in my cooking and in warming winter drinks.

Another little item in constant daily use is my individual herb tea filter.

It's great for making just one big mug of delicious peppermint or lemon verbena.

The humble pencil sharpener

I just love using pencils, especially freshly sharpened ones.

How pretty the little curls of pencil shavings appear.

I can hardly bear to throw them away and have been known to keep some

in a small glass bowl on my desk just to look at their shapes and texture

and see how they catch the light!

"Great oaks from little acorns grow"

I love to collect these in the autumn

and keep them in a small pottery bowl to enjoy them each time I pass by.

There are other little things which are so important, like exchanging a smile with someone

sitting next to us on the bus, maybe even saying a few words.

A small gesture of help, like holding a shop door for a mother 

with a pushchair

or being thankful when a younger person stands up to let me sit down

in the metro lurching dangerously forward as it sets off!

It's the little things in life which have enormous importance

They influence the way we feel.

By noticing all these things as we go about our daily life,

it adds new meaning into all we do.

Home to Home Adoption Program: Toby

Toby is a 9-year-old Shepherd mix who was rescued by an older woman from an abandoned litter of puppies. Sadly, Toby's rescuer passed away about a year ago and he has been living with a foster family since.

He can be a little anxious at times, particularly when interacting with men. While he has been working hard to overcome his shyness and is happy and comfortable when the whole family is home, he is still a little uneasy when he's home alone with his foster dad.

Typically, Toby is a well-behaved, social and playful guy! Although he has had limited experience with children, Toby has lived well with cats and other dogs.

Toby's favorite activities are chewing his squeaky toys, enjoying a quiet night in with his most trusted human (and animal!) friends, and having his ears gently scratched. This handsome boy absolutely loves going for walks and despite his uneasiness, will even go for a stroll with his foster dad.



Toby is a low-maintenance pup who is content and well-behaved when left home alone during the work day. This lovable boy is really the best of both worlds, loving his playtime with both people and pets, but also appreciating the art of relaxation!

While he has made some significant improvements in trusting his foster dad, his current family doesn't want to continue to push him. Toby does have male human friends that he is quite comfortable with, but to help him thrive, his family wants him to find a loving home where he will be as comfortable as possible.

If you think your home would be a good fit for Toby, please contact Clinton at 412.345.3284 or info@bluenovember.info.

House Sparrow

Old World Species Gets Scarcer

House Sparrow - Male

 The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) was once a common resident of New Brunswick.  Its numbers have been declining since about 1970.  It was very common in the first half of the 1900s probably because it embraced agricultural communities and city environments in which horses were common.  It is an introduced Eurasian species and was first reported in New Brunswick in 1884.  It all started when eight pairs were released in Brooklyn, New York in 1851.  Several more releases occurred after that, some in the 1870s.  Other groups were captured and released in various places throughout the United States.  One reason this was done was to provide familiar wildlife for local residents who had come from Europe.

House Sparrows are a unique species and have several behavioural traits which set them up for success as an introduced species.  They prefer to live near human habitation.  This provides food and nesting sites and some protection from predators.  They are an active, aggressive species and can successfully compete for food and nesting sites with native species.  They nest before our native species arrive back in the spring so have their preference of nesting sites.  They have 2 or 3 batches per year of up to 5 offspring each.  These traits lead to rapid population increases.

House Sparrow - Female

The House Sparrow is a gray/brown short-legged sparrow.  It represents a different family from our native sparrows.  The male has a black bib, gray crown and brown band from the eye backwards across the neck.  The female is gray/buff with a buffy line over the eye.  In the non-breeding season the male's plumage becomes more brown-buff in colour with a buffy colour infringing on the bib and brown eye line.  Many of us remember the discordant 'cheep cheep' sound these birds make.  They definitely are not musical.

The range of this species covers all of North America and Mexico and extending northward into Labrador and Northwest Territories.  I was surprised recently to see pictures of them thriving in Churchill, MB.  Having Eurasian distribution, they are native to Britain, Scandinavia, Siberia, northern Africa, Arabia, India and Burma.  Because of introductions by humans they have become established worldwide almost everywhere except Antarctica.  Because of this their population is extremely large.  In Europe alone their population is estimated to be 270 million.

