Saturday's Critters

The phoebes have been nurtured, and now are fledged. 

My McGyvered mirror has had the biscuit. 

During COVID (June, 2020), the grandies were here and we took the opportunity to look at the precious things for a moment. It was special.

My new mirror, a little less than great. I read it had a 36" pole. I neglected to read the size of the mirror! A full size security mirror is $143! 

It wasn't as bad as I thought!

 

Barry has disappeared deeper into the wetland. I hope there is water there for him. The path is frequented by both Butch raccoon, and our pregnant doe.

   

 A bear came by. It was captured on the driveway, and on the same path in the video above.

   

 A coyote was another brief visitor. Too brief for a video. Got him on the driveway camera!

The porcupine(s?) are out and about on an irregular regular basis. It seems to take the same path. I guess, when you are a porcupine, you can amble where you want.

 

We've a lot of wind. The doe seems a bit unsettled. They can't hear predators with the sounds.

 

Saturday's Critters # 651 <= visit more critters from around the world at Eileen's blog.

Flowers, Freds

 I took the day off from outdoor work. Having been a couch potato most of the winter, it takes a toll! I had a volunteer gig, and it was good to get out. 

I changed my header to show the greens! And the lilacs.

The weather has been crazy with temperatures fluctuating. We have lots of wind from the north.

The highs have exceeded expectations, but overnight they said it'd be cold, i.e. 4 ℃. It was. It has been, for 3 days. 

I keep moving the flowers to the sun shine, and then bring them in the house over night. Basil, cherry tomato plants, and my Mother's Day gift of gorgeous-smelling petunias, all brought in over night.

More cherry tomatos (don't ask!) and the hummingbird fuschia are happy to be indoors.

I covered this planter with a blanket. 

Dratted Red Squirrel, DRS and Cinnamon's favourite critter to watch,  is undeterred. It has fur!

He sat there in the shade. 

Phoebe's 5 eggs have hatched. Fledging should be June 2nd. Non-mental note!

 

Our big news is that Momma Fred has at least 2 kits. They are born without fur, and spend some time in the burrow before emerging. 

Yam  had a good question: "As for the Freds, I also wonder if Mini has her own brood... or is supposed to have gone off independent and formed her own? "

It seems as if MiniFred is trying to come back home. She's only a year old, they can have a brood this early, but she is trying to visit the place where she was born...  That is my thought, as she keeps coming and going.

I spotted her on the driveway the other day. It happens from time-to-time. I don't think she'd leave kits if she had them. Momma Fred doesn't go far from the burrow.

 

Groundhogs are solitary. The only time I saw two here was on the videocam (April, 2024) there was a fight, or they mated. I didn't ask.

Momma Fred is vigilant. Last year coyote took 2 or 3 kits. Circle of Life. I don't think we'll be over run with groundhogs. I think MiniFred has a burrow across the highway. (What could go wrong?) 

Saturday's Critters

Having fun with the new trailcam, I threw out a bread crust. The crows dispatched it. The one on the left won! 

Coyote:

Fred:

Phoebe has 5 eggs, which should hatch next Friday. They sit on the purple pencil, swooping down to catch a bug. I hope they don't poop on the trailcam!

I cleverly lowered the camera, as the skunk just missed! Love that tail!

MiniFred was sent to back to her burrow (which Momma Fred dug) in no uncertain terms!

   

 Momma Fred took umbrage and resorted to doggy digging under the deck. 

   

 The phoebe is still sitting on the nest. They like my purple pencil. 

   

 Busy spot, coyote at night, deer and Fred in the day. 

 

Saturday's Critters # 647 for more critters, visit Eileen's blog.

Fires out west, critter updates

🔥🚒The fires continue out west. Manitoba has declared a state of emergency. The same isn't true for Saskatchewan to its west, there are calls of racism from the tribes profoundly affected. THAT province has a white premier.

