Norwood News

I love Williamsbridge Oval. Many days I can be found walking around the park, camera in hand, enjoying the scenery, the birds (I have counted over 20 different species, including red-tailed hawks, mockingbirds and red-bellied woodpeckers) and yes, I admit it, even the squirrels.

There is White Tip, the little squirrel that has half a tail which has a bright white patch on its end. There is One Eye, who almost three years ago went blind in his left eye and is still seen scampering around. As I was walking in the park the other day, I met its newest resident, Stevie.

On the last day in April, a woman came into the recreation center and complained that a group of children were picking on a baby squirrel. Senior Coordinator Noel Pesante, Deputy Manager Sheroly Jones and Maintenance Supervisor Annmarie Alston went outside and picked up the little creature and brought it inside. Noel put the baby inside a box, covered it, and searched the Internet for information on baby squirrels. Since the kids had carried the squirrel around, its mother could not be found. Its life was now in Noel’s hands.

After she got off work, Noel went to a local pet store and purchased a small plastic cage, some squirrel formula, and even a syringe to feed the little creature. Noel’s daughter, Elizabeth, fell in love with the animal and named her Stevie. “Stevie must have been starving,” says Noel. “She looked very weak when we got home. The second I fed her some formula she perked up and was bouncing around with energy.”

As I was walking through the park the next day, I came upon Noel, Tuwanda Ruffin, the recreation center manager, and Stevie. Noel had brought Stevie back to the park and was thinking about releasing her. Knowing a little about squirrels, I told Noel that Stevie was much too young to live on its own without its mother, and would not survive the night. Stevie looked to be about five to six weeks old, and a baby squirrel needs to be fed by its mother for at least the first eight to 10 weeks of its life before it can eat on its own. Also, a baby squirrel would not normally leave its mother’s sight until it was at least 12 to 14 weeks old.

Luckily, I had the phone number of Maura Mandrano, an animal rehabilitator who lives in City Island. I called Maura, and with her usual enthusiasm she told me she could help and told Noel that she had done a wonderful job with Stevie.

Noel, Annmarie and I drove to City Island to give little Stevie to her new mom. With a loving smile on her face, Maura took Stevie out of her cage and held her in her hands. Stevie immediately grasped Maura’s fingers tightly with her paws, and started sucking Maura’s thumb. Maura smiled and said, “We’re going home where there is not only much better food, but also other little squirrels to play with.”

Stevie will be released back into the wild in early summer, thanks to Maura, Noel and the caring workers at Williamsbridge Oval Park.