Lots of critters!

Our release squirrels are doing well. I've removed this camera as I wanted it elsewhere. 

 

That said, I spotted three black squirrels on the path beyond the shed, leading to Barry Beaver's habitat. It has to be them, as they normally don't travel in threes! It is about 100m from their nest box. Good sign.

 

 They are wise to get out and about. While they watched the pregnant doe steal their supplemental food, they don't come out to watch Butch. Butch Raccoon was the one who knocked the camera askew! Sound up, as it chirps away. Another racoon was at the tree.

 

Imperial Moth

I found a poor little moth. It was flapping in the lawn. I believe its wings didn't unfurl properly, or dry properly. They emerge from the cocoom and hang off a branch, letting gravity straighten their wings. I put it in the weigela bush. 

 From my archives. They show up on the cameras at night!

The Freds have been rambunctious.

May 25 – my lovely basket. Fred has done a number on it! What I think was last year's kit, Big Fred, has disappeared. The 4 kits have been rotating around the 4 remaining burrows. Or they've all picked on. 

June 17th – nipped in the bud!

The signage doesn't seem to work! 

You'll notice Cinnamon watching them.

You can follow it right around the corner to the front garden.

Crumbly Acres Squirrel Release

 Sunday, June 7th, we went to the wildlife sanctuary Open House. Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary (RVWS) was giving tours. We jumped at the chance. We donate monthly to this group. They do amazing work.

They sent an email, letting us know they had 3 orphaned squirrels that needed to be released. Could we help? They were having trouble finding a willing host for a release location. We jumped at the chance to make a small difference to 3 little orphaned rodents. We did this for #75, May, 2025, and he is doing well. Crumbly Acres Rehab: #75. 

They have a lot of predators. Coyotes and Barred owls, for example. I dissected an owl pellet in 2017, and found the black fur of a black squirrel! 

Crumbly Acres Rehab: #75, 2025.

We had a tour of the different rooms, with volunteers and staff feeding orphaned animals patiently with milk in syringes. The kits grab their hands and eat for dear life. No photos, as a flash could be disturbing. 

There were raccoons babies, groundhogs, bats, gray, red and black squirrels.

Lots of food and fun. They were bussing people in from the road, but since we were picking up the critters, we were granted permission to park at the facility. We don't do well in crowds. 

Some, with better constitutions walked back to their cars.  

Home we went.

They were quite quiet on the way home. I took a break for lunch, and a change of clothes. Taking the ladder, I got it ready, while going back for the drill and the camera. Joe was my personal assistant.

I did not get it up to the 10' up they recommend, tough for old farts. On the balls of my feet, balancing on the ladder, holding the nest box and the drill. It is a balancing act.

Joe put down water and some of the bird seed they sent us home with. I rested on my laurels. 

After an hour and a half, they were exploring their new tree. 

The squirrels did fine. I think they were practicing, up and down the tree for awhile. 

I think one left, and another a little bit later. I visited in the morning, and all was quiet. We shall see what happens. 

Feed the birds!

I ordered a new topper for this feeder. It's supposed to be a squirrel baffle, but it works well for the tray feeder to keep rain and snow off.  The only issue is getting it hooked on properly! 

  

 The plastic hook doesn't hold well. It took me a half hour to MacGyver it! It has to hold tightly since the deer like to go after the tray feeder. 

There were squirrel issues on that spring-like day. With the warm temperatures, I think they were twitterpated. I didn't see any of them after the snowy day and cold temps. And since just the one.

This is the action shot! 

I counted 2 squirrels in front, went out back and counted 9! They are all Gray Squirrels (black morph).

I couldn't get them all in the one photo!

#75's nest box:

Even the red squirrel hung around!

 

I have to say that the foofoerah around gold, silver or bronze just doesn't matter  to me as a fan. The difference between 1, 2 or 3, in fact the top ten finishers, is so close, by mm or 1/100th of a second. I know all the participants gave it their all. I have American friends. I am happy for them. They are suffering from their president. The orange one is merciless.

