Welcome to JUNE!

🎾 Tuesday was a busy one. There were three tennis games to follow. Part of me felt guilty sitting there, so we made sure to get up, do something, and get back to the games. It is better for my foot, and in this heat! We puttered, while nursing various ailments. Ain't aging is grand! 

💉We've boosters booked for COVID! 

We had good news that we will have one last Summer Gramma Camp in July! The girls are growing, and they have friends to hang out with. They are traveling to New Zealand for 3 weeks in the summer, as well. Hopefully, all will work out and they can meet up with Jean!

We finished watching a series, Injustice. It was a powerful thriller, with twists and turns. We sit, watch, and swat at indoor mosquitoes! 

🐣While I knew there were eggs in the bluebird nest box, I think there must be another pair of House Wrens in the green nest box. I saw a little head peeking out. Then, flying to the flagpole. 

One robin fledged Tuesday morning, another between then and Wednesday, while the third made a Hail Mary Pass and took off. I believe we had three fledge. Here are the last photos I have of them.

We are done! I want to rearrange the furniture on the deck. However, the phoebes... Here is the cowbird dominating the nest. The wee phoebes are days younger. Cowbirds lay their eggs in other birds' nests.

The cowbird has fledged, leaving the baby phoebes to thrive. Here it was on Tuesday. Wednesday morning, when I donned gear at 6 a.m. to fetch trailcam cards, I peeked and it was gone. 

We like to see the garter snakes. They are harmless, eat rodents, and keep insect populations at bay. This was a lovely specimen. I heard is shushing through the leaves and noticed.

The fence is looking good. I like that it is black, and except where the light bounces off of it, you can still see the plants. My lilies are growing tall. I have to pace myself in the heat, and judicious use of bug spray.

I let the cats out for a brief run every morning, usually for under an hour. The other day I asked Cinnamon if he wanted walkies. "Do I?" He's been lobbying for it for awhile. He pooched out on me at the meadow.  The bugs are really bad, and hungry cats end up on the front deck to flee the mosquitos. 

I ended up at the frog pond, and the tadpoles are huge! Cinnamon was back up on the deck, waiting for breakfast.

tadpoles from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Cinnamon treed Butch, this was last week. Cinnamon is pretty docile, and I imagine he was curious, and Butch wisely fled up the tree. 

Butch & Cinnamon from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The only critter on the trailcam, triggered by the wind blowing the bracken, was the American crow. It was a fruitless trek down to the camera, otherwise.

I hope the heat wave passes. 

🔥 🚒 May has been a month of fires across Canada. Alberta (546), Saskatchewan (192), Manitoba, Northern Ontario, Quebec (101 fires), Nova Scotia (CBC article, Tantallon Fire, Barrington Lake fire). 

We are going to hope for better in June. 

Walkies, flowers, owl pellets

 I took Cinnamon walkies. He found a spot where something had eaten a bird. He was quite keen on inspecting it. The mosquitoes are really bad, hovering about a foot off of the ground all throughout the forest.

The wetland is greening up. 

You can see where the ice storm forced the trees and bushes to fall over.

This fungus is growing on some downed birch trees.

cinnamon from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

 I'd heard the barred owls, and we found TWO owl pellets. This is the result of the owls regurgitating the fur and bones they are unable to digest. Of course I took them apart to see what they'd been eating. I took a photo of the spot, just in case they are regular visitors here. When we had a pair nesting in the backyard, the male had a favourite tree. I took a photo trying to remember where to look again! 

Two vole skulls!

We went to the Smiths Falls market and bought some plants for summer. I planted JB's cherry tomato hanging basket.

The water is slowly going down to normal levels. We sat here waiting for the light to change on the Rideau Ferry Bridge! They are working on it until July, and there are traffic lights for a single lane.

Fred groundhog appeared. I took this through the screen, just in case he ran away when I opened the door. A cute little photo, I've yet to get a good one of him.

He went back to feeding on the grass.

Then he heard me, and fled the scene. Back under the lower deck to safety.

Here we go. Another sunny day. I've wood to stack, but I think I will wait until the birds hatch. The House Wrens are back, as well as the phoebe and robin's nests under the deck. The back deck is not too buggy, what with all our flying friends.

Saturday's Critters

 How much rain do we need?! The clouds kept circling counter-clockwise. The poor, wet critters. Finally, Friday, there was an actual sunrise. It was a miracle! Today, as well!

Fred groundhog has had a good sleep. I spotted him out back Thursday, May 4th. He has come out of his burrow, and was nibbling on the grass. Apparently, he has forgotten me. He jogged away in fear, as only a groundhog can do,  as he has never seen me before!

Under the top deck are TWO nests. The robins and phoebe nest #2. 

Here are the robins, taken with my cell phone.

robin eggs from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I am struggling to master my new scope. It was a gift from Caitlin! It requires some coordination. It is a really long cord (6'?), and tends to coil itself up. I think I might wrap some picture wire around the top of it to make it bend. It is tricky getting it to point in the right direction ↷ to capture the eggs in the nest! 

Here is phoebe nest #2 ↓. I was perched on a box to snag the photo. I was happy to see two eggs.

The scope worked pretty well on phoebe nest #1 in the wood shed. Four eggs on Thursday, May 4th.

Also out back on Thursday, were three bucks. One in front of, and one beside the shed. 

three bucks in the yard from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

You can see their antlers beginning to grow. This is part 2 of the May 4th visitation! They moved around the sideyard to the frontyard!

3 bucks from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Thanks fo Eileen for hosting. Saturday's Critters # 490 

Saturday's Critters # 490 

Saturday's Critters

 The birds are coming back! Starlings, red-winged blackbirds, grackles, robins, vultures, and someone on Facebook has heard a timberdoodle, too! 

 

Sometimes the robins hang around for the winter, but not this year. 

The male cardinal has been singing his spring song, as well. We had two pair, but I think we are down to one. The male keeps coming to the window, attacking his own reflection. The cats love it!

I shall start with the hopes of spring. Friday morning, I stood on the back deck and heard the robin singing for love! They've been around a few weeks, but the songs... 💕

robin on the driveway from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

It's tough navigating on the slushy snow.

doe from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Butch raccoon is hot to trot!

butch raccoon from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The crows hang out with the deer. The crows have been quite active and vocal, it is their mating season.

  

crows & deer from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Down in the forest, a fisher.

 

fisher from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We are looking to ice pellets or snow, rain after midnight. I set up the rain barrel, hoping to fill the goldfish pond. I may regret that! We shall see.

Thanks to Eileen for hosting faithfully. Saturday's Critters # 484