Walkies Part 2

Crumbly Acres Adventures

Here was my post on Walkies Part 1, Cinn and I went down to the frog pond last week after the thaw. Up the hill we went, back up to the backyard for part 2.  Cinnamon wasn't done his walk. 

I wanted to look for the Barred Owl. No sign of her. 

Can you see Cinnamon? They like the fallen logs. They are dry and provide a transportation route across the wetlan.

It was funny. He went across on the lower log. Did his exploration, and then tried to come back on the upper tree. He had to turn around and ended up going back to the other side, and coming around the wetland. 

What is fun is that one year, I was walking Daisy and she roared up this fallen tree. At the time the cedar had live branches. She scared a Barred Owl off this tree. I didn't even see the owl, hidden in the foliage. 

The wetland melts from the outside in. We noticed something in the water during this warm spell. The water was moving along. 

 

Down at another part of the wetland in the back 40, I noticed fishies. I think they are alewives. An invasive species. They were fun to watch, though. This is really icy water.

 

This is the spot where I saw a bear looking for the owlets!

"So, says Bob, go out at dusk and listen for the Barred owl chicks. I heard one chick screaming for food. I heard something else in the forest. Quietly, I prayed it was a deer. I watched, with baited breath. When Junior Bear began to smell me, and look for me (in the trees, you'll note), then cross the wetland, I backed up and startled him. "

I did find the owls another day! This was 2016.

 

Our trek done, we headed back up the hill, past the beautiful moss and lichen on the rocks. 

In the backyard, under the deck, Fisher tracks!

They are elusive, avoid humans, very interesting critters.

Non-mental note: gotta read the mini-manual since I took 921 videos of this scene on the new camera. I think a weed triggered it. I laughed... It's been three days, and I keep forgetting to take new batteries and the (slim) manual with me. 

In the meantime, we had both rain and snow. We are covered with snow, again. It is a lovely, warm blanket. Central Ontario is suffering from Lake Effect Snow, cold winds picking moisture up off the warmish Great Lakes. Some have had 40 - 80 cm. It looks like about 3 or 4 here. 

The deer are out there nibbling at my dead phox and filling their bellies. I see bunny tracks in the snow, as well! I'll have to see if I have a video!