What a day it was!

 Saturday was an amazing day. It was like summer at 25℃, just balmy.

Our snow is all gone!

Daffodils are coming up.

We got lots done. The water fountain attracts all sorts of critters. This dock spider was hanging out under the tarp. It disappeared.

The phoebes are making a nest in the same spot. There seems to be a construction issue! 

I threw the old one on the ground. It was a bit of a mess. 

I was looking out over the old veggie garden spot, and spotted the first garter snake of the season. I was too slow to get too close: archive photo! They are great bug eaters...

They hibernate in old mouse holes and such, under the rocks until it warms up.

We've dismantled the veggie garden. I didn't have the back for it. There is a pine tree growing!

Both water barrels are set up. Mind you, as I write this Sunday morning it is snowing. 😖😕 It won't stick around in April.

The daffodils are coming along out front.

I washed all this plastic containers. There are 12 of them from over the winter. Someone always picks them up. They are useful for people! 

 These sweet little things are all over the front lawn. I know they are invasive, but so am I!

Scilla luciliae

Spring means rain!

First, to answer Barb's question: " Will they nest in a tree, or do they need a box?"

They do nest in trees, but I have two nest boxes on the property. People on the lake have installed nest boxes, and taken some of my customers! That's okay, I've lots of photos and we want them to survive.

 Friday was an amazing day. I got so much done outside after days of cool, cold, and intermittent or heavy rains!

#75 was soaked!

The coyotes took down a fawn. The crows are gathering its fur from time-to-time. They don't like me watching them. Clever birds.

I'm keeping an eye on Barry Beaver's work. The water is high, which bodes well for his lodges and wetland protection.

Our heavy rains means Barry Beaver has a safe place to hide, in the wetland.

Aren't they precious?!

I managed to get the water fountain going. It's a miracle. It may be too early, with an overnight low of -4 ℃, but if it keep moving that'll keep it going. When I unwrapped it, it was full of snow water. I shall have to remember to cover it a little better next winter. (Non-mental note!)

I was ready for a shower and jammies after!

Butch raccoon

I don't have a conclusion for our ill raccoon. I have to process it all. Short story, it appeared, slept in the wood shed, and it left in the night. 

April 13th

We spotted Butch raccoon wandering around. It didn't look quite right to me.

 

 It came right up to me, which was worrisome. It wasn't aggressive, which was good. 

  

This is not normal behaviour! It wasn't aggressive, so it isn't rabies. We don't have too much rabies around here in the wild.

It settled itself in the shed. I was curious.  

MiniFred wasn't amused. She began whistling, her warning signal. (They are called Whistlepigs in some places!)

After dinner, down I went to check it out. Curled up in the wood shed, it was asleep. I was worried it was dead, but I could see its chest gently rising and falling. The next morning it was gone.

 

I cleverly put a trailcam on the chair, facing Fred's burrow. Sadly, I had no useable footage. The wind knocked it over.

I'm wrong. There is lots of useable footage, but trees blowing in the wind lose their appeal after 700 videos!

Joe Brian did some research. He thought it might be Distemper. Dogs and cats are given inoculations against distemper. Our cats are up to date on their shots. 

 

I emailed our Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary (RVWS), sending them the photos and videos. They are busy with baby animals that are sick, lost, abandoned or injured. Their summer staff haven't begun. The universities are in exams. 

Kayley said she checked with ED Linda, and they thought Butch was too co-ordinated to have Distemper. Anyway, I went out the next morning, Tues., Apr. 14th, and it was gone. You'll recall, we all released a dozen raccoons back in mid-October. They have scattered. There seems to be a group of 3 and another group of six over the winter. 

RVWS said to call them if he returns and we will figure out what to do. 

Saturday's Critters # 644 for criitter fun.

The Spring Peepers are peeping!

US ICE detentions  story #45

This really is ridiculous. The Canadian, Douglas Dixon, living in Florida, pled guilty to owing back taxes as his smoothie stand went bankrupt during COVID, was paying it back, checked in with his parole officer, and a bunch of them were arrested. Most for unrenewed licenses. This poor man didn't tell his family he was in debt. He was embarrassed. 

Dixon said the men in his pod were arrested because they “didn’t have complete paperwork or did not renew their [driver’s] licences,” and were rounded up by ICE at the licence bureau.

This is insane. 

OK, back to my wildlife. We are in full-throated Spring. The wood frogs, tree frogs, and spring peepers were in full chorus last night. 

We'd had more rain, and the wetland is really full. There are flooding warnings all around. Not great news.

This, iPhoto tells me, is a Red Fox Sparrow. New for me! I was afraid to get up out of my chair and scare it off. 

What a surprise! A male wood duck up in the tree in the backyard. This is the same pair, I'll bet, I found on Barry Beaver's trailcam. Waddling around.

 

I was working out and spotted the male out back. Running upstairs, I grabbed the video camera. 

It was a foggy morning yesterday. But I got the evidence!

 

I have been reading these murder mystery/psychological thrillers by Freida McFadden, her real name is Sara Cohen. She is a specialist in brain diseases! Seriously!

I printed this off and I'm working my way through them. It keeps me occupied, and not about the horrific world news.

Trailcam Tails

 I am so behind on posting videos. We have stopped feeding deer. They have lots to eat now. 

 

 The turkeys have pretty much disappeared. In years past they would amble around with their harems, in full mating display.

   

 This tree sparrow was scrambling for bugs. The cats make this kind of move when we play! Maybe you aren't as keen as I, but I like seeing their little hop-scratch-search!

   

 The Skunk is still roaring up and back down the driveway. I am curious about the location of its home!

 

Lastly, a porcupine. It looks a bit smallish. Maybe a young one?!

 

#75, or rehabbed and released black squirrel, has been teasing cats!

The cats have had their tick/flea, etc., meds. 

I hope that helps with lots of horrific news out there. We had good news, in that we now have a majority government led by Mark Carney. We shall see what unfolds.  

Amazingly, the three new MPs are women, and 2 of them are women of colour. This is Canada.