Nature at Your Doorstep
It Happens Every Spring

– By Russ Johnson –

As a public service, staff at the Rye Nature Center attempt to answer any and all calls about wildlife. As spring approaches, there are daily calls about fledgling birds. People who bought a cute baby bunny or downy chick for their children for Easter call to ask us how to care for the new pets, or dispose of the new pests. Our professional educators are often able to tell our callers about the natural history of the wildlife that they spot in their backyards. If we cannot answer a question, we refer the caller to the appropriate authorities to handle a potentially rabid mammal, or put them in touch with a wildlife rehabilitator for help with an injured critter.

Here is the transcript of a call received on April 1 last year, to give you an idea of how we typically handle such inquiries.

Caller: “Hello, Rye Nature Center? This is Mr. John Doe. I need you to come to my house right away and get your deer!”

Naturalist: “What’s the problem with the deer, sir?”

Caller: “It’s not just one, it’s four of them. They keep coming onto my lawn and eating my shrubbery. I just paid $6,000 for my gardener to install those shrubs and flowers and things.”

Naturalist: “Well, perhaps you or your gardener would like to attend one of our programs about deer-proofing your landscape…”

Caller: “No, I just want you to come and get your damn deer out of here.”

Naturalist: “I’m sorry, we don’t actually own the deer; we can’t just come and get them.”

Caller: “You’re a nature center, aren’t ya?  Come and get your *&%# deer!”

Naturalist: “What I mean, sir, is that deer belong to the Edith Read Sanctuary. You’ll have to call Jason Kline. Deer are definitely his responsibility.”

Caller: “Oh, then are you in charge of turkeys?”

Naturalist: “Are you having a problem with turkeys?”

Caller: “Yes, they are roosting in my neighbor’s trees every night.  Then, in the morning they jump down on the hood of my car and they are scratching it all up with their claws. My neighbor refuses to cut down the trees! So you gotta come and get your turkeys out of here!”

Naturalist: “I’m sorry, sir, turkeys are the responsibility of the Marshlands Conservancy. That’s where they all come from. Please call Alison Beall about the turkeys.”

Caller: “Well then, just what is the Rye Nature Center responsible for?”

Naturalist: “Squirrels, sir, we are in charge of the squirrels.”

Caller: “Good, then get over here right away! Those nasty little grey buggers have been a nuisance all winter. They ate up all the birdseed I put out for the birds. Then they chewed up the birdfeeder. I demand that you bring me a replacement bird feeder too!”

Naturalist: “I’m sorry, sir, I should have mentioned this… we are in charge of the black squirrels. For grey squirrels, you have to contact the Greenburgh Nature Center. Bill Lawyer is your man there.”

Caller: “Oh, I know them, but they are too far away.”

Naturalist: “Where are you calling from?”

Caller: “Harrison, but I have a Rye postal address!”