Thursday 11 May 2023

Crumbly Acres Critters

Yesterday was a lovely day, except for the haze from the Alberta wildfires. It is so hard to believe, but it is true. The smoke is wafting across the continent, a mere 3000+ km.  


The noise of the arborists haven't seemed to phase the wildlife. The 🐣PHOEBEs  under the deck have had a cowbird add an egg. This happened once before, but the phoebe abandoned the nest, and left one phoebe egg and the cowbird egg. 


The 🐣ROBIN hunkered down most of the day, with the eggs I found in the shed added to her nest.  

Percy is doing well. He's happier in the warmth of the day, our nights have been chilly and near 0 C. I've been feeding him, as there isn't a lot of action.


Walking to 'the back 40' to check out the wood duck nest box (no takers), I found the trillium blooming.


In the garden, my mysterious tulip bulb has bloomed. it's been here 6 years, as far as I can recall. I think they are the special Canada's 150th birthday tulips. These are the ones that didn't hold their red and white colours, but come up with a yellow tinge. The rabbit quite likes the tulips, she got them last year!

The horse chestnut leaves...



The 🐣HOUSE WRENs are back!


Pepper May 5 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We've a red fox, a frequent flyer! I'm pretty sure it is a fox. It has interesting markings.

 

red fox from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Then there are ducks on the pond:



14 comments:

Anvilcloud said...

That tulip may be too bright to be the Canada tulip, but that may just be how the camera processed it. Those tulips did not fair well. Pity.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Spring surge! YAM xx

Divers and Sundry said...

I'm torn about cowbirds. On the one hand nature does what it does, and cowbirds are apparently wonderful parents. On the other hand I mourn the loss of the songbirds :(

Tom said...

...that tulip is gorgeous.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Pepper is a beautiful cat, even in black and white.

RedPat said...

I wonder if Percy has learned his lesson.

Barbara Rogers said...

What a great series of photos of critters. That must be a very big fire to blow smoke so far away. Sad.

Elephant's Child said...

That tulip is a beauty. I am glad that the arborists didn't bother your wildlife. Very glad.

Nancy J said...

Pepper, he is making himself at home , when he stops to have a clean. Still a tad cool there at 5C, we have ZERO in the porch, well almost out in the cold air as the thermometer is on a post at the very edge of the verandah.6.45 a.m. not quite enough daylight to see if there is frost on the lawn.

Bindu said...

I like that tulip! I wish your camera shows the colour of robbin eggs!

William Kendall said...

I suspect the Tulip being out there is the result of the diligent work oof a squirrel gardener.

Red said...

Smoke from Alberta? You've got to be kidding. we don't have smoke here so the wind is taking care of it for us.

DrumMajor said...

I didn't know two kinds of birds would use the same nest! Must confuse the original egg owners. Linda in Kansas

Rajani Rehana said...

Beautiful blog