This photo was sent in by an OCLT stewardship member......she wondered what animal it might belong to....  We sent the photo in to the MNR to ID......does anyone else have ideas?  It's all over the trails in the Ochonski Rd area, and areas south of the 5th concession......

UPDATE: January 9th/2012

This photo provided in mid December has been confirmed as scat from a Black Bear - Ursus americanus,  by our resident authority and OCLT Director, Jim Richards.  He has this to say;

 “ Probably an individual displaced perhaps by dogs during the fall hunting season, that has found its’ way to the Orono Crown Lands. I would suggest this will be a temporary situation until spring, after the usual hibernation period, when no doubt the animal will seek a more permanent home. ”

Chris Hislop a Resource Management Technical Specialist, with the Ministry of Natural Resources has seconded this opinion about the scat;

 “Given the time of year it is likely that the bear has found its way to a den for the winter by now, but warm weather can occasionally coax them out for a sniff around before heading back to their den.”

Thanks Jim!
Thanks Chris!

For more information on Black Bears, please visit the Ministry of Natural Resources Bear Wise Program at;

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/Bearwise/

Report from  stewardship member Ryan Hall......

A Northern Flying Squirrel has been visiting the bird feeder at his home in Orono nightly for the last couple of weeks.  Northern Flying Squirrels are nocturnal, so getting a photo has been difficult.  This squirrel loves peanuts!  Ryan feels that the squirrel lives in the forest behind his house north of the Mill Pond.  There are many dead trees with cavities, where this squirrel may have found a home.

The Northern Flying Squirrel - Glaucomus sabrinus, is listed on this web site as a rare inhabitant of the Orono Crown Lands.

Watch for a future  article in Clarington This Week, where Margaret Carney talks about this sighting in her column "Out Walking"

Thanks, Ryan!