Saturday's Critters

 I've been busy, so have the critters. They are on the move! Go, Blue Jays, GO! 

First, the fisher with dinner!  

 We released rehabilitated raccoons last week. I'm seeing the odd one around.

   

 The coyote was hunting for good smells.

   

 Papa bear came by. Soon they'll hunker down for winter and I can put bird feeders up!

 

 Saturday's Critters # 619  <= Visit more critters at Eileen's blog.

No Kings around here!

 It was with great interest that I watched the #NoKings gatherings. The signage was quite something. 

#NoKings 

There were protests in Toronto (100s with Elbows Up posters), Vancouver, Dublin, South Korea, London, as well as in the US. 

You wonder why we care? Canadian snowbirds, off to live in the US for the winter, are being photographed, and fingerprinted. Their RVs searched, after they are registered and charged $30 USD ($42 CAD) apiece for the honour. 

In January, the Canadian government said an estimated 3,600 citizens have listed "X" as their gender on their passports — an option that has been available to Canadians since 2019.

I was watching Flight Radar on No Kings day. I used the filter. These are only government planes, drones and helicopters. 

They were serious! 

Closer to home

Things are ramping up here. Just when I think it's quiet, there is something...  The Blue Jays have been interesting. I think they are looking for the feeders! The chickadees have done the same thing: looking in the window.

I'm not quite ready to put feeders out. There is lots of food. Nature Canada says there was a banded Blue Jay bird who lived 26 years! 

We haven't done 🧸Snuggle Bears in ages! It was a thing. The young grandies inspired Grampa.

The bears had pizza for dinner. I sent the photo to our Vancouver grandies!

Nutmeg thought it was a fun party! 

Our driveway! It is always nice coming home, but this is nature at its best.

Jean had questions about the raccoon release: 

Do they have tags, And do the wildlife people come to check up every so often?

They don't have tags. Sadly, they are often road kill or preyed on by coyotes, owls, foxes. Their lifespan in the wild is only a few years. They are especially vulnerable when they are small.

There isn't any follow-up by RVWS, since they disperse into the forest around us. We may never see them again. Although, how would we know?! We have one raccoon with a bad leg 📹, who travels with another. And a single. Their numbers seem down to me, this year. 

This is the raccoon I spotted on the driveway on the trailcam.

Saturday's Critters

I split our pumpkins with the reciprocal saw. 

 

It has revealed its bounty to several critters! 

I really believe we must notice the small as well as the large critters! Can you see it?!

   

Chippie is happy!

 

Bunny is happy!

   

 In both the front and back yards!

   

 I love the paw lift on the raccoon. After staring at the camera lights, it seemed pensive!

 

Saturday's Critters # 569 <= visit more critters on Eileen's blog.

Saturday's Critters

I am fond of this 2014 photo. We haven't had this bird feeder since to fell apart in 2018. I took the feeder down after the top section fell off. [Aug. 1st:  A WASP story!]  

The fawn stood there in the sunshine for over 30 minutes!

driveway deer from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Yesterday I posted the sunset. Today, sunrise!

deer sunrise from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

sidewalk turkey from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We never see coyotes around the house in the daytime. They are good coyotes. Shout Out to Topsy Farm. They have guardian coyotes. 

This is the trailcam in the forest. It begins with a coyote, with its buddy in the background. All you can see is its eyes. The second clip shows that Butch raccoon is awake. They don't hibernate, they just sleep in the really cold weather.

coyote and raccoon from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Butch is, indeed, awake.

 

Butch raccoon from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Saturday's Critters # 482 Thanks to Eileen for hosting! 

Saturday's Critters

This is the backyard. I was just wandering. This is where Fred groundhog lives, but I haven't found his burrow yet. This hole wasn't finished and he has abandoned the hole under the wood pile. I think.. 

I like the driveway. It occured to me that in the Autumn I often find bird nests after the leaves drop.

Sure enough!

