Saturday's Critters

 Our day began in sunshine. It was quite welcome. 

The day ended with The Repair Shop! This is a bird I've not seen. Does anyone recognize it?! 

I checked in with Eileen, and she tells me a Eurasian Goldfinch! She is well-traveled, and has seen it in the flesh feather. iPhoto says a European Goldfinch. Very cool. I am an armchair traveler!

The trailcams are feeling the cold. It's tough on the batteries. My newest camera has decided not to work any more. You know, the one that took 5,000 photos, at will three days in a row. It's discouraging. I can't find the receipt, it was a birthday gift!

 

Peanut lovers!

 

 More deer friends!

Thursday, Labbit sat in the garden, in the falling snow, eating dead flora! 

 At 9 in the morning, Labbit came by! (You'll forgive me. 'Labbit' goes back to Gramma Camp days. Both of them are in high school, so the olden days wax golden!

 

For more critters, visit: Saturday's Critters # 582! 

A dark day for many of us

Oh, USA, what have you done? 

We watched, in horror, the assault on US traditions in this moment. The billionaires were seated in front of the incoming cabinet. Apparently the push-up bra got their attention, especially Zuckerberg. This is Bezo's girlfriend. All people with a lot of money, but little sense. At the end of your life you don't determine you success by your bank account. It is about how you treat those who are your neighbours. 

He didn't put his hand on the bible. 

It is a dumpster fire. He's threatening tariffs on us, Canada, for Feb. 1st. The Quebec sells 2/3 of the aluminum the US buys. We have to hope that the state governors get this. 

So many people are going to be victims. The rich are going after the most vulnerable as the gap widens between front line workers and CEOs. His list of Executive Orders is shocking to many. I wonder how many regret voting for him?

He's ordered binary gender, labeled according to your assigned gender at birth. Our trans family and friends just shudder. Bruce Caitlyn Jenner didn't realize what they are in for. Gender dysphoria is a huge issue, one many of us are realizing affects our young people.

This video has shocked the world. In Germany, you can be arrested for using this Nazi sign. Australia has laws, as well.

There is a White Supremacy signal you can see in some photos. Racists are getting more bold. I post this as a warning. 

I shouldn't be surprised. Where does all that hate go when you've won? tRump supporters are pretty quiet. Here in Canada, with our PM stepping down, so-called freedom fighters are still going after everyone. They hate people who are different, fear people of colour, the poor, those with mental health issues, the LGBTQ+ community.

Some days you have to hope for the worst after you've seen the worst.

Rant over. It helps to vent.

🐦 🐦 🐦 🐦 🐦 🐦 🐦 🐦 🐦

I have to focus on the critters for a moment. It is soothing. Cardinal, downy woodpecker, mourning doves, they are busy keeping warm and fed.

In the early morning, Nutmeg heard a sound. I was up early to put garbage out. Later, I found out that Cinnamon was sitting in the closet. I imagine looking for mice friends. She always has to watch him, he bears watching! It's a season for warm beds, blankets and the sheepskin blanket. 

In the afternoon the cats made their own fun up. I heard a thump in the dining room. Suddenly, Cinnamon went after his sister, who was carrying a deermouse downstairs. It ran under a foot stool, where Cinn glared at it excitedly. They played around for a bit, while I was fixing dinner. I don't know what happened next! They are ubiquitous.

I don't blame them for coming into the warmth! I just wish I could warn them about the cats! 

This morning it is -17℃ out on the back deck. I wish we could house, feed, and give a basic income to those who lack them. People should be looking after one another. 

Saturday's Critters

We had a warm spell, and now we're back to 'normal' November temperatures. Our leaves are down. 

Coyote

 

The deermice are powering up for winter! They are happy the feeder is out.

   

 I moved frogs, again. I have to take a video in order to remember my counts! 

🐸 2024 total =  88

Oct. 30 – warm day, moved 19 + 6 + 7 = 32

Oct. 31 – warm day, moved 5, nearly caught Jeremiah! Tried again, caught him.

Nov. 1 – last warm day; 10 + 8 + 9 = 29.

It's only 1 ℃ this morning. 

 

It's been 3 days of temperatures between 15 and 24 and Jeremiah finally woke up. I snagged him and took him down to the frog pond.

Jeremiah is actually the third bullfrog I've had in the pond. We had Jeremiah 1, who was a female, renamed Geraldine, and she had a smaller male move in. Geraldine and Jeremiah both succumbed to the freeze/thaw from climate change in the goldfish pond. It was gruesome. 

Geraldine – Sept. 1, 2013

 

It was an epic few days.

 

Barred owl was in the owl tree on my last trip to the wetland to dump another pail of frogs.

