Saturday's Critters on Crumbly Acres

Things have been pretty quiet, in terms of critters. We're expecting very cold temperatures and a Polar Vortex tonight, over a few days. This kind of thing affects our critters.

The birds eat more to keep warm, the deer resort to eating twigs and dead weeds. The racoons are active in single digit weather, but once it freezes hey go back to hunkering down. The red squirrels are really busy, eating under the feeders. 

I woke in the dark, and peeked out the bedroom window. A doe was hunkered down in the snow, grooming. She leapt up as soon as I tried for a photo. Then, she stood here for 15 minutes. They are not tame at all. They feel safe in the yard, which is a good thing for us. 

Dec. 2022

I'm still wrestling with this trailcam. I've read the setting 5 times, at least. Again, 5000 images, taken every few minutes, triggered by snow, me, dratted red squirrel. You must laugh at these trivial things, frustrating as they are.

This is the view out the kitchen window. We seem to have about 6 regulars. Of course, they don't have name tags or antlers, the bucks winter in their yard somewhere else. 

They amble about in the wee hours.

   

 But come around in the day, too! I was watching from the window! I could see a furry doe under the feeder.

   

 It's Dratted Red Squirrel (DRS) who drives the cats nuts. Cat TV.

   

 The Mourning Dove on the nicely cleaned sidewalk!

 

We've just one turkey hanging around. It sees me in the kitchen window and takes off.

 

They do share.

 

Visit more critters at Eileen's: Saturday's Critters # 579!

Saturday's Critters

 I was worried I wouldn't have anything for today! Happily, I was wrong. 

It occurred to me that my multicultural students had fun with 🎶♬♫ The 12 Days of Christmas! They wrote the 12 Days of Hanukkah one year. All in good fun. I did a search, and found some free gifs, just for some variety.

female merganser

coyotes

You have to wait for it! 

   

  

turkeys

   

 

It'd be more poetic if there were 4 deer, which I think there are, but not at the same time!

 

 swans

raccoons

ducks a-swimmin'

 turkeys (trust me!), Mar., 2018

pigeons, Toronto, Aug., 2016

golden eyes

pipers piping?

OK, getting silly, but it was fun doing research. Just two more I couldn't resist.

19 turkeys, while we are at it!

22 deer, this was our highest ever, I think!

Saturday's Critters! # 575 <= critters on Eileen's weekly meme.

Saturday's Critters

 Chad Coyote (the girls named them!), was in the backyard. It is obvious that he is wary of the house, and glances at the windows checking for humans. That is a good sign. That and the fact that they don't come around in the daytime.

Chad in the forest is another story. There was something up at the house to set off the motion sensor spotlight at the house. As he leaves, he went up the hill and pooped on the path! 

We have a bigger buck than Carl. He's not all that big, Tigger lived longer and had a bigger set of antlers. [Tigger: More deer tails and Whitetail Savvy]

But Gerald has a respectable set. He is maybe 3 years old. I texted and asked for a name; Josephine suggested we name him Gerald! I've not seen any deer scrapes, where they mark their territory during rutting season.

Having the trailcams at either end of the path captures them coming and going. Carl saw me coming, and hoofed it.

Next, Gerald appeared in front of the window. He was trimming my peony plant, which is dead for now, of course!

For more critters: Saturday's Critters # 415, thanks to Eileen for hosting!

Saturday's Critters # 415

Saturday's Critters

I went outside to check the trailcams and spotted a little garter snake! So cute...

JB went walkies with the girls at Stewart Park in town. They spotted a snapping turtle.

On the trailcam, I found Chad coyote. (The grandies named them Chad!) They really don't like the trailcam light in the dark, and are wary. chad coyote  

  

I was down in the forest Wednesday, and it was really hot and humid. I could hear several birds up in the canopy. The poor videocamera fogged up, since it was inside in the air conditioning.

  

great crested flycatcher 

I wasn't sure the species, as I couldn't see them through the foggy lens. Coming back to the house, I sat down with the video and the BirdNET app, and it identified them for me. Of course. 

The humidity is incredible. You can see it on the video.

goldfish pond 

I've counted 7 frogs in it this week. As the wetland dries up they look for new habitat.

I've let the weeds grow in the backyard. The thistle is coming along. A lot of critters like it. bugs on thistle  

Then, of course, the monarchs on the thistle  . They feed on lots of different flowers, but only lay their eggs on milkweed. 

For more critters, visit: Saturday's Critters # 400. Eileen has hosted 400 now. 

Saturday's Critters

 🐻BEAR WATCH <= check out my latest. There have been reports of bears in the area. We haven't seen any since July 9th [Critters galore!]. These reports are all within a normal bear's range to us.  

July 20 – reports of a big bear at Beveridge's Locks. (Since May.)

