Music and Citizen Science

Caitlin sent me our Ottawa grandies first semester report cards and they did very well, with most marks in the 90s. During March Break they'll be scouting some universities for Jo.

♭Aster is competing with her band in Ottawa Musicfest! She plays bass clarinet in an OCDSB competitive band. Her Mama, Caitlin, competes later with her choir, All Voices Community Choir! 

We'll go, if we can. Retirement isn't for chumps... 

🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾

Citizen Science

I love tracking critters in the snow. One can should embrace winter. I think this was either a mink or weasel. I should have measured the tracks, but I was on snowshoes at the time. The tail dragging is a clue.

In one of those rare miracles, my newest trailcam is working. I tried it again, and it appears to have resurrected itself. This is where the weasel and/or fisher headed. You can barely see a junco sitting in the debris under the deck. It triggered the camera! 

I've seen a few long-tailed weasels. One at Narrows Lock, another on the back deck. 

The fisher appears on my trailcams often, just not recently! They are hoppy little things. This is a stuffed one I saw somewhere. Those teeth!

I went back the next day, just before it snowed, to measure the track. I found the fisher had used the path to go under the deck, as well. So much for Citizen Science!

 

🦌Jim asked about antler sheds. I've found none this year! In fact, I haven't seen any bucks for weeks. I was spoiled last year (Jan. 26, 2024) with a huge one. He dropped it right in front of me, shaking his head with one antler remaining, as I watched out the kitchen window!

 

🐸 I look forward to 🥀spring, and the changes it brings.

It is wonderful having activities to look forward to. I've signed up to do the modified Western Chorus Frog survey! More details later, but it is two weeks in April when they are calling for hook ups. This helps for surveying, since I have yet to see one. They sound like someone pulling their thumb across a plastic comb. We did it in 2020, 2021, 2022. Funding was cut, I think, and they were on hiatus. They still are, but doing limited research.