Critters galore!

 The monarch caterpillars continue to hatch on the milkweed. Most of them are tucked under the roof, here. 

You can tell when they are close to their last instar, as the little green poopies are a good size. I could tell this caterpillar was heading downwards, as the poop came out of the top end and bounced off!

Friday, I saw the baby crows in the backyard. This is what I've been hearing since May 30th, they fledged June 30th, but didn't go far. You can see, just like the little birds, these big crows flapping their wings, opening their beaks, and demanding food.

 

We've had some heavy rains. It doesn't phase our lactating doe. Maybe we should name her?She was keen on the clover, so I'm glad I didn't mow it.She was there on and off all day and night. doe in the rain  

   

The coyote is pretty illusive. I had a tough time finding a thumbnail in the video that would show it. The motion is interesting, as it avoids the camera. coyote July 7  

 

They are tough to see in the dark, but it appears Blond Butch is down to 2 kits, if this is her. The third could be nearby. Butch + kits  

  

I put an old pillow down in front of the trailcam. Sometimes the coyotes play. Instead, a bear! Booboo Bear the 2nd. He is a young un', I think. Maybe a year? It's a bit late to see one. Usually, they get kicked out of Momma's territory around May. You can see it is a walking bug magnet.

I fetched the trailcam cards at 10:19, note it was there about an hour before me!  Booboo 2  

  

Visit more critters here:  Saturday's Critters # 395 & 12th Blog Anniversary , congrats to Eileen! 

Gramma Camp – Week 32.3

 Last night, Nutmeg decided she had to redecorate her box. She hasn't done that in ages! She chews on the cardboard. Josephine often has a night time visitor, Cinnamon. She told me she'll need to turn over, with Cinnamon snuggled beside her, and she hates to because then he moves!

Grampa went for an early morning walk in town, at 7:00. The bugs are simply awful in the forest.

The girls roused themselves, after Gramma opened their curtains around 8! They eased themselves into the day. Josee was eating breakfast, when there was a knock on the garage door. Grampa was having a nap. It was the man to check and inspect our furnace and A/C. 

Once that was done, I set off to cut the meadow lawn and the front lawn. Long pants and a t-shirt, with my trusty ball cap and deerfly stickies.

Once that was done, I was a bit warm. I stuck my head in the basement door, and yelled, "Last one in!" It worked! I took off my pants, and jumped into the pool in my t-shirt. Soon, I had buddies.

They are good buddies. I got out, in order for them to play their new game, Whack-a-mole! Well, Whack-an-Isabelle!

 

swimming from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We've two medium and one small monarch caterpillar. I'm sure there are more.

The milkweed hosts lots of critters! These little eggs shine copper in the sun.

A little lady beetle on the fountain!

Grampa took the girls down to the store for popsicles. They ended up with ice cream. A nice treat on a hot day. They tried to eat it on the swing bench, but it was too buggy. They came up onto the back deck with us. 

They like their routines. Grampa had taken them to the video store and they watched their regular 3 p.m. video. After that, they did more drawing until I called them up for dinner.

Grampa had gone into town for hamburgers, again. This time they were open.  It was a great day had by all!

Hoppity boppity around the yard!

I accomplished a lot, yesterday. I knew rain was coming, as well as our 19-year-old tennis player was on TV around 2:30. Our young people are doing so well in the Roger's Cup tournament. I wanted to cross a few chores off of my list. 

My professional photographer friends advise me that my camera sensor needs to be cleaned. Ya think?! Maybe when I have my eye surgery. I'd be two weeks without it, I bet.

Red thinks is looks like a hurricane! I have to agree.



In actuality, it was a most welcome storm, with a few mm of rain. Not much, but most welcomed.

The mourning cloaks and eastern comma are all over the hops vine.

Susie Snake was back. I was about to clean the pond pump and she realized she'd best skedaddle. A lot of these chores required bug spray, so I did my morning workout and went to it. (I've lost 4 kg since May, BTW. It feels good.)


I've a mystery plant. I don't remember planting it, but I must have. It's quite thorny. Anyone have a clue for me?!

One of my chores, removing the wild parsnip. (I got a lot done!) This one was twice as tall. There were several and I removed them with gloves, popping them into a garbage bag, especially the seeds. Take that, you miserable plants! If you get the oils on your skin, and the sun gets to it, you get large boils. I just look at poison ivy and get that, so I sprayed some of those plants.


These little mud pots are funny. Potter or mud dauber wasps, methinks, on the back of the milkweed.

I cannot get enough of the caterpillars.

Hey, come here often?

I ambled about the forest, having protected myself with bug spray, knowing I had stuff to do. Bear evidence.


The trailcams have been less than successful. As my daughter said, there is lots of food in the forest. They need not bother humans. The serviceberry and the honeysuckle shrubs are bounteous.



The wrens and sparrows have been frequent flyers.

I have cleaned out the wren house. Sadly, we're going to have to replace it. Christmas is coming!

Then, through the front window.

Our fox ran by. Lots of flying things, since the insects are plentiful. It could be a bat that flits by twice. Other than Hooper, this is about all. I moved the trailcam down in the mosquitoey forest.
fox from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

For more critters:

Saturday's Critters #295

Critters abound

The monarchs continue to be busy. I'm still surprised there are NONE beside the back garden. It's been dreadfully hot, maybe they know they are better in the shelter of the front yard.


This is where the majority of our monarch caterpillars sit, on a half dozen plants. I've been hand watering the milkweed plants! Currently, there are three caterpillars in various stages of growth.



These are milkweed tussock moths. They started on one of the plants above, and I successfully moved them to another plant. I took the whole leaf, and set it on another leaf, on another plant. I thought that the two monarch caterpillars on the other plant would do better without them! Success!

In the goldfish pond, there are now 18 froggies seeking  sanctuary here. This first one is just losing its tail. This is one I rescued from the dried up frog pond, down beyond the meadow.  [The goldfish and frog pond]. They are all green frogs.

Down in the meadow, FOUR raccoons on the trailcam, plus Bucky 1!

Then there is our boy, Hooper.