Wednesday 28 February 2018

Life under the feeder

We're amping up into spring, for some reason. The weather has been far too mild for February.

There is an ebb and flow to normal seasons. I should be snowshoeing on the wetland, with the critters, well, flora and fauna, asleep safe in the bosom of the snow cover. This just isn't right. Climate Change is a terrible thing.


Feb. 27 at bedtime!

This requires a bit of explanation! Last night it was 10 C., I opened the door, and both Hooper and Daisy managed to scamper out. Daisy is fine, but Hooper still doesn't come and go freely. Hooper doesn't like going out in the daylight.

First, Daisy climbed the tree in the background, way up 20' or so. Hooper sat under the tree, all I could see were his paws and his eyes. He was fascinated. She began to come down, then paused.
Then, Hooper took off, climbing about 4' up another tree, paused, then ran down. He fired himself up Daisy's tree, in sheer joy. We were ready for bed and couldn't leave Hooper out.
I grabbed the videocamera and managed to capture Daisy as she was beside the pond.
I went out in my boots and housecoat, trying to herd him in by moving further out into the yard and swinging around. That worked, eventually! JB held the door. So much for my sleep hygiene! It took me awhile to settle down...

Daisy Hooper from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Feb. 27, 4:42 a.m. bunny

The bird feeder attracts all sorts of critters. With this early spring weather, I'm going to have to be vigilant and bring them in before Junior Bear wakes up. One reader claimed this is a hare, but I don't think its ears are all that long. I am often corrected, and I try to do my research. There is no sense spreading errors!
Bunny from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo. Feb. 27 at 10 p.m. and then 4 a.m. today, Wed., Feb. 28th.

Then there is Butch.
Butch raccoon from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Feb. 26th there were three hanging out together.
Butch x 3 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Faithful readers will recall my  Pileated Woodpecker and his large hole. I've been visiting irregularly, depending upon the ice cover on the ground. Back I went this week. There was a much smaller Hairy Woodpecker working the same tree.
Woodpecker from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

7 comments:

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
It will be interesting to see if they both nest there! Meanwhile, there's a blizzard blowing over the Hutch... YAM xx

DUTA said...

Climate change is ominous, but we're helpless about it, as about a lot of other things in life.
Hooper and Daisy are providing you with constant action. That's cute!

Olga said...

Wow, some well fed raccoons by the looks of them!

William Kendall said...

The raccoons have gotten through the better part of winter pretty well!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Disturbed sleep patterns are just the price you pay for being host to those wonderful pets and , really, to all the wildlife one could possibly see (or so it seems like to me).

Red said...

We've had a cold and snowy February...almost a record.

Christine said...

nice videos, they think it's already spring!