Catching up: balls and birdbath

I figured I ought to get outdoors, while the sun shone, and so I did some silly decorating. I'd chopped down the tree on which I normally place these balls. I was feeling closed in, and I much prefer see who is coming up our driveway. It was sheltering the garden, as well. I recycled the branches for decor.


What I missed was the reflection of the house. I found it again!


What bugs me is I deliberately alternated between gold and red, and still ended up with them bunched together by colour. Well, no one else but you, dear reader, will see them!

Then, there is the bird bath heater saga.  It cracked in a previous failure, I've cemented it, and while it leaks when very full, it works. I broke my birdbath last winter, January, 2018. (It was the way I'd put the heater in, the top 4" froze.)  I had some advice about getting some premixed cement. I never even thought of that!
Out To Pasture said...

Sorry about your bird bath. I have two. One cement and one metal. The cement one cracks and I just mend it with cement repair compound. 

We drove all the way to Almonte to buy a new one. I had drained it for the night. Somehow, the new one became unplugged on the nest night. The teeny bubbler kept it from freezing, and cracking, again. I duct taped it to the extension cord this time. It's more complicated to undo it to clean the heater, but it's better than destroying it. 

Do you think I need new gloves? It'd probably help if I didn't use my driving gloves to haul wood!

In the meantime, hubby did some shopping. He brought these home. He said it worked like a charm for my mother! Sadly, the chocolates, sitting on the counter as they do, seem to be disappearing. Do you think Hooper has been at them??!!

Speaking of Hooper, we're still crating Daisy at night. It seems to be the best solution. She hunts him down. There might come a time when he stands up for himself. He is growing, and I think he'll outgrow Daisy. Deep breath. 

After our discouraging, unsuccessful trip to spot a snowy owl, I had a private email from Kenny Ruelland, on Facebook. He was headed to Wolfe Island was wondering if I could share where we spotted the long-eared owls. He is a conservationist, I trusted him. I told him, and he found two. He said I could post these two photos. I was unable to take a proper photo, you see. Aren't they amazing? 

Today, it snows, but it is a bit warmer! I was happy to go for a walk, news on that tomorrow. 

I participated in a teleconference meeting last evening. That went well. It's about the only group in which I feel comfortable. Mind you, I can cybersurf while we rehash things, and I can multitask. We need new members, some in the north. There are a lot of me in the demographics, middle-aged, retired white woman!

ODPRN

Birds of Wolfe Island

 Things have been weighing heavily on my heart. We decided to go and see some snowy owls.
We left the house about 8:30 to get the 10:30 ferry to the island.

A hawk, was our first find.



Of course, there were hundreds of geese and ducks. As we ate lunch, they took off en masse. Then, when were leaving on the ferry, they did a fly by. Stretching their wings, perhaps. I didn't have the energy to get out of the car and film them.


There were a few swans.


This is my favourite photo, the water looks so soft. The mallards came in close for me.


I am having a difficult time zooming in and focusing. The pair of eagles soared in circle over our heads.



This raptor I could see over a field, and it kindly came over us. I'm going with Northern Harrier, on a quick search, How to Identify Hawks , but I'm sure I'll be corrected if that's wrong. It's a distinct pattern.


The shore was a bit chilly. A single gull...


After lunch, a man cleaning up in front of his home near the pub asked if we were birding. I said yes. "Did you see any snowies?"
"No, none." I was ready to go home.
He suggested we try a particular road. He's lived here 60 years, and he knows everyone who lives there. He knew we were from away! Off we went.
In a forest, along the side of the road, some really lousy photos, but you will have to trust me. There were 5 long-eared owls. It was impossible for me to focus quickly enough, but you get the idea. I think I might have to get some long-distance glasses. I've needed them since gr. 4, but the progressive lenses are awful for this kind of thing.

It's been confirmed, on Ontario Owls (FB), that they are Long-eared Owls!


A little further down, a 6th owl.


Those were our finds. We tried, and couldn't get on the 2:30 ferry. It was full. We toured around some more, bought a newspaper, I took some photos of the icy pier, we got onto the 3:30 ferry. Not only am I disappointed, but defeated.
More successful birders can be found here:

Saturday's Critters #260

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