House Sparrow - Male, Non-breeding Plumage

House Sparrow - Female, Non-breeding Plumage

Why has our population been declining since 1970?  That is a question pondered by many birders.  This year is the first year we did not find any on the Mactaquac Christmas Bird Count.  Every year since its inception we have found this species around cattle barns.  Very few House Sparrows live in Fredericton now.  The decline is a worldwide phenomenon.  Scientists do not know exactly why this is happening,  It certainly would be multi-factorial.  The huge decrease in the number of farms, removal of horses from the streets, improvement in grain-harvesting efficiency, and use of insecticides would be some of the reasons.  It will be interesting to see what will be the final results of scientific investigations.  As much as many people dislike these spunky little sparrows, it is sad to see them decline so severely.

A View (or Two) of our Construction Progress

The Howard Ash Animal Wellness Center at Animal Friends will be a two-level, 18,400 sq. ft. center of hope and healing. The facility will allow us to significantly expand our low-cost spay/neuter and pet wellness services to those who are struggling most in our community. The main floor will house our public clinic programs while the lower level will become home to our Chow Wagon Pet Food Bank and Humane Investigations program.

 

The siding – officially called “long board” – is now being installed on the building giving it a whole new look which will blend in nicely with our wooded campus.

There are elements of our original building, the Caryl Gates Gluck Resource Center, that are being replicated in the new Animal Wellness Center. The yellow framing on our window structures is just one example.

 

Excuse our appearance! Our entire site is looking a bit, well…dogged…as we tap into water and sewage lines, and lay conduit for our other utilities. But we know the mess is just temporary!

 

We invite you to stay up to date on our progress! Visit ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org/AWC for a full photo tour.

Looking on the Bright Side

In the normal course of everyday life,

there can be times when we may feel discouraged, disappointed or saddened.

We often have our mind set on something in particular which falls through,

making us feel let-down.

Allowing the difficult moment to pass, 

and creating the necessary space or distance between our emotional response

to an actual situation, allows us to dedramatize things as we see them in the moment.

In other words, letting the negative feelings fall way when things don't go as we'd hoped.

From that moment on, we're able to reconstruct a situation

without labelling it as good or bad.

Turn the page, rewrite the story, create something new and

accept what has happened, or in some cases, what has not happened.

This is all about looking on the bright side of things and adapting to new situations as they arise.

When I look at life, which is a mixture of light and shadows,

I can see that the shadows help us better see the light.

"The darker the night, the brighter the stars"

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

February is here with longer days and more light.

The florists are selling little pots of spring bulbs which bring joy into any home.

This last little narcissus flower smiled at me bringing me sunshine into my day.

Bunches of tulips are available in beautiful warm shades

just waiting to fill my prettiest vase.

and it's a joy to capture their lovely lines with my macro lens.

 These days, I'm watching four hyacinth bulbs develop in a little box.

I love these buds getting ready to unfold.

So happy soaking up the sunlight in front of the window

and opening a little more each day

bringing colour and happiness into my life.

Besides photography, crochet always puts me in a marvellous mood.

Joyful colours, the act of creating something new,

sometimes to make gifts, sometimes to decorate my little home.

I made this colourful heart-shaped wreath a couple of years ago.

Right now it's bringing cheerfulness to all who pass and also for me

every time I come home!

So if you're feeling just a little glum today,

for whatever reason,

just stand back from it all

breathe slowly and deeply

and create a new situation for yourself.

It works every time!

This time last year, it was snowing.

See HERE

Animal Friends Presents Barney!

Meet Barney, an incredibly brave 7-year-old orange Tabby who wouldn’t give up to get his second chance at a happy life. After his previous owner left him outside to fend for himself, he tried to join a colony of community cats. But Barney was accustomed to life indoors and was not prepared to live the life of a community cat – thanks to a compassionate man who fed and cared for the colony Barney survived.

 

But, as the caregiver soon began to notice, life wasn’t easy for Barney. He began showing up on the man’s doorstep, each time with more severe injuries. It seemed Barney was not being accepted into the colony and couldn’t protect himself. He knew he needed to do something but didn’t know where to turn.

Help was not far off. Staff and volunteers from Animal Friends would soon visit his neighborhood. They were going door-to-door offering free spay and neuter services to the neighborhood residents through Animal Friends for Life. When we heard about Barney, we wasted no time and brought him to Animal Friends so his second chance could begin.

 

When he arrived, Barney was examined by our on-site veterinarian. She discovered that his battle scars were just the beginning of his troubles. Barney was also showing signs of an upper respiratory infection and tested positive for FIV. This meant he had a slightly weakened immune system. An indoor cat can live a healthy life with FIV when seen by a vet regularly. But an outdoor cat who had to contend with the elements would have a much harder time.

