Ditch diving, wood duck nest boxes,

That was a project! Ditch diving for Earth Day on Wednesday and Thursday. I finished up a bit sore. I had a volunteer gig in the afternoon, I thought I'd get it off the To Do List. One more bag and I was done.

I had cleaning out the Wood Duck nest box on my To Do list. Too late. Some one has moved in, or at least renovated and created a nest-shaped bowl in the wood shavings. I put the baffles on it after I did ditch diving. Mistake. I was too tired and forget to take a water bottle. Joe was there helping me, and he went up to the house to 'fetch a pail of water.' Just kidding. A water bottle was appreciated. I lay down on the ground for a bit until the dizziness passed. 

The baffles are a bit short. They don't meet around the tree trunks. It is important, since this year a duck has been in the box and created a round shape in the shavings. 

This was May 25, 2019. A neighbour watched a fisher go in her nest boxes and eat the eggs. It is a tough world.

 

I ran out of sheet metal to protect the nest boxes. Both raccoons and weasels like to raid the boxes. 

Then there was the year (2023) the Momma bear ripped apart my nest box 📹. It was 9 p.m., June 3. The batteries died, and I missed the action.

 

This was the 'BEFORE!' then the AFTER, I opened it up, and checked carefully. 

Peeking in, there were no eggs in there. 

 

Ironically we have had a warning about local bears from the OPP on Facebook: 

 OPP warn of bear activity after encounter near Port Elmsley 

Someone reported a Momma and cubs 4.7 km away. This isn't the real panic time. It's when they begin mating in May, Momma and the male bears are getting frisky. Both sexes chase away the two year olds and the young 'uns take off to look for a new habitat. 

I sent Joe Brian in to fetch me some supplies. I need for sheeting and new downspouts. He came back since town was crazy. Perth Festival of the Maples!

This is where I fainted. I left the wagon and ladder.  Back we went the next day, after Joe went into town.

That was as high as I could manage. It's not a pretty job, but the best I could do. 

The daffodil garden is now in bloom. 

Joe rested on his laurel afterwards, having tea in the sunshine.

Have a great week!

Momma Fred and MiniFred

 I was standing on my driveway, taking a break from ditch diving, and spotted a groundhog running from the right to left across the highway. There were two cars oncoming, and another coming towards the critters. It made it, but I did startle. It was fast, but I did gasp.

BIG NEWS! 

We still have two Freds! I think Momma Fred is at the wood shed. She was doggy digging at the hole. The dirt was flying!  There will be a hill if I don't remove some of it!

FRED by the shed: 

MiniFred over the septic bed:

 Momma Fred is at the shed.

MiniFred was eating grass here.

Fred is excavating (renovating?) the burrow under the shed. I tossed the rocks away, as I am sure I don't want to run over them when I bring the lawn tractor out of the shed. 

April 2nd vs. April 24.

Clearly this is Momma Fred, with obvious teats.

More dirt on the pile.

I got rid of the extra dirt. I don't need a hill when I back the lawn tractor out.  She sat here, taking a break for a good while.

She had more work to do in the wood shed, burrow #2.

MiniFred is excavating and redecorating the burrow in the side of the hill. There are two exit/entrances.  

#1 and #2:

Dig #4 burrow

2025 in burrow #3 under the deck

MiniFred is vigilant, doing 'bear' to look for predators.

Saturday's Critters

 We are coming to the end of seeing some critters. The deer have dispersed to their summer yards.

The fisher bops in and out of the trailcams.

I have neglected some of the critters. In the forest both a raccoon and fisher.

   

 Soon the bird feeder will be put away. 

   

 Barry Beaver has been... nocturnal! 

   

 Skunk on the driveway! 

   

I think it went all the way to the backyard! There was a raspberry cane in the frame. Rookie error.

 

 Butch was after the pumpkin from last fall. They will eat anything! One of them climbed up on the deck looking for more. 

   

 Fred is happy to see the green grass! 

 

Saturday's Critters # 645 <= visit more critters at Eileen's blog.

Earth Day 2026

It was Earth Day. I went ditch diving in celebration. The problem with this stuff is that if people see someone else has treated the land badly, they follow suit. There is a man who goes around and picks up beer cans and bottles to claim the return $. I'd give him a bag to pick up the rest for me!

I found a wee ribbon snake in the ditch. Such a cutie, with lovely colours.

Look at what I spotted. Two heavy duty garbage bags. I could barely lift them up the hill. 

I left them on the side of the road, and sent an email to the township to let them know. I wasn't happy standing there. The traffic is fast. 

Clean ditches!

One bag full. Am I ever tired! There didn't seem to be as much garbage as in previous years. Then I remembered I'd only done 1/2 of the distance I wanted to do. 

In April, 2024, the kids helped me Spring ditch diving! Last year I had three bags full. Earth Day 2019 I gathered up 7 bags of garbage, but I went farther up the highway that year. 

I went back out Thursday, and finished up the other half. I ended up with two bags total. All of the highway on our frontage has been done. I was exhausted, scrambling up the sides of the hill. 

What a day!

 

Catching up with this and that

 The 'new' deck! Hunter rebuilt it for us. I shall stain it if we ever get some consistently warm weather.

We continue with the ribbon game in the bathroom. 

You know in animal rehabs and zoos they put stuff out as intellectual stimuli for the critters. Somebody went to the bathroom. Nutmeg was patiently waiting for Joe Brian to slide the ribbon under the door. So funny. I went to powder my nose and left the door ajar. She peek around at me to see if I was playing. 

We've had cold nights and warm days. In the warmth, the moths were out, then they thought better of it as it got cold!

Fred has been happy with green grass. 

She is vigilant.

I mistakenly filled the fountain too early! 

The early Spring flowers are almost in bloom. 

Daffodils, two days apart:

Lenten Rose, Hellebore 

Sweet little crocus:

My middle 'child' did a 10k run in Vancouver. I am most proud of him. I have explained to him that once you hit 40 it is all downhill! He is proving he is good. He turns 43 in May!  Joe Brian says, 'The first 60 years are easy!'

Bryony turned 8 yesterday. We spoke on the weekend when Jesse had 5 minutes to talk! She explained that they are having Student-led conferencing, and her friend will be late to her birthday party. They are so precious!