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Home My WebLink AboutClinton News-Record, 1985-08-14, Page 15s•c Racoons Ay. � 1 • Federation f OntarioNAtUrallsts As dusk settles, and you and f begin to un- wind for our sl p, they begin to wake. In- teynal cloeka-lihe.yours and mine -herald sunset. From bizdrre; little -homes amid rot • ting logs. or, hobo* stumps and trunks - or even attic - they venture forth. Ready, it • seems, to Wreak havoc! Some head for ravines, carefully turning logs in search of • worms and June bug "larvae - delicious! Others head for stye ; to dextrously fish for crayfish. And the other 08 per cent - it in- correctly seems - head for garbage cans, cherry trees and vegetable patches. Racoons! Few animals engender as much emotion; people either 'love 'ern' or 'hate 'em'. Some love to hate 'em. But that's hard- ly surprising if one has a really close look, and gets to know these mammals. Above all, the racoon is an opportunist. Most animals have very narrow, specific dietary requirements, nesting or home needs, and a rather finely -balanced rela- tionship with predators and prey.Some eat nothing but insects - ora specific kind of in- sect. Others feed only on -Seeds.; others - still on leaves or bark. Many need precise slo- pe and soil conditions in which to- excavate burrows, or a sPecific species and"condition of tree in which to nest. Many are tied exact- ly to the abundance of prey, or predators. The racoon, by contrast, can adapt .its diet, its living space needs, and even its behaviour, to utilize, whatever's available. Add to this, dexterity and ingenuity. And. above all, its tolerance of people and (most) The Clinton Playground program has kept the area children busy this summer: One of their many activities has been rollerskating at the arena. Cindy Gibbings was one of 30 children lacing her skates. (Anne Narejko photo) i OPTOMETR R.W. BELL OPTOMETRIST The Square, GODERICH 524-.7661 JOHN LONGSTAFF OPTOMETRIST Seaforth 527-1240 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9:00-5:30 Saturday 9:00-12:00 noon Closed Wednesdays BY APPOINTMENT Free parking on premises INSURANCE JOHN WISE INSURANCE BROKERS LTD. General lnsurance Guaranteed Investments Clinton Office:482-3401 Res.: 4824265 REPAIR ECTRIC MOTOR PROBLEMS...we con help!! •FARM MOTORS •POWER TOOLS •REWINDING FAN BLADE PULLEYS FAST SERVICE!! POWER HOUSE Electrle tors 235-1319 Huron St. E., Exeter Business and Professional Directory iOOpl s �r ce of it. in e til, natural landscape,. racoons )104 r streams and marshes to feed, since they,o et a fantastic abundance of `ender fare's o fish crayfish and insect larvae to name t a few. But, to colonize other landscapes, the racoon's at home with. seeds, acorns, nuts, eggs and'small main - trials (forests), vegetation, snakes or lizards; (meadows and even deserts) corn, some grains and soft fruit (agriculture} countryside). And, off course, food wastes, which we humans provide in some abun- dance. Racoons are almost as adept with their sensitive front "hands" as you and I - have a really close look at one opening a latch if ou have the opportunity. And, when food is t e object, they learn a task in 1/8 the time a c t takes. Together, these opportunistic features have de the racoon one of the most suc- cessful mammals in the western hemisphere. Two species colonize virtually all of nqrth and south America, from the edge of Canada's boreal forest, south almost to the equator, Isolated for rbullenia, ra- coons on various southern islands - mostly in the Caribbean - have evolved in response to the special food, climate and other condi- tions there, into separate species. It's always interesting to hear the excite- ment of a `northerner' at the mention of'`ra- coon". for `coons' don't extend much north of 48 degrees (Lake Superior's north shore) ; the boreal forest offers a paucity of large trees and logs suitable as `homes', limited variety and abundance of the nuts, frogs and invertebrates, and too long a winter to live -- off the £at reserves. •(Racoons sleep for much of the waiter, but don't enter true hibernation) Tlie relative rarity of racoo m ural • areas is a function