Fred, and a Lady Slipper

What is with this cold? 

I've a new photo of Fred and her newest 3 kits. I wish them well.

From what I have noticed, miniFred is still hanging around. Last year a coyote brought a caught kit towards the house, from lot 3 to 2. I wondered. I figured out that miniFred's siblings went that way. She was a little more shy and hung out in our yard. 

Since then, I have found her on the trailcam on the driveway. 

 

And on the trailcam. They can climb trees, but her siblings may have missed the memo.

I took an afternoon walk to see if I could spot a burrow. 

Possible hole in the rock?

The bonus of visiting the 3rd lot, is to check out the Lady Slippers. We have only one blooming this year, but two other plants. It is the only spot on our 16 acres where I have found them. On the edge of the wetland, sheltered under trees, but with dappled sunshine. 

Saturday's Critters

It's been critter central here.

I heard the Barred Owls talking to one another in the forest. I was awake early. It is the promise of the future as they raise broods. I found an owl pellet, and dissected it. They cannot digest the fur and bones, and it is regurgitated in a pellet. It tells us what they are eating. The rest they poop out in a white blob. That is the sign to look for the pellets.

2016

Mid-May a lone coyote:

 

Porcupine has been around, May 12th. Down at the pond it marks a plant. Also a 2nd clip of it on the driveway.

   

 I haven't had time to go down to the pond. This was mid-May, as well. The odd time I go down and there are ducks there. They flee as soon as they see me. I don't think we are having Wood Ducks in the nest box again. Good thing, as the weasel or mink have taken the eggs in the past. It is sad.

 

Good news that Fred has 3 kits. She is vigilant as she grazes.

They are being weaned, nibbling for the first few days having grass. This is my zoom lens on the deck. They are quite wary, as they should be.

I hope you have a good weekend. Our long weekend was last weekend, and people have opened up cottages. We see more visitors, the traffic screams by. The lines in stores get longer. We hunker down at home, being hermits! Crowds aren't our thing. 

There is much fun in sharing a love of critters. We gather at Eileen's blog on Saturday's Critters # 649.

Flowers, Freds

 I took the day off from outdoor work. Having been a couch potato most of the winter, it takes a toll! I had a volunteer gig, and it was good to get out. 

I changed my header to show the greens! And the lilacs.

The weather has been crazy with temperatures fluctuating. We have lots of wind from the north.

The highs have exceeded expectations, but overnight they said it'd be cold, i.e. 4 ℃. It was. It has been, for 3 days. 

I keep moving the flowers to the sun shine, and then bring them in the house over night. Basil, cherry tomato plants, and my Mother's Day gift of gorgeous-smelling petunias, all brought in over night.

More cherry tomatos (don't ask!) and the hummingbird fuschia are happy to be indoors.

I covered this planter with a blanket. 

Dratted Red Squirrel, DRS and Cinnamon's favourite critter to watch,  is undeterred. It has fur!

He sat there in the shade. 

Phoebe's 5 eggs have hatched. Fledging should be June 2nd. Non-mental note!

 

Our big news is that Momma Fred has at least 2 kits. They are born without fur, and spend some time in the burrow before emerging. 

Yam  had a good question: "As for the Freds, I also wonder if Mini has her own brood... or is supposed to have gone off independent and formed her own? "

It seems as if MiniFred is trying to come back home. She's only a year old, they can have a brood this early, but she is trying to visit the place where she was born...  That is my thought, as she keeps coming and going.

I spotted her on the driveway the other day. It happens from time-to-time. I don't think she'd leave kits if she had them. Momma Fred doesn't go far from the burrow.

 

Groundhogs are solitary. The only time I saw two here was on the videocam (April, 2024) there was a fight, or they mated. I didn't ask.

Momma Fred is vigilant. Last year coyote took 2 or 3 kits. Circle of Life. I don't think we'll be over run with groundhogs. I think MiniFred has a burrow across the highway. (What could go wrong?) 

