Spring unfolds... I heard a gray tree frog sing on Sunday, April 16th.
I submitted my water beetle photo to iNaturalist. Someone kindly identified it for me.
Understriped Diving BeetleDytiscus fasciventris
🐣PHOEBE has returned for nesting season.
Phoebe has begun a nest. Unfortunately it is on a cross beam, which critters can climb.
I put a baffle around the post beneath the nest. I thought it safe, as there are many climbing predators.
I was checking on the phoebe nest, when I nearly stepped on a garter snake in the doorway. I know who was to blame. He likes to bring them up out of the woods. He was duly scolded.
He has been watched carefully. The birds are just too fast for them. On our large lawn they see him coming a mile away. Mostly he releases the reptiles.
We try to let the cats out for a good run in the early morning. Then, having not fed them, they hustle in for breakfast. It works pretty well. Now, Cinnamon is such a sweet boy. He is scared to death of Pepper, our newest visitor cat. Three times over the last 4 days, he waits by the door for JB to come back in after his walk, dekes out the door faster that a speeding bullet. At that point, he is out until he is hungry again.
Cinnamon & snake from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
I moved the trailcam back to the end of the pond. Something has been chewing on the strap! There was a snake at the base of the tree. I don't think the snake is to blame.
This is a garter snake protecting the trailcam, frozen at the base of the tree! It was hoping I wouldn't notice it sitting there.
In the evening, we were sitting watching Endeavour, when a bat flew into the room. Happily, it landed on the chimney brick while I fetched the butterfly net. JB was stationed at the door and I hustled it outside. That was an adventure. Josephine would have loved it!
13 comments:
...I'm not a fan of snakes.
Neat to see the tree frogs. I have only ever seen one.
Cinnamon, leave the snake alone!
You would win the number of critters award today! It's spring and they are all out and about!
Great shots Jenn, love the froggers! ☺ I just put the second trailcam out in the back to catch photos of the birds, can't wait to see what I get!
Garter snakes are a lot of fun. We actually had a toad on our little urban patio the other day, and we got so excited. It's such a rare sighting. It's not here any more that we can find... We do see bats in the sky but have never had one venture down.
You ARE getting spring. I love it all except the snakes. I'm not fond of rodents but snakes -- nope!
Your place has really come alive. I could do without the bat though.
Spring is such an exciting and vibrant time - for so many species.
Our garden birds main predators are domestic cats. Fortunately we don't have climbing snakes or too many mammalian predators. I agree, if in doubt ask Google. Not ideal as Google have an longer agenda I don't share.
Like your bat that are on your property or should I say their property.
how nice to see frogs and other animals waking up from winter sleep. I have not seen any yet.
Lovely video of Cinnamon, but he should leave the snake alone! Lovely to have the phoebes nesting, funny that they're so messy in their nest building!
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