How did your Sunday go?

I managed a photo of a doe with triplets. 

We just lost another fawn on the highway. It's taken me a few days to process the whole thing. Skim if you need to.

We could hear the traffic, and it was heavy all day. They pass one another, revving engines. It is discouraging. We lost one a fawn a month ago (The circle of life). This last time it was 11:14, Sunday morning. We could hear the screech of brakes, and the sound of the hit, from inside the house. They couldn't see a large doe and twin fawns and avoid them. 

"There is more to life than increasing its speed." 

-Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948)

What is it with these people who travel well past the posted speed limit? Crikey. I went down to see if I could remove the fawn carcass, but I could not lift it. I rolled it farther down into the ditch. I was worried about my safety, as vehicles travel way too fast. It was Nov. 2020 when a Quebec driver hit a deer and rolled his car: Signage. His passengers ended up in hospital. That's when they put up signage after I'd asked for it several times, beginning in 2011: Roadkill - slow down. 

I came back to the back deck, a little upset and shell-shocked. I can still hear the whack from a small car hitting a large doe. I was in the forest in March, 2017, when I heard that incident: a buck (Cats, deer friends). His car had to be towed. This curve is where they cross the highway to habitat. Then there was the time Hooper was killed. It was 6 p.m., in the dark.  That sound haunts me still.  

OK, back to my tale. After I gave up on the new carcass, wishing the little spirit well. I went to the back deck to breathe deeply. In the backyard, there was a fawn, with the doe eating. I would assume that this is the mother doe and sibling. They know our yard is safe. Just to the left is the highway, they ambled up the hill to safety.

It lay down for a rest! They were here for about a half hour. 

Here is the momma.

fawn doe from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

JB went into town for groceries, as this point. He counted 6 carcasses of various critters (one was a raccoon kit) in 5 km. He saw a whole lot of motorcycles. They drove past here, at great speed, passing one another, mufflers cranking it up. Turns out they were on a ride to raise money for prostate cancer.  Seeing as he has prostate cancer, he thought it fitting to take photos. He asked to take photos, and they were quite pleased.

From JB's walk...

 🐻SNUGGLE Bears met a new friend.

The circle of life

 Monday, August 23rd

You may want to simply glance through this post. I wanted to write about it, to work it through. The day was cloudy, and the crows were noisy. I heard them, and thought I should go see what they were upset about. The turkey vultures were even more upset, as they flew over the house. They are large, their wingspan is about 170cm, I counted 9 soaring in circles in a cloudy sky. vultures  

And they continued...

We'd lost a fawn. The cars just whip by, and the poor thing was hit in the rump. It would have been quick. We have had a doe with one fawn, and another with two. I hoped it was one of the twins.

The crows were going after the carcass, and the turkey vultures were watching from up in the trees. Crows cannot harvest an intact animal, I have read. They don't have the beaks for it. This carcass had injuries, which they exploited.

I was so surprised. They were afraid of the highway, I think. Or the crows.

It bothered me all day. Since the vultures and the crows were so agitated, I thought I should move the carcass. Usually, the county is pretty quick to pick up roadkill, but by the afternoon in sweltering heat... I had to do something. I changed into dirty clothes, grabbed the big wheelbarrow and heavy gloves, and went to the highway. It stunk so badly. It was just gruesome. I don't know how people can do this. The smell stayed in my head all afternoon and evening. I couldn't eat lunch. I did manage dinner.

I'd placed the carcass on Oliver's Lot (below), and set up a trailcam in front of it. I decided to be curious, and see which clean-up critters turned up. If you look closely, you can see the trailcam on its tripod. You can't really see the carcass. 

The vultures took some time and moved off. They are majestic, with their graceful flights, soaring in circles in the now blue sky. I wondered how long it would take. You can recognize them by the 'finger tip' ends of their wings.

I woke up early on Tuesday, and went out to see what was on the trailcam. Now you really cannot see anything, and I am interested in seeing the clean up crew. It's the only way to process it all. I've cut out the most gruesome clips, and chosen a decent thumbnail.