 

What was even worse, the veterinarian quickly noticed that Barney had a rare condition that causes the edges of his eyelids to invert. If left untreated, this could cause permanent blindness. Luckily, Barney was in the right place. He was vaccinated, treated for his upper respiratory infection and was neutered and microchipped. Barney also successfully underwent surgery for his eye condition and is now seeing perfectly!
 

Had Animal Friends for Life not met the colony caretaker, Barney would not have survived. Thankfully, help came just in time for Barney, but there are still more homeless pets in our region that need your help.

Now, you can help more animals just like Barney receive the lifesaving support they desperately need by purchasing Sarris Candy. Click here and use Group ID# 10-0375 and designate Animal Friends as your organization when placing your candy order and you'll be supporting Animal Friends in the sweetest way possible!

Don't delay! The deadline to place your online order is April 7.

Townsend's Solitaire

Rare Western Thrush Visits NB

Townsend's Solitaire

For the past 3 weeks there has been a Townsend's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) visiting a feeder area in Riverview.  As shown above, this is a long, slender very gray bird.  It is a member of the Thrush Family (Turdidae) but is a little different from other thrush members that normally live here, e.g., robins, hermit thrushes, bluebirds.  

The Townsend's Solitaire is dark gray above and light gray below.  It has a small dark bill, distinctive white eyering and splashes of beige on its wings.  It has white outer tail feathers and shows a buffy-orange colour under its wings in flight.  It is 21.5 cm long (8.5").  In the photo above note the eyering.  This bird is just beginning to show a bit of beige on the wings.  It is probably a juvenile just getting its adult plumage.

Townsend's Solitaire [National Geographic Complete Birds of North America, p. 483]

The illustration above shows the adult, young and a bird in flight.  Note the buffy/beige patch on the wings of the perched adult and the white outer tail feathers.  The bird in flight shows the distinctive buffy-orange under the wings.  Most young thrushes are spotted as shown above.  Note the long tail.  It would be very unusual to see a young bird here because the bird does not breed in this part of North America.

Townsend's Solitaire

It is rare for this species to show up in NB.  It normally breeds in British Columbia, Yukon and Alaska and winters in the western US south to Mexico.  It is a permanent resident in the mountains of the western US.  Townsend's Solitaires breed in the mountains and come to the lowlands for the winter.  They feed on insects, worms and berries.  Normally they feed on juniper berries in winter.

According to Birds of New Brunswick An Annotated List there have been about 15 records of visits of this species to NB.  They come in fall and winter and often do not come to feeders.  Clearly their arrival is a result of disturbed migration patterns.

Thrushes are noted for their songs.  This species sings a very long warbling sound much like a purple finch or certain warblers.  There is no common species here that one would mistake this species for.  However, it could be mistaken for a Northern Mockingbird which shows up here in small numbers every year now.  The mockingbird is larger and does not have the white eyering, has two white wing-bars and a longer bill.

Winter is an unique time for those interested in birds.  The cold weather and scarcity of food tend to bring birds to feeders.  That makes it easier to notice a rare visitor.  We have had many this year in New Brunswick.

Scene and Story for January 2017

How do I embrace the long month of January?

I fill it with all the things I love!

I light a candle in a pretty cut crystal candle holder.

I reread some favourite books to savour them once again

and discover new delicious details I may have missed before!

I get out my yarns and crochet hook and start creating with colour and design.

There is nothing more rewarding!

I like to feel the softness of the yarn, choose the colours by the mood I'm in.

Feel the smooth metal of the hook work its way in and out of the stitches

in a calming rhythmic manner.

Creating circular designs which have a beautiful harmonious feel to them

Mandalas too are full of flowing harmony.

Snip the yarn, sew in the loose ends.

What shall I make?

It doesn't matter for now.

Just create and sigh a sigh of contentment.

The pleasure is in the doing as much as in the foreseeable end product.

January can be a tad grey and windy and cold and wet or snowy,

but all these things are a perfect excuse to do everything I love doing!

Even photography is possible indoors

and although it can be more of a challenge, because of poor lighting,

it's time to get out that wide open prime lens and play with distance and angle.

So dear January

Do your best with wind and snow

I am snug at home!

***

Joining Sarah at Paisley Rain Boots and Lee at Sea Blue Lens

for Scene & Story every month.