Autumn is creeping in

Reptiles and Amphibians 

I think there is some misunderstanding about toads. They are good little bug eaters, as are all of reptiles and amphibians. I need to do the lawn, but it is filled with leopard frogs, and baby snakes looking for crickets. Toadie is still living in the front garden, found in the sand right near Fred's burrow #6A. 

I found a Blue-spotted Salamander when I moved a piece of wood. I haven't seen one in ages. 

This photo is from 2011. They get to be quite big. All part of the ecosystem.

Monarchs

The front garden is beginning to fade. Milkweed is losing its leaves. It still has Tufted Milkweed caterpillars on it. 

There are several Monarch caterpillars around, so I cannot clear up yet.

The Freds

MiniFred is getting chonky. This will tide him over winter. You can't tell by his head as he peeks out.

Auntie Fred is about the same size, being less then a year apart in age. She was born in Spring, 2025. He was born this Spring. Some of us have to grow up quickly!

I managed another photo with both Freds out at the same time. MiniFred peeking out of his burrow. Auntie Fred in the shadows in front of the shed. Can you see them?

Cinnamon

He either follows me around the garden while I work, or hunkers down on a chair, or atop the BBQ when I read in my chair. My Cinnamon seems part dog!

We had about 10 mm rain yesterday. Indoor play. Hopefully, the sun shines and I can get out and about. I am watching the forecast for temperatures carefully. Soon the goldfish will have to come in.

Freds, frogs, spinx caterpillar

The Freds   <= tracking data

My faithful readers have been enjoying the Freds. Bless your hearts, you make my day. Our first Fred (RIP) would disappear to her winter burrow in August. Last year Auntie Fred, went down for winter Sept. 12th. I saw her with leaves in her mouth, and the next day no sign. They'll arise in March, according to past history. 

Auntie has a burrow in the flag pole garden. She was out for hours munching nearby. 

You may giggle. I had a great photo last week. Both Freds were out, Auntie at the top X and MiniFred nearer the deck, at the second X. In some computer glitch it disappeared. 

The sun makes a pretty interesting photo on the trailcam!

Then there are two frogs in the goldfish pond. (Soon the fish will have to come in.) The second biggest frog has an issue with its eye. I wanted a closer look. It doesn't seem to be suffering, but I can't help. Those of us with cataracts can empathise. He seems to be able to eat.

Do you come here often?! 

Pandora Sphinx Moth Caterpillar

I've no photos of the adult. You can see one on Wiki. I was fascinated. It was in the front garden. 

A moth... 

Cinnamon and I went walkies to fetch trailcams. Caterpigly was walking across the driveway, towards Cinn! After I fetched the trailcam memory card, I walked back and it was still on the driveway. It was picked up and placed on the grass. 

 

The Dogwood plants have produced fruits...

or flowers. Rose of Sharon with one bloom. There are a couple more to come, but three have been chomped off my someone. Ah, nature.

Bright red berries which we must enjoy. Soon the trees will sleep for winter.

Yard action: coyote sighting

I was sitting out back with Cinnamon, having a good read. I'd collected the trailcam footage. I love this strange way the light refracts. It looks like a UFO! 

There was some movement with the Freds. Both were at or near the shed burrow. This is unusual. They aren't good at sharing. I think Auntie Fred was in front, MiniFred whipped around into the wood shed. I think MiniFred is the dark brown behind Auntie.

Suddenly, Cinnamon alerted. He's my little guard cat!

I looked up, and there was a coyote trotting around the periphery of the back yard. It had come up the path from Barry's trailcam. (Still no sign of Barry!)  Cinnamon spotted it, as did I, trotting to the back here.  It veered left, and down in the gully.  Hmmmm.

I could hear the Robins up in the tree. They were yelling at the coyote, and following it. around the back. 

Cinnamon suddenly looked to the left. I looked, and spotted the coyote peering at us at the edge of the weeds, in back of the big pine in the spot of sunshine. It whipped around, ran back to the right, The Robins were still screeching at it and following! Coyote was too fast for photos.

The coyote followed the edge of the trees, and Cinnamon kept an eye out. 

Cinnamon followed it intently. Safely. From the deck.

This Fred didn't seem to notice. Not a good thing!

After I was sure it was gone, Cinnamon watched me as I trotted down to see if coyote was on the trailcam.

It sure was. The camera spooked it! I have proof! They really are wary of humans, and knew I was on the deck. All was good. I didn't see it again. Such beautiful creatures.

Odds and sods

 That was a storm on Friday. After dinner, we watched episodes 3 and 4 of GONE. Being happy go lucky, we watched 5 and 6! I love the layers of clues, the accents, the scenery. It was filmed at Downside Catholic School in the UK. 

"– inspired by the book To Hunt A Killer by former detective superintendent for Gloucestershire Police, Julie Mackay, and ITV crime correspondent Robert Murphy, with both Mackay and Murphy consultants on the series.^[2]  Wiki  

GONE

We'll often watch a foreign film with translation. We just finished Fosca Innocenti 2022  and it was one of those light, joyful, mysteries. Almost a RomCom. The lead female is the Commissario in this TV Series from Italy. The characters are gender diverse.

She's not a size 2 actor, nor heavily made up. It is refreshing. We've been discussing it, how the make-up, the barely clad people of the American shows, is left behind in the dust in comparison. Filmed in Arezzo, Italy. 

Well, back to our little piece of heaven. The frog in the goldfish pond is against photos. Can you see his little eye balls?!

I wasn't that near to him, but I caught his legs in the photo! I am slow to respond. 

I snapped a photo another day.

Another throw back to cottage life. Caitlin hung up diapers! I have been looking for this photo for days... 

Barry Beaver seems ticked off still. All the trees he'd prepared to chop down fell in the July 1st storm.  We had our path cleared July 30th. I haven't seen Barry since then. I noticed that the duck weed and frog bit hadn't budged. 

Aug. 12

There seems to be some action, Aug. 13th.

 

The Freds seem to be slowing down. The cool nights are doing it, I think. A bit of a shock this morning!

MiniFred peeks his head out. Auntie Fred is minding her own business. They are solitary critters, I've read. I've seen proof as Auntie doesn't go under the deck. MiniFred stays away from the shed.

That sweet little face!

We have lovely afternoons on the back deck. Joe pulled up a chair for Cinnamon. 

As we sat there, I spotted the resident hawk flying at eye level towards us, then it veered up over the roof. I was too slow to spot it and capture a photo. However, this one is a frequent flyer. 

I've noticed several millipedes wandering across the driveway. Three or four, methinks. It's a bit odd. 

Of course there are things that are on the hunt in the night. Finally a half-decent image grabbed from the video of our regular fox visitor.