Its not my fault that I am a mutant!
I have some sad news to report. Around 6pm park staff knocked on my door to let me know that our good friend “marshmallow” had been hit by a vehicle. Supposedly, a dog scared marshmallow into the road as the vehicle was passing by and very quickly it was over.
Marshmallow was first observed on the 15th of June in the Red House Picnic Area with mom and three brown siblings. Being raised in the picnic area, marshmallow would let you get quite close to observe and very unlike I would expect any true albino animal.
This kind albino woodchuck did frequent the road as many passers would try and take its picture! It truly was the talk of the area. By mid July, this bold male left mom’s territory as any young woodchuck should do. Marshmallow moved down the road along the bikepath near the Red House Dam overspill. It was this area which its last days were lived. It even made the Olean Times Herald News Paper just days before this incident.
Rest in peace my white (always dirty) friend!!
Bear Visit
Today the weather temp was a high of 86.2F and Low of 54.6F. About 8:30pm there was something that just told me to get up and look outside. What I found was a HUGE black bear that is probably around 200 pounds. It was checking out my grill which I had cooked hamburgers earlier. It then started climbing the tree and eating some sunflowers from my squirrel proof feeder (notice I said squirrel proof). Typically I take this down each evening but this guy beat me to it!! Ugg, Anyways, I started scrambling getting my camera in order to try and take some pictures! Of course, my screen door just kept on making the pictures look goofy but I did luckily get a shot in.
Not long after taking the picture, the bear got startled and climbed down the tree. It circled the tree and the bear started coming towards my screen door. I was probably about 5-7 feet away when I slammed the heavy thick door which in turn got the neighbors dog barking. This startled the bear and up into the woods it ran.
I believe that this bear started coming towards the house thinking I was going to give it handouts! The problem is that too many people try feeding the bears. Although I was very close to the bear, I was safe for the fact that I was able to close the door where it couldn’t get me. People don’t always have that opportunity and chance that the bear could turn on them. Just seeing a huge mammal like this had my heart pumping and was an amazing rush! There is just nothing like that experience!! So, if you do come across a bear in the wild, please don’t try to feed it! Making noise typically is enough to scare it away.
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 