Gramma Camp Part 4

Thursday, July 19th

A nice sleep in! Mind you they were up late reading, and then I told them a Gramma Story.
Breakfast on the back deck, as usual.
We continue to watch the Monarch caterpillars. I went down to the meadow, to fetch trailcam SDs, and found two older caterpillars, on one plant. The little poop droppings on the leaves give the bigger ones away! Hooper helped!

 

We've spotted many butterflies and hummingbirds. The phlox are now blooming. The hummingbird feeder is on the back deck. She buzzed us while we worked.

Jos and Grampa did groceries, they bought some more Lego, and picked up another video for the afternoon.

Lunch on the back deck, as well! The three of us wrote a story. The Caribbean Rescue. It uses the Lego pieces, new and old, plus photos Jos took, and some of my photos from the Dominican Republic trip we took. Both Jos and I edited it on-line.

Dinner was at CC's!

 
Jos took this next photo.


Isabelle recreated the French's ad we'd seen on TV!

Dinner was done. Back home for dessert.



On the way home we drove by the osprey nest.

They went down well!

Osprey on the nest

Heavily cropped, this is the best I could do!

I am always amazed with the ways that wildlife can adapt to human encroachment into their territory. I asked hubby to pull off while I took photos of this massive nest. I was sure it would be an eagle, but it was a pair of osprey. The one flew off to another hydro tower, as I stood far away.



We have osprey in human-made nests along a corridor between Merrickville and Port Elmsley. These nests were a little easier to photograph. They are amazing birds.

Phoebe's feeble nest refuge

'Tis a perfect spot for my granddaughters!

 My backyard has a tree house, built by the previous owner, a furniture maker, using wood from our property.

Huge pine supports the tree house

JOS guards the tree house!

The balcony

Mossy nest, shot through the chicken wire!
S/he is building it beside the doorway.

My twins explore the tree house.
Felix is on the roof, Buster the branch.

Nest location is a tricky thing. Phoebe, again, has chosen to build it in the tree house.

Bungied chicken wire on the balcony,
see the nest mid-photo!

Totally blocked the door to cats!

Not really a good refuge, with three cats who patrol. Last year, the nest was destroyed (cat or raccoon?) before I protected it. Two little eggs eaten on the floor.

This year I am being proactive, and have blocked the doorway with an old trunk and the balcony window with chicken wire.
Phoebe can fly out over the box, or out the balcony.

Felix sits on the steps, busted!

I see the parents everywhere.

THis one hit the window.

It flew off after a moment.

#214

Here he is, listen to his spring song in the video.
Here is a video of the phoebe, singing high in the tree in our backyard.