There have been 17,000 evacuations, with military flights to move them out.  Manitoba has a population of about 1.5 million people. Wise people are listening to evacuation calls. The media showed someone NOT bemoaning the potential loss of his truck and home, but this wise young man said that it is only things, and he's glad he has the opportunity to flee rather than losing his life. Wab Kinew, the trilingual premier of Manitoba (English, French, Ojibwe), is an amazing man. He has asked the federal government for assistance. He is on line supporting his constituents.

The bigger the circle, the bigger the fire. The smoke has been an issue, as well, drifting east towards other provinces. 

Fire Outage Map

🕷We finally had a break in the rain Wednesday. I managed some outside work, even picking up a tick. It was crawling on my shoulder. I was about to catch it and kill it (futile, I know!), but it dropped off me beside the goldfish pond. 

I did some research. I have noticed that this happens in the forest, not so much in our grassy areas, but where there are saplings, and wee new trees my height. 

Ticks are QUESTING – by Bruce Smith, Otty Lake, xxx Former Professor at Ithaca College, Dept. of Biology:

“What is your quest?” – I couldn’t resist a quote from the movie ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’, but ticks have a behaviour called ‘questing’ where they climb up on a plant and extend their legs, waiting for a host. If they make contact with a potential host, or pick up a cue from a possible host (e.g., warmth, carbon dioxide, odours) then they will drop and try to grab onto anything they can – hopefully a host. 

PREGNANT DOE 

I was watching her, but Fred had just moved her kits to this part of the yard, and scared the doe with her high whistle! She was staring down at burrow #4 under the fence. I was walking nearby, and Fred squealed at me. 

I found an April 12th, 2025, photo of Fred's burrow #4. You can see the fence, and the house behind. This is all covered in bracken, and other foliage. It's quite safe, I hope.

This is a young buck on the dock for some reason!

 COYOTE

The coyote visited the frog pond trailcam, peed, and made eye contact with the camera! Such attitude!

They have beautiful colours.

PHOEBE

Phoebe's eggs hatched May 27th. I predicted May 28th. Not far off. I'm giving them some quiet time. 

#75

We haven't seen #75 in several days. I think he's moved on! We have stopped feeding him, as it is encouraging other wildlife.  I noticed a pair of crows landing in his tree Wed., May 28th 7 am.

May 28th I noticed the fireflies are out and about.

I managed a video June, 2014: Firefly from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo. 

The birds, butterflies, and bees are out!

butterfly

We made it up to 29℃ twice this past week. It was lovely, with cooler temperatures overnight. 

Fred got into some bad trouble. I am not amused. More on that later. 

Pussytoes, Bleeding Hearts

I read in a blog post about Pussytoes! Seriously! We have this all over our 'lawn!'

Bleeding heart

Lilacs! Only thing, this morning it is only 3 ℃ and it's rather cold to be sitting outdoors.

My basket is doing well. Snuggled by the house, I guess. 

The goldfish pond is full, again. It's just too cold to put out the fishies, though.

Last week we drove to the city for Mother's Day. I was reminded of this image from last September. I knew it was an overpass.

Sept. 7, 2024

Dwyer Hill Training Centre (Ottawa Citizen, 2023)

This is a top secret training centre. Apparently, they need more facilities. To the tune of $1.4 billion! There is some controversy, as the centre was going to move to Trenton. Not any more!

Defence Minister Anita Anand announced Tuesday the initiative to construct 23 new buildings at the Dwyer Hill Training Centre or DHTC. The centre is home to the Canadian Forces special forces unit Joint Task Force 2.

Both #75 the squirrel, and Fred and her 2 kits are doing well. #75 doesn't seem inclined to move on at all. I don't blame him, it's been cold! He's been here a week, and has moved up and down his tree. I think the hay in his nest box is nice and cozy.

He gets a cup of seeds every morning! (Not by me!)

#75 watches Joe as he brings the seeds.

I'm trying to figure out what he is doing here. Fungus? Lichen? 

Fred is very vigilant! The kits haven't ventured very far from the burrow entrance. 

Phoebe's eggs should hatch the next week. They are keeping the 5 wee eggs warm!