At least average Americans can be happy about getting gold. I know many of them are shocked, angry, and terribly upset with what is going on in their country. I hope this gives them some joy. 

I think a better way to sort the medal list is by totals. I'd totalled our top 10 finishes, which is a feat unto itself. It's all a miracle.

Eastern Gray Squirrel (black morph) AKA #75

We had some snow yesterday. I've been watching from the front window. I must go and put out the garbage, though. I'll shovel later! The temperature dropped over the weekend. 

In the meantime... 

As many of you know, we released a rehabbed squirrel this past year. He was given a case number: #75, so we've kept that name. Even with the zoom lens and the tripod, I'm having issues focusing! 

We saw him infrequently during summer. These days, he is hanging out closer and closer to his nest box. I watched him run to the end of the tree branch and leap to the next tree No photo, as I wasn't prepared! This is our broad-winged hawk checking out the nest box in the summer. 

Aug. 3rd, 8:30 a.m.

'

This is a bit of info about our Eastern Gray Squirrel (black morph). 

Eastern Gray Squirrel (wiki)
(black morph)

I spotted one of them on the railing.

   

 It seems that #75 has a friend. The two of them were running up and down the horse chestnut tree.

   

 I was out fetching trailcam cards, and spotted #75.2 up in the trees near the meadow. These are the Five Sisters, although one tree has crashed to the ground in old age. I know another black morph squirrel nested in the saw-whet nest box. That's where it may have come from. 

 

Saturday's Critters

It's that time, again: Saturday's Critters # 585!

We had a bit of a melt. I could hear the male cardinal singing, which means Spring. 

The big squirrels came out to play. Eastern Gray and black.

Labbit has been a winter guest. She's sticking to safety under the middle deck.

   

Deer friends:

   

 We were up to 14!

  

 We've two flocks of two turkeys and 4 turkeys!

 

We had 7 cm snow overnight. I'd best have coffee and breakfast and get onto that. The kids are coming for a sleep over! 

Critters galore!

Well, JB is still fighting this cough, since Nov. 15th. Mine has returned somewhat. We're hoping for reprieve as we've put Annabelle into the cat hotel for a week until she will be adopted. We'll see if she fits in. If so, they'll keep her. We were at our wit's end. We need to relax.

The Corona virus data has been fascinating. Cases just about doubled from yesterday to today, 2886 to 4474. Canada still has only 2 cases.

I heard PM Trudeau doing a tribute to those we lost in the plane that was shot down. He said something about not letting this final incident define the victims' lives. Remember the lives they led. This is what I'm trying to remember about Annabelle. She had a good 6 years with us, after being rescued from a barn in the region. Who knows what is in feline DNA that causes such territorial attack behaviour, aggression, after all this time. I know we're not the only ones dealing with this. Thank you, all for sharing your tales. We were so happy rescuing Nutmeg and Cinnamon, who'd been at the vet's for 2 months looking for a home.

The kittens are starting to relax, Nutmeg, specifically. We are following the tennis games in Australia, taping them in the wee hours. We're curious about the birds singing in the background at the stadium in Melbourne. They are lovely!

We're binge watching Mayday episodes, too. They put life into perspective. Live each day.
Also, watching the kids have fun. They went tubing in Quebec on Saturday. Lots of fun was had by all. I live vicariously through them.

Don't blink! She's fast.

 
deer from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I heard a noise outside, in the dark! I knew who it was right away.



This looks like Taco, Burrito, Mary Kate and Ashley! They were released  in October. [Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary Release] They are still hanging out together. I'm happy to see them.

 
4 raccoons from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Nutmeg, we may go for Meggie, I don't know, has been squirrel watching. She is fascinated. Actually, so was I. The black squirrels can't fit into the feeder. The red squirrels do.

I was squirrel watching, too.

black squirrel from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We're still waiting for the 'other shoe to drop.' Actually, antlers! My trailcam mentor, in Ottawa, has reported bucks without antlers. It's a matter of time. In the meantime, we're enjoying the TV show from our kitchen window. It's slushy walking, but I haven't seen anything, or any more signs.

buck from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.