 The turkey vultures were first. They were a bit jumpy. And I never caught all 8 of them at the same time, only 4. Soon they will migrate. We appreciate their work. Turkey vultures 

Next, the coyote came along. He spent a fair amount of time at it, on and off during the day. If you choose to watch, you can see how afraid he is of the highway just off to the right. The vultures didn't even look at the traffic going by! His last visit was 8 p.m. Coyote  

 

The red fox came along at 9 p.m. By the morning there was nothing left but some fur. Nature's plan worked. And mine! Red fox  

It was the doe with the single fawn who we lost. You can see the twin fawns in yesterday's post. 

They predators were pretty wary. I walked around a bit, and they did an excellent clean up. The coyotes didn't come around after dark. Just the fox. They don't like the trailcam lights. I'm glad it is all over. 

Signage

 Finally, after 10 years here, they put up a sign. I have been asking them for years [Roadkill - slow down]. It took a massive incident at 3:30 a.m., and lives changed forever, but we have signage. We are in the middle of a habitat, and they cross the road to go back and forth.

Car incident near Perth 

The two young men who were passengers are still in hospital. 

This is where drivers get set to pass, as well as it being an animal crossing. We've had much roadkill here, as well as deer: porcupines, raccoons, rabbits, 3 of our black cats, plus Hooper, a turkey chick (LOOK FOR THE HELPERS! right while JB and a neighbour were watching), barred owl, Fred gopher, a beaver, snakes and turtles. 

Do you think it'll do any good? 

10. Catching up after our trip

Yes, the garden. I am catching up with being away 8 days [Vancouver and kidlets!)]. I weeded Saturday, and Sunday was garden day. First thing, off to get some plants. The nursery had sold about 2/3 of its flowers, nearly sold out. It was hard not buying anything for the garden prior to our trip! I knew the baskets wouldn't last without my being here to water.

On the left, the very green basket, are my sum total of veggies: cherry tomatoes. I transplanted them from the yellow basket into a much larger one.


Then, petunias into the yellow planter (above), for the hummingbirds. A 'window box' of pinks and begonias for the front window.

The deer have trimmed my hostas for me. Normally, they begin with the plant farthest from the house, and work their way into the interior of the garden.

Caught in the act

Friday, June 8th

Recaught in the act, Wed., June 13th! We were watching TV and I saw Daisy staring at something...



Critters everywhere.
The millipede was in the bottom of an old hanging planter I was repotting. You'll notice my manicure is looking a bit rough! I only had it done since I was traveling.

millipede

Gray tree frog hung about here all day!


Butch amongst the yellow devil's paintbrush.


A garter snake slid into a mouse hole to escape from me.

We had a scare Sunday. JB couldn't find Hooper anywhere. He looked on the road and found roadkill. It turned out to be a rabbit, he scraped it up and put it in the ditch.
Tuesday morning, another rabbit as roadkill.

Bunny frontyard from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Then, Hooper decided to go on a bender. He was gone from Tuesday night until midnight the next night. sigh. We were worried. Boys...

Good news, our tick count is down. This may be affected by the cats being 9 days in the cat hotel, but... I am hopeful.

Cats, deer friends

Annabelle helped me to wash the floor mats. They were grungy.


Then we went for a play. She liked the wind and sunshine, high atop the wood pile.


In the garden, bulbs are beginning to pop up, way too soon.
I made the mistake of trying to fix the flag, just before the afternoon brought horrendous winds. Fail. I'll wait until they cease. There are three rebar dowels that keep it in place. I remove two of them, and it pivots, but it is very heavy.



The leaves, liberated from the heavy snow, are now flying hither and yon. They have landed in the goldfish pond. We have a pine siskin. Just one!


Daisy was tired. She was happy to sit in the sunshine.


The wetland is, indeed, wet. However, a few days later it is -20 C. this morning, and it is frozen!


Tigger was back for a munch. Pickle Stabber came with him. Pickles hasn't lost his antlers, which is surprising. The males hang out together in winter.

There is more to life than increasing its speed.

-Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948)

A buck was killed on the highway, at the curve. It was so sad. I heard it, I was down at the frog pond.  The debris filed was long. I wish people would slow down. We've lost two cats here, as well as two porcupines, two raccoons kits, a beaver, a gopher, several deer, and two turtles. It's Roadkill Curve.
Three men stopped, prior to the police arriving. They hauled the carcass off of the centre of the road. I asked them to put him in the ditch for the coyotes, but they refused. They said someone will take the meat. I wanted to keep the coyotes happy.
Two township workers took him away.