Thursday 30 April 2020

Penultimate chorus frogging post

UPDATE: Our local vet agrees that Nutmeg might have worms, what with her throwing up and her mice friends. She ordered a pill, half today, half in two weeks. Also, don't snicker, probiotics for the little thing. She took the pill easily, JB held her, I shoved it down her throat.

JB drove in, they brought out the meds and the handheld device and he paid from the car. Our vet told us her barn cat brought home a rabbit. Nutmeg celebrated by bringing in a chickadee. I'm going to bring in the feeders as soon as the rose-breasted grosbeaks arrive.

A giggle during the times of COVID–19.


Back to our drive...

Happily, collisions are down in the area.

Chorus Frog Hunt

It was epic!

It was the last kick at the can. My assigned protocols said I'm to visit each assigned spot twice. I ended up visiting a couple thrice. I find it difficult to follow rules! I was assigned sites 300 and 301, then found chorus froggies in 4 other spots.

They will stop their spring mating shortly, and I will never see one!
We made a plan...

AWildlife Rd.
BNarrows Locks
C609 Code Drive
D202-2 North Shore Rd.

Off we went. The local market was quite busy. 


This is site  C. A private road, but it was pretty quiet, except for the chorus frogs! The ponds lay on either side of the driveway.


Site C
chorus frogs from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.


From there through Smiths Falls. CheapMart was quite busy. I don't think I'd ever order groceries from them, and we try to boycott them. Their industry standards and treatment of staff, cheap goods, have destroyed the market for quality goods and materials.



This is site 301. (I've given up on site 300.) I couldn't get close enough into the swamp to see anything. I did hear lots of leopard frogs right near me, you can hear them in the video. The chorus frogs, as well as ducks, further out in the wetland, and you cannot hear them on the video. I was wearing my holey boots and should have brought my chest waders.

Frogs Site 301 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.



Someone is building...


I love these farm houses.



Bee keepers are getting going.



I like this spot.



House for sale!

$439,000 - PORTLAND – R6730 Also: Video tour.

It has 46 acres. A nice bonus. I think I'd want a honking big deck on the back!


As we drove, we drove into clouds.



Then, drove out of them!


I'm not sure what they are doing here. We have yet to visit this spot during an actual market day.



Part 2 tomorrow!

Wednesday 29 April 2020

Owl pellet, pandemics, prey report

I'll just place this here. There are protests. I hope you are well. We are managing, yet the stress is horrible. I'm having trouble reading, which drives me nuts.

I heard a CBC radio show, after getting up to clean up throw up at 4 a.m. (More on that below.) It was really interesting. How badly governments can mess up by denying illness. This has happened over history, i.e., cholera in 1892 (a miasma, or bad air), and a small town wouldn't let federal help whip them into shape. The German government was ruled by merchant elites who didn't want to close their borders. Of course, it's the poorest of the poor who suffered.  They lacked toilets and sanitation.
CBC Ideas Dear Leader
I found an owl pellet. They excrete the white mute, then throw up the pellet of fur and fine bones which could damage their digestive system. I'm going to save it for the girls, and see if they want to dissect it!



First daffy!



Soon it'll be time to put them outdoors, if it ever warms up!



Nutmeg is in the dog house. She is a wicked hunter. She brings them all to the doors to bring inside. The nuthatch she took into the office, where she feels safe. I brought a blanket with me, and tossed it over the bird. I released it out the back door.

Nutmeg has been horrid. This wee little kitten. She has been throwing up, too. It was 2 and 4 a.m. this morning, a couple of times yesterday. I'm  hoping it is something simple like worms. We'll have to phone the vet and see what we can do. They've been doing terrific curbside service. (Not that they have curbs in their rural parking lot!)



We had a parcel delivered from Lee Valley Tools. I bluebird house, and a new stand for my trailcam. The driver is a bit of a character. He told me that UPS is two weeks behind. They are trying to get them in to work Saturdays. He did a half-day, but then they wanted them to do a full 12-hour day. That is ridiculous. Apparently, people are ordering dog food and food from Costco, and they are totally backlogged. I told him that was ridiculous. Everyone needs a break.

He also told me that in this, the 7th week of self-isolation, people were suddenly out and about on the roads. We were, as well, doing my last chorus frog survey. That is done. (More on that later.) Lets see what happens in the next few weeks.

Heads up!

Clip15 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Tuesday 28 April 2020

Saturday afternoon drive

Our Internet has been going off every morning for the last few days. It hasn't been happy times.

Off to check my assigned and unassigned Western Chorus Frog sites, there were a lot of cyclists out and about. Motorbikes, ATVs, and walkers, as well.


Site 300

Nada! As I emerged from the ditch, there were cyclists!



I've always liked this spot.



I'm proud to say we did NOT run over this painted turtle. I took it across the road in the direction in which it was headed. It was 13 C., which was lovely.



Site A

This is what I call Site A. I'd just happened by and heard them calling last time. It's right beside an old quarry. It's a lovely green, the water.
I don't know what the truck was doing. There was no one in it. There was a car in front, the driver walking around the car smoking. We skedaddled.



Chorus frogs Site A from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.


Jebbs Creek is full!



Site301

Success!

Chorus Frogs Site 301 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We always giggle at these signs. I mean, why would they be playing in the street??!! Then, we kept on driving, and saw 5 teens biking!



This is the back of the old Nestle building, now Canopy Growth.



There were quite a few people at Old Slys Road finding some nature. There was a loon, as well. We didn't stop for a photo.



Some people have been physically distancing. As we drove, there were a lot of people sitting in a circle on driveways, keeping a discreet space between them. There were lots of cars at some places. Several places had more than several people hanging out.



People out fishing on the Rideau.



We thought we'd try Code Road, there were none where I'd heard them before. However, just before that spot, I could hear them. Out I got. This is site C. Site B is Narrows Locks.



chorus frogs from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

There were none at the place I'd heard them before, Site B.

We passed these kids, there was another ATV in the group. We were doing the speed limit, but they were catching up to us!