Inside and outside

Inside

Mar. 8th was my youngest's 38th 🎂birthday, but we are estranged and I cannot wish him a happy birthday😢. He is gainfully employed, and has a purpose in life. That is all that matters. That gives me peace.

Beginning the morning with my puzzles, I am having fun with this one: Free SexagintaQuattuordle ~ words unsolved: 3. You can see the three Xs. It is tricky, and fun to try with my morning coffee. 

Then there is Canuckle and Wordle! 

I gave up embroidering for a long time. I've been trying to sit and craft. It's tough at night, and I have to count stitches like stink. Also, since the last show we began (Bäckström) has Swedish subtitles, I cannot do both. We've watched 4 episodes, and we're fascinated. You can truly compare Hollywood murder mysteries and contrast it with a different police culture. It's pretty intense. 

This is the embroidery I began for the kids' 10th wedding anniversary, in 2015 or so. I think I may have to aim for their 20th! Isn't that funny?! It's picky work, and I haven't had clients until lately. It was my activity when chatting.

My orchid is setting THREE bud branches. I tried to take a photo, but it did not work well. The placemat behind it helped out. There is one bud, but more on the way. 

I was sitting writing, when Nutmeg stared out the window and began growling. This is highly unusual behaviour. Annabelle used to growl at thunder, JB reminded me. Turns out it was the propane truck backing up the driveway! What a cat. 

Outside

DRS is still pregnant! We've 8 red squirrels, as I've written, but we live on 16 acres, and they will spread out back into the forest, once I take the feeders down when the other mammals are more active. (Bears!)

Anyway, this one has been having a feed. Eating for 3 - 5, the research tells me. They, like deer, are only fertile for 24 hours. Most squirrels are pregnant for 5 - 8 weeks, depending upon the specific species. 

Look at the little baby bump! It moves around – it's little sac. 

 

pregnant red squirrel from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We had a storm. It was something cleaning it out, but the deer didn't wait!

 

sidewalk deer 1 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Once I cleared the sidewalk, they were happier.

 

sidewalk deer 2.mp4 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Next job was the driveway. I wear ear plugs. They help.

 

snowblower March from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The next day, there were many tails.The cats went out for a run, then came back in. It is still chilly.

 

morning tails from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Things are getting a little testy out there! They are hungry, grumpy, and are waiting for spring. This is how they fight. On their hind legs, whacking with their hooves, ears back!

Saturday's Critters

 Someone nearby posted an image of a bobcat on our local FB page, from their trailcam. JB spotted one years ago, as we were watching out the back for some reason. It is illusive, and knows to stay away from humans, and staying out of sight during the day. Bobcat attacks are virtually unknown.

It's been seen twice around the lake, hunting rabbits, hares, and rodents. They are said to be crepuscular, more active dusk and dawn. There was some confusion, between it being a lynx or bobcat, but in a fuzzy photo, you could see the bobbed tail! They are an apex predator. This is an image from Wiki! They are elusive.

California Bobcat
CC BY-SA 2.0, Wiki Link

Someone else has posted photos of about 2 dozen evening grosbeaks at their feeder. It is a busy ecosystem around here, despite rain, snow, wind, and graupel! (File photo!) We've another couple of days of rain.

These images are from Thursday. I used the monopod, and does it ever make a difference. Can you see the buck in the middle of the photo, on the hill? He chased a doe back there. The poor old white pine trees are a stark reminder of chores left to do. 

They were spooked when I went out on the back deck. 

Out front, I was having fun watching three red squirrels. This isn't a great photo, I had the zoom lens on, and sat it on the monopod. It's proof of 3, though! The snow provides much protection as they work their way under the feeders.

I love the snow falling from it as it emerged from its hole. I suppose this is protection from predators. I heard the Great Horned Owl the other day. We've hawks, too.

Friday morning I counted 9 deer in the backyard, and 3 at the front at the pumpkins.

2 big bucks from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

One is Richard Deer, the other needs a handsome name, as well. 

The fawn with the wrecked leg is doing well, all things considered.

 

fawn ankle from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Thanks to Eileen for hosting! Saturday's Critters # 472

Dratted Red Squirrel (DRS), et al

We know our birds don't NEED bird feeders, but how nice it is to watch them from the front window when temps dip to double-digit below zero! The trees are full of pine cones, it was a good year for them. The trees are heavily-laden.

The globe feeder is meant for the wee birds (junco, goldfinch, sparrows), as the bigger ones bully them. The hairy woodpeckers are the worst! This is a little sanctuary. Below is a junco, and a goldfinch, posing for me. Then a male downy woodpecker, being supervised by the sparrow.


He's hilarious. DRS was chewing through the suet bag (see the blog post: Red squirrel),


so I moved it. I took these photos through the window.
 

I wasn't sure he'd hang around, but he did, long enough for a video!  I checked, and while he squeezed out, if he gets stuck I can unscrew the bottom. (Whew!)
Dratted Red Squirrel from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

♪♫♬ Let it snow, let it snow!

We've been having a grad start to the winter season. Our female pileated woodpecker.
And snow.
We were up at pre-dawn, hubby and I cleared it all off. It's one of those all-night, all-day snows that as soon as you finish shoveling, you have to start again. At our age, with out backs, we find it easier to get some of it off, rather than wait until it stops.

Early in the morning!

Hubby did the driveway,
I did the walks and the deck.

The poor feeders were buried. I dug them out. The birds flocked to the feeder! The female pileated woodpecker, 'dratted red squirrel', chipping sparrow, male cardinal.
It's the great bird count this Saturday.


In the meantime, happy Hank Jr., I am calling Hooper. This is JB's nickname for a cat who wanders in the room before he can think of their name. He'll be right 1/3 times!
Hooper was born, they estimate, Aug. 1st, 2017.


Before I forget, I went down to the dock on Monday and found some raccoon tracks. They are long buried in 15 cm of snow. The critters are settling in for winter. The deer tracks in the snow are a sight to behold.

Dratted Red Squirrel (DRS)

They just tease Daisy! Dorah watches from the window. I don't think she's totally healthy. Annabelle doesn't want to work this hard!

This DRS is getting somewhat cocky. I was sitting on the deck, watching the 'birds' at the feeder. He was so close. Then, he had a nap on the branch. Next, down he went to the other feeder. He was just teasing.
 
Dratted red squirrel from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

April 20th
One has begun a nest in the wood duck box.

 Litter sizes typically range from one to five, but most litters contain three or four offspring. Offspring are pink and hairless at birth and weigh about 10 g. Offspring grow at approximately 1.8 g/day while nursing, and reach adult body size at 125 days. They first emerge from their natal nests at around 42 days, but continue to nurse until approximately 70 days.

Buster, Dratted Red Squirrels, Annabelle

Poor Buster is cold and preferred watching Dratted red squirrels from inside the front window. Annabelle was just too tired to care. We're still -15 C. ovenight, with daytime temps above 0.


Buster is cold from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I peeked out the window, and there were 5 of them. It's taken them about a month to figure out the new peanut feeder. Then, they have to fight over it. Only a couple of Blue jays have it figured out. The trick is to simply yank the peanut out between the coil.
Dratted Red Squirrel video #4.


DRS #4 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.