Great excitement. Thursday, Nutmeg was walking along the railing in the dining room. It was unusual. She spotted a bat on the wall. Grabbing the butterfly net, putting JB on the door ready to open it, I got it into the net. I needed to use a placemat to keep it in the net. JB opened the screen door, and it flew off into the big pine tree.

Last weekend, the fawn deigned to appear on the backyard trailcam! We've had some with spots in October, there is time yet!

 

fawn from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The scarlet tanager paused on a branch for me. Even he found the sun hot, though!

 

scarlet tanager from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I was trying to dig out the thistle, and found a bumble bee nest in the weeds. Whoopsie! I moved the hose.

backyard bees from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Four raccoons:

Butch raccoon from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

For more critters, visit Eileen! Saturday's Critters # 453 

Saturday's Critters

 People are so kind to say they are fans of my critter posts. It lifts me up. I have fun watching our critters. The challenge is to film them. It keeps me sharp and gives me some goals.

I emerged from the meadow, rising up the path, to find a lovely bird. I must admit I was slightly disappointed it was 'just' a young robin with speckles on its breast, but in the grand scheme of things I cannot be disappointed. I know I am privileged to live here.

robin from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

In the forest, finally a couple of critters, Butch and a coyote. They've been hiding out from the bugs.

Coyote and Butch from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Chad coyote had to 'powder his nose' in front of the camera, as usual!

coyote from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Butch was in the meadow, as well.

Butch raccoon from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The fawn slipped across the camera's field of vision!

fawn from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Someone was sniffing, I think the doe!

sniffer from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Also, the flying critters: lots of bees and bugs frequent ther Viper's Bugloss.

Bugloss insects from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The monarch

monarch butterfly from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Visit Eileen's Saturday's Critters  for more critters.

Saturday's Critters # 450

🐾Saturday's Critters🐕

I've moved the front yard trailcam, here are the last of those videos in that location. It was facing the front yard bird feeder.

I like watching Butch raccoon, I haven't seen many as the cold must make them a bit sleepy. It stood up and did 'bear' – sitting on its haunches, and looking for trouble.

~~~

Today is our December bird count. I've had 13 mourning doves at one point.

~~~

I've been watching the cottontail coming to the feeder. Attaching the time to the image, it is interesting figuring out when they have visited.

~~~

I found that I have 2 cottontails! Not only that, but the one bunny sits up, doing 'bear' and I figured out it was looking at Oregano, our feral visitor.

~~~

Having moved the camera to the deck, I managed a wonderful set of 20 videos on Thursday, Dec. 16th. I chose just one to give you an idea of what happened.

This is where it sat. You'll note the ribbon...

It was another gusty, windy night. Cinnamon wanted to hunker down in the Muskoka Room. I finally had to bring him in when I was ready to turn the light out at 9 p.m. He was happy watching the wind.

Down in the forest, real action!

5 coyotes at the same time...

Saturday's Critters # 418 <= for more critters!

Saturday Critters!

Things are slowly turning. I've 16 froggies in the goldfish pond. Happily, it is raining and I may be able to find a spot to put them before freeze up. The pond is too shallow for them to hunker down in over the winter.

I went shopping for pumpkins! 

First up, briefly, the coyote. S/he left its mark in the backyard, too! coyote 

Then, there is Butch. I counted 7!

   

 I haven't seen porcupine in ages!

 

The doe ran from our furthest lot towards the trailcam, with a giant leap! It is impressive. doe aleaping  

  

A doe and young 'un were nibbling in the front yard in the pouring rain. singing in the rain! 

  

For more critters, visit Eileen #407.

Groceries & other excitement

 Funny story! 

I did a pick-up grocery order for JB on Wednesday night. With his arm issues, it saves him a lot of work. I reserved the 9:30 – 10:00 timeslot. Thursday morning JB set off for his walk. The phone was low on juice, so he kept it off whilst walking. The thought occurred to me that I didn't get an order confirmation. I went back to the website, and thought about it. There were items in my cart. I knew we had a problem.