July 25 – Report of three cubs Elm Grove and Hughes Rd.

July 28 – Bear scat on Sunset Dr.

We saw a small bear on camera in June of 2021.

And a large bear  in June 2020.

A Great Crested Flycatcher!  

I spotted this bird on Tuesday, but by the time I put on my 2nd shoe... I missed it. Wednesday morning, it was in the backyard, worried about the crows.

This is probably a vireo chick  They are all over, and BirdNet keeps IDing them by song.

The grandies named our coyotes, Chad! 

Who knew there was such a thing as a Coyote map for urban Toronto? They are quite bold in the city, acclimated to humans. Ours lurk in the forest, scooting past the trailcams most of the time. I've seen them, perhaps, four times in ten years here. Ours are quite afraid of humans, as many here have animals to protect.

Coyote map

doe and two fawns  

The fawns are now appearing on camera. If you watch this one to the end, you'll see the two fawns nursing behind the tree! They don't need to nurse, as they can chew on leaves and grass, but you know how the little ones are!

 

Saturday's Critters # 398 Thanks, Eileen, for hosting.

Careful, little chipmunk!

 This is our backyard. Under the deck, there are upended cement bricks upon which the deck was built. Chippies have nested in here. Can you see it peeking out?! 

It was a dreary day yesterday, and it is today. Lots of splatty rain, and a damp kinda cold. Judging by the radar, we're in for a lot more rain. We've had 15 mm (0.6"), and more to come. 

The rain began yesterday, just after our dinner. Nutmeg came indoors. Later, I was looking out the front window, and I saw Cinnamon on the brown bench, lower left in the photo. This is where the cats peer in, letting us know they want indoors. I walked over to look, and turns out it was Butch raccoon. Cinnamon was sitting below it on the cement, with a look of puzzlement on his face. He's such a gentle cat. Cinnamon was quite concerned. He came in for the night.

Butch took off. Can you spot him? 

I love the little face, and the little hands.  butch  

This crow  seems to have something stuck on its cheek. I've seen it before.  

It's a mystery. 

crow on deck from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

🕷️TICKS 2021 <= we had 200 one year, you can see my data! Then, they invented a Rx for cats. Our numbers went way down.

Outdoors, it is tick season, again. We've ordered goop, but it's still not arrived at the vet clinic. 

Thanks, Eileen for hosting the party! Saturday's Critters # 386

Æthelred Bear of Lanark County, et al

Sadly,  there have been a few recent incidents with bears in Canada. Some residents do not understand that they share the land. We've continued to have sightings of our bear. He knows how to live with humans. He does avoid us. We only put our garbage out on the morning of collection day. The BBQ is high up on the deck. While we are in a drought, we seem to have berries in the forest.

Searching for a name, as surely he has earned one, Yam suggested Æthelred. We'll see how it sits. Lacking name tags, I think it is the same male we've seen. I saw him in the morning, from the front deck a couple of years ago. Then, he's appeared on the trailcam several times.

This most recent video is a compilation of trailcam 30-second shots. First, a porcupine, then Daisy, a raccoon (Butch), and finally, our bear. If you check the time stamp, he ambled along at 12:40, looking for lunch. We have had a fair amount of fruit, berries, and bugs, despite the drought! The wetland had enough water for the spring.
I think he knocked the composter over twice. I have given up on that.

 Trailcam critters Sept. from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Æthelred of Wessex - Wikipedia

Æthelred I was King of Wessex from 865 to 871. He was the fourth son of King Æthelwulf of Wessex. He succeeded his brother, Æthelberht (Ethelbert), as King. Æthelred I (Old English: Æþelræd, sometimes rendered as Ethelred, "noble counsel"; c. 847^[1] – 871) was King of Wessex from 865 to 871. 

Thought to be an underking for a few years, this name works, since we know Momma bear across the highway has had triplets and she is the queen.

I encountered him first when owl hunting.

Bear went over the mountain from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
So, says Bob of Gilligalou, go out at dusk and listen for the Barred owl chicks. I heard one chick screaming for food. I heard something else in the forest. Quietly, I prayed it was a deer. I watched, with baited breath. When he began to smell me, and look for me, then cross the wetland, I backed up and startled him. He ran like stink, thankfully!

We've had irregularly regular sightings: three years ago: Backyard bear! Clearly a young male!
One year ago:
Bear in the meadow from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.
2015 My trailcam was set up down the hill, in the meadow. There has been some action! Bear seemed to go in circles!

These is the most recent sighting in the back yard. This was in May 29th. After I took my photos, I yelled at him and he ambled off past the Bear Crossing sign!
Info about bears: Wise About Bears.

Week #143

Mother bear killed, 2 cubs captured after entering northern Ontario restaurant

OPP called to Station Two in Terrace Bay, Ont., shortly after noon when bears entered back room

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