of food, and the cocci parative rarity of largee WHO hardw,pods and crevices available for colonization. As well, young are eaten by, coyotes , and wolves, raptors, lynx andother' wild cats. • But in urban area, ".we've fined that". We. have essentially eliminated the larger predators, at the same time providing abun- dant food and myraid attics, chimneys and jnollow trees deal for `homes'. The result a large popttion, which each spring pro - ,,duces three to seven young for every female. About now these progeny are out in search of new "hollows" which they'll use as "home base" while fattening up for fall, then overwintering, then rearing young. At- <, tics with loose fascia boards of soffit, aban- doned. kitchen chimneys ( with mortar `rot- ted' in the attic level), and summer -disused fireplace chimneys are all vulnerable targets. Now's the time to make certain they're secure. Making sure that anyoc- cupants are out first, you can cap abandon- ed chinineys, install a "cage" of expanded metal grating over fireplace chimneys, and nail hardware cloth (heavy 1 4" -mesh screening) behind loose fascia boards. An" excellent pamphlet is available free from the Federation of Ontario Naturalist, 355 Lesmill Road, Don Mills, M3B 2W8. Be sure to enclose a large self-addressed stamped envelope with your request. Two appointed to Housing Authority • James W. Cardiff of Brussels and Jon M. Gaiser of.Exeter have been appointed to the Huron County Housing Authority, Housing Minister Alvin Curlin announced. Cardiff, a real estate broker, will serve a federal representative, and Mr.. Gaiser, who is in the insurance and real estate business, will serve as a provincial representative on the seven -member authority that manages Ontario Housing Corporation's 415 assisted housing units in Huron County area. The federal, provincial and municipal governments nominated individuals for ap- pointment to the housing authorities by pro- vincial order -in -council. The province ap- points the housing authority chairman. The day-to-day management of OHC's 84,000 housing units is carried out by local housing authorities, although the primary responsiblity for assited housing remains with OH ie: OXIC chairman Allan Moses said, • "By , olunteeritlg their time to serve on the local hnusinp aiithnrity nrivate citizens such.as Conservation drill available Huron Soil and Crop Improvement Association, Soil and Water Conservation District will have a conservation drill available free of charge to co-operators this fall for the planting of winter wheat. The drill is one of the pieces of conservation equipment available to area farmers in-, terested in developing conservation tillage REPAIR Clinton Electric 0 White -Westinghouse -}-{Ft rt p tri n t Appliances Sales and Service APPLIANCE REPAIRS ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE 90 ALBERTST. 482-3646 APPLIANCE I and REFRIGERATION REPAIR SERVICE Jim Broadfoot 482®7032 INSURANCE McKILLOP MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY 91 Maio St. South, Seaforth Office 5 27 -04 00 FARM, HOME, COMMERCIAL AUTO COVERAGES AGENTS E. F. "Bill" Durst 527-1455 Bob McNaughton 5274571 Graeme Craig 887-9381 Banter & MacEwan Insurance Brokers lid. 524-8376 NSUL'ATICN GODERICH ENERGY SEAL AND'INSULATION Complete insulation of attics, basements, walla 'Sealing & removal of UFFI `L'replacement windows Eneraoal draft -proofing E; ventilation of attic of home rihumldity problems solved 37 KINGSTON ST., GO ERICH 524.2311 out-of-town call collect ELECTRIC •ECONOMY •QUALITY *SERVICE BARRY BUCHANAN 3078 THREE PHASE ELECTRIC 1-800-265-9255 ASK FOR P,O.6Ox 1136 CLINTON. ONT. NOM 1L0 YES. 482.7374 KIRBY DELLER 1266 GLASS/ALUMINUM See us for your building projects •Glass and mirrors •Energy-efficient replacement windows *Window & screen repair • Plexiglass • Door service and repairs •Complete range of aluminum siding and building products Clinton GIA051 mirror and aluminum products 24 Princess St. West, CLINTON 482-3322 ' HEATING/AIR CONDITIONING CBAILLYS' MILL STREET, HENSALL 262-2020 Specialists in Pulse Combustion Heating. • Lennox Pulse Furnaces • Hydro Pulse Boilers • Lennox Central Air Conditioning