I phoned Debbie at the store, as she was filling someone else's order. I asked if the order had gone through and she said no. SIGH. I told her the issue with the phone, and that if JB turned up just tell him I screwed up! JB phoned me before going to the store, which was a good thing. I told him it was off. He's going for a nice cup of coffee! I went walkies.

I went back to the order online, and they were full the rest of Thursday, so I booked 9:30 – 10 for Friday. After I thought about it, I realized I had a haircut booked for 9 a.m., but I cannot change the pickup time now. Good thing I have short hair!

I don't even remember what plants this is. I think pumpkin, but since they nibble on it, and there is no fruit to inspect...I give up!

We still have cherry tomatoes, but it was 5˚ C. this morning, so it won't be long before frost.

Time to work on indoor plants. My terrarium is just wild. The plants are escaping confinement. The one has lovely little purple flowers. I've been trimming them, as they overflow, but their roots are large.

🐻SNUGGLE Bears

They are reading about Sable Island!

Butch in the forest  

The chickadees were taunting Cinnamon, who was up a tree! chickadees & Cinnamon  

 

On land and water

There is a wee cottage for sale on a nearby lake. I am always shocked with house prices. It is a two-bedroom/one bathroom/four season cottage for sale. It's $599,990! It's on lake water, no well, and there is a water treatment system. 

It's the bungalow on the right for sale.

The cottage on the right is the one for sale.
(This is from a canoe ride in 2014.)

This is the satellite photo. It is the one middle left for sale.

In 2015... housing prices are ridiculous. Thankfully, our kids in Vancouver are in a housing co-op downtown. 

For sale! I tracked it down.
343 Mile Pt. Rd. only $459,000
Only 2 bedrooms

Back to the land...

The coyote  is just a shadow in the dark. Now that the bugs have lessened, I imagine there will be more critters out and about.

 

The great crested flycatcher. It's a great challenge trying to videotape them.

  

 

Butch is still running through the forest. There was a lag between momma and the 2nd (or third) sibling coming along. "Momma, wait for meeeeee!"  butch 

 

We were sitting watching our post-dinner TV when I saw the Common Mullein plant swinging left to right, and back again. Running to the front window, I was fascinated. woodpecker 

Ducks, Butch, mystery bird

 Everytime I go down to the forest, I'm preparing by wearing long sleeves, taking my videocamera, camera, SD cards to exchange. It's been cold, so I go in the early morning, hoping the bugs are a bit slower! What I keep forgetting is my smart phone with the bird ID app. BirdNET is pretty good, as it knows which birds are in my area (see screenshot, left).

I decided to tape the bird song and see if it worked with the app. It does! I played it on my laptop, and the app read it.

You can tell I couldn't see it at all! Here is the song...  Bird 

 

Do you know what it is?! (answer is below!)

Yam asked if I use lotion on my bug bites. I do. AfterBite. When I remember. Blackfly bites aren't itchy for awhile on me, and I forget to use it. Then, in the night, they ooze, scab, and are itchy. It's too late by then. 

Cinnamon came for walkies.

My barrel is doing well!

I accidentally set the camera on B & W. The phoebes (and cowbird) are doing well. The parents were off sourcing food.

I've been sanding the frame around the garage door. It needs painting. Since my cataract surgery, my eyes are really sensitive. We looked upstairs and down for the goggles, couldn't find them anywhere! (Don't tell the kids!)

I transplanted this bush (Aug., 2019; sputniks and gardening), it is showing signs of recovery! The 2nd photo is what they are supposed to look like... Caitlin's is doing well! Mine was in the wrong location.

I put out the last of the cracked corn. There were visitors! The wood ducks complained about the crow. Such a peculiar, non quacking sound. Crow & ducks  

 

I think they heard me coming! Wood ducks complaining about Butch .

 

The noises are the wood ducks, sneaking around the raccoon. ducks & butch  

 

ANSWER: The bird was identified as a scarlet tanager!