Saturday Critters

Our snow barely lasted the day, thankfully. The daffies don't look too thrilled. 

April snow isn't unusual (see the graph), in 2018 we had 20 cm that month. I've thrown the shovels into the shed, ne'er to be used until the end of the year. We're more likely to get April showers, however.

I wonder how the cold affects the critters. The ducks have laid. Although the one box is full, the other two are empty. The frogs are much quieter, the wood frogs quiet, but the spring peepers are peeping. I put the birdbath heater back into the birdbath. We have had subzero temperatures. I hope that is the last of them until fall!

Having worked a week on proper camera set up, I am having trouble! This is a screen grab from the video. This is where the video began. The ducks are so fast!

All you can see is the wood duck  tail!

We had a cat visit the dock. I can't imagine who, or where it's from. The nearest house has to be a km away. It seems to be a solid colour, unlike our visitor, Oregano, from the winter. frogpond cats 

on golden frogpond 

The muskrat continues to munch the native phragmites under the dock. The invasive one grow 15' tall. [Our country is getting rid of them <= local news story] Bless his little heart! muskrat in snow  

 

muskrat  

Nutmeg on pond   made an early visit to the pond. If you listen, you'll hear the wood ducks scolding her.

 

Normally, we don't see Butch in the daytime. He was out on the dock. It's funny hearing the spring peepers (only a few), and watching the ducks watching Butch eating their cracked corn on the dock. frogpond tails 

 

In an unusual moment, both the porcupine and Butch  raccoon appeared on the trailcam at the same time. It is a lovely spot for grubs. It's damp, where the frogpond drains into the wetland.

  

Back up at the house, the birds are still at the feeder. I haven't put them away yet, usually May, when the junior bears are sent away by momma bears. sparrow  Outside, watching the crows nest build, I heard songs sparrows. Also,  the witchety-witchety-witchety of common yellowthroats. They are dancing in the tree tops as the buds open.

Is it a song sparrow?

 

Thanks to Eileen for hosting our critters. They sure are heartwarming, aren't they?

Saturday's Critters #384