Birding and Freds

What a few days in terms of temperature. Hot days previously, with cold warnings overnight, hanging plants were brought indoors. I woke at 2 a.m. and it was 10 ℃. By 6 a.m. it was down to 5!

The lilacs are in bloom, see in my header. I walked outdoors and couldn't figure out what beautiful thing was blooming! 

🐦 Birding

It's been a great season for 🐦birding. I haven't gone far. OK, not anywhere else. May is the season to bird during mating season when they are calling. Also, when the leaves aren't out in full. My back deck needs work, but we are so happy overlooking the yard.

Merlin's App certainly helps. I knew I had to look for Great Crested Flycatchers. OK, not great from the back deck! I am not quick enough, and have to switch between looking out to find them and then sliding on my reading glasses for the camera focus! 

Dunno, 'Proof of Life?' You can almost see them. This is me on the back deck, aiming into the forest.

I decided to venture out in the bugs in the early morning. Sure enough, in the back 40, where Barry 🦫 is busy. The results weren't as good as I thought. This is a bad photo of the Black-and-White-Warbler. Maybe it's not worth it?! I can listen to them...

Archive photos of Flycatchers. 

Swainson's thrush

Ovenbird

Goldfinch!!!

Robin

Fred Groundhog

Yesterday I had to document the tree losses. It is Fred's Groundhog's turn for fame. 

MiniFred and Fred had a fight. Momma Fred came over and chased her.

Momma Fred has been clear about MiniFred being around. There have been 2 chases that I've seen.

 

This is why! Caitlin thought of it. There are at least 2 kits. I have evidence...

Fred has been working on my Hosta! We just have to laugh.

Barry Beaver busywork

Oh, Barry Beaver! I haven't seen him out in the daytime since last year, Nov. 2025, in the snow. He's been out in the dark a lot. 

Sorry for the photo dump, but I do want to document the action, just in case we have to do something. I am amazed at the work. Back in the day, beavers used to be much larger. Glad that isn't the case now!

He continues girdling the trees to nearly falling. The wind and the weight of the tree takes over. I am fascinated with Barry and his work. They've lived here for ages. We have to balance the destruction, as opposed to the survival of the amazing critter. 

He is only going after aspens. 

This one didn't fall, it was leaning on another tree. He's been going at it. 

Here we are! I am safe, as the trees creak if they shift. I can hear them from the deck. Joe Brian doesn't go down there, it's not good walking for him. 

May 18th

Big winds, and power outages (26,285) across south and central Ontario. I was happy for the winds as the widow makers came down.

Barry's going after the aspen. Another tree fell on the precious tree. He's been going after this one for weeks.

 

I could hear the trees creaking. Sure enough, with the winds, the last tree felled leaning on another one he felled, it crashed. It's a relief. If he's going to take the trees down for food or lodging, he might as well eat it. 

We have a little grove growing beside it. This is where I stopped mowing the 'lawn.' Who needs more lawn?!

Finally they came crashing to the ground. Barry will be busy. I hope that means he won't fell any more!

It was a nice sunrise! We had 4 mm rain. The trees are just leafing out.

I set up a trailcam to dissuade Barry from working in the dark. No Barry, but a deer walked through. Nice leaves for her to chew! 

 

🦫 🦫 🦫 🦫 🦫 🦫 🦫 🦫 🦫 🦫 🦫 🦫

May 19

Another tree went down after I'd prepared this. In the background.

So much for our walking path! It's also my vantage point to check out Barry's wetland.

As Caitlin said on our family photo stream, "How rude!" I giggled...

I will watch to see if he removes and strips the branches. I expect he will. We may have to get people in to chop up the big trunks. Later. We'll let Barry do his work. Stay tuned! 

P.S. Fred has had more kits. She had 4 last year. The coyotes snagged 3, I think. More on this later. I was resting from planting my summer flowers and spotted this.  Two kits, at least. It was a 32 ℃ day. She looked roasted!