🎉Saturday's Critters

 

🎉Happy New Year! 

Let's hope for good things this year. I'm managing a cold, which ticks me off. I haven't been anywhere to get it. The only human I've talked to in closely, person is my JB. The dude who delivered propane was out in the front yard! 

I wish my faithful readers and friends and family all the best. Thank goodness for Facetime with the grandies! 

"Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things break, and all things can be mended. Not with time, as they say, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you." – L.R. Knost

What brings me joy is watching our critters. I hope they bring you joy, as well. I've since moved the trailcams, we'll see what else I find.

We've 3 black squirrels. I thought we only had 2! 3 black squirrels from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I've been watching deermice. There is bird seed on the deck, and they go after it. Someone on Facebook's Trailcam page were asking if trailcams could capture little critters, and we can! Trailcams were invented for hunters, and the ads creep me out, showing hunters with their dead as a door nail prizes. sigh.

2 bunnies and a deermouse from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The bunnies really are a delight! They bounce around, with those large hind legs. jumping cotton tails from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I managed a walk on Thursday, and I think these are starlings passing through. We haven't had any stragglers till now. They are motoring on through to warmer climes. No robins this year, either. starlings from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Nutmeg has still been happy with her train set. She thought the lights should be knocked off the table, though. Typical cat. Nutmeg and the light from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

For more critters: visit the ever faithful Eileen and her Saturday's Critters # 420.

Some of our critters

Annabelle went outside. Hooper thought HE should be outside, too!


Annabelle was outside. Hooper didn't like that!

I like using the video setting on the trailcams. I carefully choose the frame, just in case you don't need to see my critters moving. I'm interested in their behaviour, however.
I love the trailcam. I run down, with my hoodie on, bug spray on my hat, and run back to the house... OK, I don't RUN, but I move briskly. Hooper goes with me, often times.



I tried the photo setting, and it's just not the same, but it uses a lot less battery power.

A coyote! Such a handsome fella!

Some middle-aged schoolmarm having fun on the tractor! 

I know that birds stomp on the ground to raise the worms, I think the raccoons have figured it out, too! I think this is what Butch is doing! It's funny to watch.


He's back at it. Calling for a female. They've learned to make loud noises on the metal. It'd be the 2nd brood.


This sounds like a bear chuffing, but I'm not sure!
Who goes there? from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Of course, it is tick season. I yelled at JB to fetch some tape. He finally heard me, and he got it off my arm.
Tick numbers are down this year. So far.

Hooper walkies

I went out to fetch the trailcam cards. Hooper came along. He loves climbing the trees. It is good exercise, as well as a good practice, what with the coyotes about.


You can see him under the tree house, which is filled with wood and snow).


You can see the depth of the snow. The deer and turkey follow the same path. It saves energy to do so.


Hooper first followed me, then branched off. He could hear and see the turkeys in the forest. He was intrigued.


Up he went. Straight ahead was where the turkeys were hunkering down in the snow. They moved off.


It wasn't a good climbing tree. I leaned my hand on it, and he climbed down onto my shoulder.


I found deer beds, there were quite a few in the forest.

Circling round, he seemed to give up and headed back, I kept on going.


He kept calling me, I told him he could go home. He chose to follow me (see the video). When he arrived, I picked him up and he began purring. Then shivering. I carried him part way up the hill and he jumped down and roaring up!


This was his mission: he was aiming to check out the turkeys. He gave up and followed the path.

HOOPER WALKIES from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
More critters:

Saturday's Critters #270

Saturday's Critters

I have an update on Daisy May (her new name). I think she's settling into her new home. Her new mom, Helen, had to go out of town for a couple of days, and she had people in to feed her. From JB's cousin, who supports Daisy May's new mom:

"Helen phoned yesterday after she got home and Daisy May was fine. She had lots of visitors and wasn't upset by Helen's absence. Apparently she likes being on top of cupboards.... "

It's not a surprise! Daisy loved climbing trees.

The deer and turkeys hang around. The deer love their selfies.



Then, in the night, the coyote.


Back up the hill, these are two of the 641 photos on the trailcam!


See the little turkey head?!

The ice cover has been phenomenal, and awful walking. I finally made it down to the trailcam, Feb. 7.

Back again, after midnight... two of them. Those are our house lights up the hill.

Up top... the boys are getting frisky!

It is fun, the turkeys keep the deer on their toes. The younger deer are quite fascinated by the turkeys. The young uns are quite playful, still. 

For more critters:

Saturday's Critters #269

Turkeys are still about!

So are the other critters. Many on the move all the time, thanks to the coyotes (on the trailcam)! Not froggy. He likes the plant.
On our way home I did a drive-by shooting of the doe and fawn. We turned around, but that didn't go well. I know they are around, I've seen tracks, but not on the trailcam.
 

We arrived home, and we had our lovely little bug-eating turkeys on the front lawn. They were reluctant to move on, but wary of the car.


I sat out on the back deck, and found they'd gone around the side of the house, and appeared in the backyard. Sadly, they are down two. That would likely be the coyotes! There were 13, including the two momma hens, and now there are ten.