Cinnamon walkies

First, to answer tz_garden's question, I really don't know when the fawns are born. Some are later, some are earlier. I would think May. We didn't see any fawns last year. Not fawns with spots, I mean. They are called a fawn for a year. Then, they are called yearlings.

Here is an archived fawn photo! August, 2019!

We had a lovely time! He climbed a tree.

We walked to the back 40, then skirted the wetland. Here are the rocks where the grandies would play!

Silly cat. He saw Dratted Red Squirrel (DRS) checked under the rock for it, Clever DRS did a switch back. Then Cinn tried to get into a rock cave. Silly cat.

 

He likes fallen tree trunks.

We found two more garter snakes trying to get warm. They are sitting in the sun trying to absorb some energy. The sun was flitting.

Can you see them?

Close ups...

I think this one is pregnant. I removed the leaf to let it get more sun, and it took umbrage. Garter snakes typically don't bite, but if it is pregnant I'll bet it's more defensive.

Dropsies, snakes, sunrise

 I wrote about our visit to the dump. When we arrived home, I got out of the car and dropped the phone. A fitting end to a bad day! Joseph Brian did his research, where we bought it they don't do repairs. We still owe money on buying this phone, which we pay monthly. He took it into our local computer store and they ordered a new cover for us, which could be a quick process. The phone still works, but we shall have to buy a cover. 

I had a hospice client Tuesday, went for a visit, but I wasn't needed. I came home and decided to clean the water fountain in preparation for setting it up for the season. I ended up not finishing, covered in bits of algae. The elbow grease was in short supply, it'll wait a few days as we've rain on the way. It gets grungy by end of season as you can see from a summer photo. The birds love it.

I'd left poor Cinnamon in the garage overnight Monday. Whoopsie. He likes to go out there and check for mice friends. I took him outside to work in the sunshine. He found 4 snakes: one garter snake and 3 ribbon snakes. It is my belief that there is a winter hibernaculum where they overwinter. In these upsy downsy temperatures they aren't wandering far from it. 

Cinnamon began on the top of the septic bed. It was like watching a toddler. I couldn't leave him alone for a minute. He would see a tail twitching and couldn't resist. 

This is a pretty ribbon snake.

And the garter snake.

Cinnamon wandered down the hill to Fred Groundhog's cette. The pile of sand in getting higher. You'll picture his head in the hole, sniffing. I was a bit worried, but he didn't go in any farther! 

Cinnamon headed to the hill where he found another snake. King of the castle! See the tree buds? They are getting ready to burst into leaves. 

The daffodils are up and blooming! 

Wednesday brought us a lovely sunrise. I played around with it, the iPhone images were better than my camera.

I managed another panoramic photo with the broken phone. Not so shabby.

Welcome to JUNE!

🎾 Tuesday was a busy one. There were three tennis games to follow. Part of me felt guilty sitting there, so we made sure to get up, do something, and get back to the games. It is better for my foot, and in this heat! We puttered, while nursing various ailments. Ain't aging is grand! 

💉We've boosters booked for COVID! 

We had good news that we will have one last Summer Gramma Camp in July! The girls are growing, and they have friends to hang out with. They are traveling to New Zealand for 3 weeks in the summer, as well. Hopefully, all will work out and they can meet up with Jean!

We finished watching a series, Injustice. It was a powerful thriller, with twists and turns. We sit, watch, and swat at indoor mosquitoes! 

🐣While I knew there were eggs in the bluebird nest box, I think there must be another pair of House Wrens in the green nest box. I saw a little head peeking out. Then, flying to the flagpole. 

One robin fledged Tuesday morning, another between then and Wednesday, while the third made a Hail Mary Pass and took off. I believe we had three fledge. Here are the last photos I have of them.

We are done! I want to rearrange the furniture on the deck. However, the phoebes... Here is the cowbird dominating the nest. The wee phoebes are days younger. Cowbirds lay their eggs in other birds' nests.

The cowbird has fledged, leaving the baby phoebes to thrive. Here it was on Tuesday. Wednesday morning, when I donned gear at 6 a.m. to fetch trailcam cards, I peeked and it was gone. 

We like to see the garter snakes. They are harmless, eat rodents, and keep insect populations at bay. This was a lovely specimen. I heard is shushing through the leaves and noticed.

The fence is looking good. I like that it is black, and except where the light bounces off of it, you can still see the plants. My lilies are growing tall. I have to pace myself in the heat, and judicious use of bug spray.

I let the cats out for a brief run every morning, usually for under an hour. The other day I asked Cinnamon if he wanted walkies. "Do I?" He's been lobbying for it for awhile. He pooched out on me at the meadow.  The bugs are really bad, and hungry cats end up on the front deck to flee the mosquitos. 

I ended up at the frog pond, and the tadpoles are huge! Cinnamon was back up on the deck, waiting for breakfast.

tadpoles from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Cinnamon treed Butch, this was last week. Cinnamon is pretty docile, and I imagine he was curious, and Butch wisely fled up the tree. 

Butch & Cinnamon from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The only critter on the trailcam, triggered by the wind blowing the bracken, was the American crow. It was a fruitless trek down to the camera, otherwise.

I hope the heat wave passes. 

🔥 🚒 May has been a month of fires across Canada. Alberta (546), Saskatchewan (192), Manitoba, Northern Ontario, Quebec (101 fires), Nova Scotia (CBC article, Tantallon Fire, Barrington Lake fire). 

We are going to hope for better in June. 

Frogs, snakes, diving beetles, bat

Spring unfolds... I heard a gray tree frog sing on Sunday, April 16th.

Ditch diving, I spotted a leopard frog.

I submitted my water beetle photo to iNaturalist. Someone kindly identified it for me. 

Understriped Diving BeetleDytiscus fasciventris

 🐣PHOEBE  has returned for nesting season.

I noticed action down by the shed. (You'll note the tree branches which still have to be cleaned up.)

Phoebe has begun a nest. Unfortunately it is on a cross beam, which critters can climb. 

They are not the tidiest pair! They've splattered mud on the roof of the shed!

I put a baffle around the post beneath the nest. I thought it safe, as there are many climbing predators.

 

I was checking on the phoebe nest, when I nearly stepped on a garter snake in the doorway. I know who was to blame. He likes to bring them up out of the woods. He was duly scolded. 

Cinnamon was rolling around on the sand pile Fred Groundhog dug one year. I moved the snake before I scared Cinn out of the shed, took him walkies, which tired him out, and I threw him in the house.

He has been watched carefully. The birds are just too fast for them. On our large lawn they see him coming a mile away. Mostly he releases the reptiles. 

We try to let the cats out for a good run in the early morning. Then, having not fed them, they hustle in for breakfast. It works pretty well. Now, Cinnamon is such a sweet boy. He is scared to death of Pepper, our newest visitor cat. Three times over the last 4 days, he waits by the door for JB to come back in after his walk, dekes out the door faster that a speeding bullet. At that point, he is out until he is hungry again. 

Cinnamon & snake from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I moved the trailcam back to the end of the pond. Something has been chewing on the strap! There was a snake at the base of the tree. I don't think the snake is to blame.

This is a garter snake protecting the trailcam, frozen at the base of the tree! It was hoping I wouldn't notice it sitting there. 

I spotted Fred groundhog across the highway!

In the evening, we were sitting watching Endeavour, when a bat flew into the room. Happily, it landed on the chimney brick while I fetched the butterfly net. JB was stationed at the door and I hustled it outside. That was an adventure. Josephine would have loved it!