WE'RE PROUD TO BE YOUR... LENNOX DEALER ACC )NTAINIT.; .,W.L. BUTLER CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT Trustee in Bankruptcy Farm Financial Statements "OFFICES 19 Victoria Street, North Goderlch 524-2834 or 524-8658 323 Lambton Crt., Kincardine 396-7088 S Ontario St., Clinton 482-7541 (of H&R Block) FARM patz SALES and SERVICE Installation KEITH SIEMON FARM SYSTEMS LTD. RR 4 Walton Phone 345-2734 or 482-1971 FOR FREE PLANNING AND ESTIMATES Mr. Cardiff and Mr. Gaiser are helping to ensure that Ontario's assisted housing pro- f gram is sensitive and • can respond to the needs of the many communities it serves." ' The Huron County Housing Authority -manages 331 senior citizen assisted housing units and 84 units for low-income families. The authority also provides housing for physically -disabled and mentally -retarded persons who are capable of living on their own. production packages on their farms. The 10 foot wideconservation drill was purchased from the BEST Manufacturing Company and can be used . in no -till, minimum tillage and ridged fields. The dou- ble disc openers are notched to.outcrop. .residues and. are set seven and, one-half in- ches apart. The height of each disc opener is also adjustable for planting in a ridged field. The BEST drill is equipped with ACRA - plant units (with a firming shoe between the disc openers), which forms a smooth, firm seedbed. Each shoe -runs slightly lower than the disc openets to leabe a narrow trench for : better seed to soil contact. Press wheels firm soil around the seed and act as gauge wheels to regulate seeding depth. . .The drill is available to farmers this fall to plant up to five acre tillage trials of winter wheat on differing soil types and -areas throughout the county. These trials will compare the response of different . varieties to differing soil condi- tions, residues, fertility, weed and insect control in no -till, minimum tillage or ridge' tillage conditions: Technical assistance provided to co- operators includes evaluation of the site before planting, transportation of equip- ment to the site, (farmers must provide their owmtractor and driver), assistance at Turn to page 15 • Melanie R. Scott R.N. Melanie Scott recently graduated from Georgian College, Orillia with a diploma 'in Health Science and has received her Cer- tificate of Competence from the College of Nurses of Ontario.) She is presently employed as an Assistant Charge Nurse at Lakewood. Camp, Wainfleet. Melanie is the daughter of Murray and Wilina Scott of RR 1 Belgrave. , l' ,• To Douglas Miller R.R.2 Bayfield Michelle Hoggarth canton Kimberly Taylor R.R.3 Clinton Sharon Ducharme Clinton Joanne Passchier Blyth Christine Wommes R.R.1 Clinton Annette Loglkhart canton Debbie Draper Clinton Lauren Schellenberger Clinton David Macdonald London Jonathon Potter Londesboro 1'onia Seddon R.R.1 Bayfield Kara Hiltz Clinton Tracie Carter canton A PLACE FOR KIDS On Aug. 14 Aug. 15 Aug. 1 5 Aug. 16 Aug, 16 Aug. 16 Aug. 17 Aug. 17 Aug. 17 Aug. -18 Aug. 19 Aug. 20 Aug. 20 Aug. 20 Travelling Games I. The Action Game If you're stuck in a traffic jam, here's a fun way to pass the tittle and perhaps entertain other driver's! One person starts the game by, for example, tapping his nose. The second players repeats the gesture and then adds another, for example, pulling his ear, The third player copies these two actions and adds yet another move- ment. The list of actions to remernber.gets, longer and longer — until, eventually, someone will forget an action, and has to'drop out of the game. If there are just two people playing, the other person then becomes the winner. If ,more than two people are playing, the winner is the last player left who can do all the actions in order. 2) The Word Plus game One person in the car chooses a word, prefera- bly a long one, and writes it down. All the players then make a5,a many words as they can from the letters in the long word, Set a time limit of a few minutes and then count to see who has the most ► words. The winner then chooses the Tong word for the next round of the game. Distributed by Cannda Wide Feature Service Limited ° 198.5 Mt chuy Prothero