Friday, 12 May 2023

Walkies, flowers, owl pellets

 I took Cinnamon walkies. He found a spot where something had eaten a bird. He was quite keen on inspecting it. The mosquitoes are really bad, hovering about a foot off of the ground all throughout the forest.


The wetland is greening up. 

You can see where the ice storm forced the trees and bushes to fall over.

This fungus is growing on some downed birch trees.




cinnamon from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

 I'd heard the barred owls, and we found TWO owl pellets. This is the result of the owls regurgitating the fur and bones they are unable to digest. Of course I took them apart to see what they'd been eating. I took a photo of the spot, just in case they are regular visitors here. When we had a pair nesting in the backyard, the male had a favourite tree. I took a photo trying to remember where to look again! 



Two vole skulls!



We went to the Smiths Falls market and bought some plants for summer. I planted JB's cherry tomato hanging basket.







The water is slowly going down to normal levels. We sat here waiting for the light to change on the Rideau Ferry Bridge! They are working on it until July, and there are traffic lights for a single lane.



Fred groundhog appeared. I took this through the screen, just in case he ran away when I opened the door. A cute little photo, I've yet to get a good one of him.

He went back to feeding on the grass.
Then he heard me, and fled the scene. Back under the lower deck to safety.

Here we go. Another sunny day. I've wood to stack, but I think I will wait until the birds hatch. The House Wrens are back, as well as the phoebe and robin's nests under the deck. The back deck is not too buggy, what with all our flying friends.


11 comments:

Tom said...

...Crumbly acres is looking good.

Anvilcloud said...

So, the skeeters are out now. They weren't where I went early this week. Sigh. It's always something.

Barbara Rogers said...

So much bird food from all those mosquitoes! That's about the best thing I can think about them. I'm getting new potted flowers soon.

RedPat said...

The House Wren has a nice house.

Far Side of Fifty said...

I saw my first Dragonfly last night...and there are skeeters for them to eat! You have been busy! Too early to plant yet here:)

Nancy J said...

Fred, you are definitely a cool guy, and summer flowers, even in the box the colours are so cheerful.

Elephant's Child said...

Sigh at the squitoes - which love my blood.
Everything else is starting to look good.

Jeanie said...

I don't know if you were ever a biologist or just incredbly curious about life but I admire how you take apart things to find such bits as vole parts. I don't have it in me but I LOVE it that you do!

Bindu said...

Fred the groundhog, looks cute!

William Kendall said...

That groundhog is adorable.

Divers and Sundry said...

Your mosquitoes are worse than ours are! We do have owls around here, but they're not many and not commonly seen. It must be fun to have a chance of examining their feeding habits up close, so to speak. That groundhog is peeking at you :) We thought we might have a robin nest on our patio like has happened some years, but no.