Saturday's Critters

What a week it was. This morning we woke to several cm of snow. This morning it is -7℃ and a tad cold. It'll melt this week, as we expect above zero temperatures.

Barred owl has been a regular visitor! This was March 14.

 

barred owl from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I went back the next day and found an owl pellet! I dissected it to find out what s/he has been eating. Probably a vole!

They eat a critter, and cough up the bones mixed with fur in this pellet. 

Archie has been around!

archie from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

He was on the same path as two coyotes!

coyotes & Archie from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The fox turned up, briefly!

Fox March 17 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We have a group of six, as well.

6 turkeys from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

'Dem Dry Bones' gonna rise again!

We've an owl in our habitat. We haven't seen it around, but it does rotate around roosting locations. We haven't seen the owl since Nov. 3rd. This was the photo. 

Just because we haven't seen or heard it, doesn't mean it has gone elsewhere. I keep looking for the white owl poop called 'mute.' I found some Dec. 16th!

For those inclined to be grossed out, I find that there is no smell. It is far less gross than cat or kid throw ups. It is just bones and fur, and have been through stomach acids. Owl digestion is interesting:

The first part is the stomach  (proventriculus), which produces enzymes, acids, and mucus that begin the process of digestion. 

The second part is the muscular stomach, called the ventriculus, or gizzard. It serves as a filter, holding back insolubles: bones, fur, teeth and feathers (more about this here).

It is best to dry the pellet first. It sat in a dish for a few days. Putting it on the heater, I'd forgotten where it was! (Don't tell the kids. We're not failing!) 

 It was massive. They are normally half this size. Previously I'd found 5 rodent skulls in 3 pellets (Jan., 2019), but this was a find.

I began picking it apart, after it dried out, using my reptile tweezers. The fur is amazingly compacted in the skulls, and around the bones. I could make a whole new vole out of it all! 

Look at the little teeth! It looks like three skulls.

That was the highlight of my day. Happily, we've critters on the cameras.

Coyotes from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

 I was working on a suet ball, but that didn't happen. I took the container down to the forest. The fisher quite liked it.

 

fisher Dec. 16 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Out front, I think this is a bat! They hibernate, but our temperatures have been upsy downsy.

 

a bat from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We had lunch in Smiths Falls, after having returned the sink drain to Rona. More on that later! I celebrated actually eating out, and getting out of the house.

Hooray for SPRING!!!!!

It is a glorious time, spring.



Greens and new growth.

 

I found a barred owl feather in the forest. Nutmeg is quite keen on it. Both kittens are quite skittish outdoors. They weren't feral, per se. Today was the first time Nutmeg came when I whistled. They'd been let out prior to breakfast.



I found an owl pellet. I might dissect it. These are the little bones Meggie got caught in her digestive system. The Laxatone seemed to work, and she's not throwing up anymore. Thank goodness for the belly x-rays.



I left the wood duck eggs here. I'm not quite sure what to do with them.



I noticed a bug beside the new bluebird nesting box. (No birds have moved in!)



To continue my inspection, the wood frog eggs are growing!



Along the path, a ribbon snake. It was quite cute.

Trailcam tails and hooligans

Last week, Caitlin, Josee and I went down to the trailcams, Caitlin wanted wetland walkies. We found an owl pellet! And mute, the white stuff. 
 

I found another pellet the next day and looked at it. Obviously, the owl had been getting the meadow voles that Annabelle keeps finding. She left this one on the sidewalk. I think the raccoons ate it that night. The vole teeth are quite distinct.

They like their selfies!



Down the hill, beyond the meadow, we put out the turkey carcass. I left the box, as the coyotes like to play, and I wasn't sure what else to do with it. It was a juicy turkey!



Off I went, Dec. 27th, to check the trailcams. Hooligans! I love them!



It was our ubiquitous raccoons who scored. It was drama as they dragged pieces of the carcass around.



I hope you've flipped through the raccoons, I know hubby likes their antics. Next up, the red fox, surprised by the trailcam.



Then, to my surprise, the barred owl. Remember the owl pellet and mute (the white stuff). I was amazed. There were a couple more photos, but they were blurred. I'd put both trailcams on the spot to catch the action.



The next day, all 4 of our rescue raccoons, the fox, again, and a coyote.



I moved the 2nd trailcam back to the pumpkins. Everyone quite likes them.



NEXT DAY, a fisher.