Reflections from Crumbly Acres: Ditch diving, wood duck nest boxes,

That was a project! Ditch diving for Earth Day on Wednesday and Thursday. I finished up a bit sore. I had a volunteer gig in the afternoon, I thought I'd get it off the To Do List. One more bag and I was done.

I had cleaning out the Wood Duck nest box on my To Do list. Too late. Some one has moved in, or at least renovated and created a nest-shaped bowl in the wood shavings. I put the baffles on it after I did ditch diving. Mistake. I was too tired and forget to take a water bottle. Joe was there helping me, and he went up to the house to 'fetch a pail of water.' Just kidding. A water bottle was appreciated. I lay down on the ground for a bit until the dizziness passed.

The baffles are a bit short. They don't meet around the tree trunks. It is important, since this year a duck has been in the box and created a round shape in the shavings.

This was May 25, 2019. A neighbour watched a fisher go in her nest boxes and eat the eggs. It is a tough world.

I ran out of sheet metal to protect the nest boxes. Both raccoons and weasels like to raid the boxes.

Then there was the year (2023) the Momma bear ripped apart my nest box 📹. It was 9 p.m., June 3. The batteries died, and I missed the action.

This was the 'BEFORE!' then the AFTER, I opened it up, and checked carefully.

Peeking in, there were no eggs in there.

Ironically we have had a warning about local bears from the OPP on Facebook:

OPP warn of bear activity after encounter near Port Elmsley

Someone reported a Momma and cubs 4.7 km away. This isn't the real panic time. It's when they begin mating in May, Momma and the male bears are getting frisky. Both sexes chase away the two year olds and the young 'uns take off to look for a new habitat.

I sent Joe Brian in to fetch me some supplies. I need for sheeting and new downspouts. He came back since town was crazy. Perth Festival of the Maples!