 

For more critters visit  Saturday's Critters # 568, where Eileen hosts.

Woodland Vole & Deermice

 🦌We had 11 deer on Tuesday. It was cold and snowy. Cinnamon and I went walkies Tuesday morning. He was atop the caterpillar upstairs, and I asked him if he wanted walkies. His eyes got big and wide and he maintained eye contact – staring intently at me, then he jumped down eyeing my coat with anticipation. 

First, some back up. This is a vole. They are fatter than deermice, with a shorter tail and big teeth. I've always called them field mice, but they are voles. And they bite for defense. 

 

This is our mouse hole. 

This is a great spot. The bird feeder above drops seed. Now, if you feed birds, you know you draw other critters. Thankfully the bears and raccoons are sleeping. 

 

tree sparrow from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The deer mice likes this spot. 

 

deermice from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I am afraid to fill it up, as we'd have dead mice in the walls. We certainly don't get many mice in the house. Just the odd one, which the cats take care of. Dorah would sit and watch for mice friends. I saw one scamper up here once.

I'd put the trailcam out on the deck, I assumed they were deermice. Not so! They are voles. They worked for hours: 8:20 p.m. => 10:30 p.m.! This is just a snippet. 

mice friends from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Funny story, Dorah was bitten by a Woodland Vole back in the day. She had a mark on her nose for weeks. Last week JB was watching Cinnamon out back in the ditch. Cinnamon drew back quickly, and we think he was bitten. He was pretty leery Tuesday.  I think that explains this.

Back to my story, out we went. I spotted something dark in the snow. A Woodland Vole. This is one I took away from the cats once upon a time.

We call them 'mice friends,' a family joke relating to the cats! Turns out they are voles. I don't know how they fit into the hole. 

mice friends from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Remember we were doing walkies?

Cinnamon and the vole from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

This is a woodland vole. Cinn didn't know what to make of it. The vole ended up under some fallen pine tree branches. Some call them field mice.

I've done some research, after this video. Shorter tails, teeny ears, fatter than deermice. Woodland Voles (some call them field mice) are of special concern. No one has assessed the population in Ontario. I would say they are thriving here at their northern range limit. I am surprised to see them going in the mouse hole. I am really surprised they fit! 

"The woodland vole is protected as a species of special concern provincially under Ontario's Endangered Species Act and nationally under the Species at Risk Act."

Daisy found a vole under the snow. They tunnel only as deep as 10 cm, no more.

Daisy hunted a field mouse
out in the snow, in winter.
She sat and listened, then pounced!
It was tunneling under the snow.

🎉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.

Cinnamon, deermice, horse chestnuts

There is a cat saying, 'If I fits I sits!' He doesn't fit. With the cooler weather he is back to sitting in my lap sometimes. 

We went off for walkies. Or runnies! Maybe climbies. Everyday I can, I ask him if he wants to go walkies. He knows the word. 

I love this tree system. I love the whole forest!

I think it is the raccoons. They've ripped off the baffle for the second one, as well. I won't bother repairing it until spring. At that time, I'll clear out the old shavings, and add some clean ones.

It's difficult walking on the dock! The native phragmites are dying off for winter.

I checked out wood duck nesting box #3. There was a deer mouse checking me out. They've been here before. I rather expected it this time and didn't scream like a girl. You can see the dark spot in the middle lower shavings.

Sept. 17, 2020; Mushrooms, nesting boxes, walkies. My goodness they are adorable!

We're back up to a handful of frogs in the wee goldfish pond. I hurt my foot doing it last week. My tenosynovitis kicked in. A bit of ice, and TLC, and it is better. I've ordered a new brace, since I cannot find my old one. It's worth it, as prevention. 

I shall wait a few days to move another 10 of them. I don't want them to overwinter in the shallow pond.

 I used the lawn tractor to mulch the leaves, and returned it to the shed. There was a deermouse staring at me on the shelf. We have a lot of mice friends! Can you see this one? Nope. Gone, quick as a wink.

We've not had many horse chestnuts in the past. This year there is a bounty. They really are conkers. As I was fishing last week, I could hear the odd thump on the ground. I tucked them into Peter's wagon.

They are quite large, as the tree matures. I think the tree was planted here, maybe 30 years ago. 

I went out one morning, and about a half dozen chestnuts were scattered on the deck. With little raccoon teeth marks. Apparently, they aren't too tasty. 

Our bought gladiolas are done. We bought these pretty fake leaves in Almonte the other day. A lot of our trees have shed their leaves, so this is a touch of colour indoors.

Signs of fall: there are a lot of Isabella caterpillars out there. It is so peaceful watching them, as long as they aren't on the driveway.