Saturday's Critters

 🐀 I've noticed more action on the cameras. We'll begin with miniFred! She's returned after being somewhere. And has been hanging out in the burrow under the deck. This space under the deck floods in Spring melt, and I think the burrow does, as well. She returned Sept. 6th, for some reason. She seemed a bit sleepy, being a true hibernator, she didn't seem inclined to do any digging. We'd had cooler weather. I just didn't know what to expect.

 

Sept. 9th, she sat there chewing and wagging her tail!

I decided to cover the lower deck burrow (#3) since she moved to the shed burrow (#2). 

The rocks at the entrance were sheltering large and small ant nests with eggs! And a centipede.

I feel so much better a bout this. It's 12:30 p.m. and she just poked her head up out of the hole by the shed. I'd sorta covered it, so as not to trip on the hole, but she will be better there under the shed. 

After being very quiet she seems to have a burst of energy, bringing leaves to build a nest. I have a theory, that she's come back for winter, where she was born. The same way Fred disappears each August. 

The skunk has been active on the driveway.

 

 The skunk visited the burrow, but stayed up top.

 

Even Butch raccoon had to have a peek in the hole.

Saturday's Critters # 613 <= Visit more critters here.

Saturday's Critters

 We have critters on the move! During the drought, things were pretty quiet out there. I am happy to report lots of them are on the trailcam. Some both come and go, maybe a day or two apart, others rush by headed for somewhere!

Cinnamon and I went down to fetch the memory cards. Just for fun, I videotaped Cinnamon as I asked him about going 'walkies!' He also knows the word, 'dinner!'

   

 I found our porcupine. 

   

 We haven't seen the fawn since I spotted it on the Crumbly Acres camera, just after it was born out front.  Here they are in the forest at the frog pond trailcam.

 

Fisher Otter Aug. 16  I think Jim is right! 

   

 3 turkeys

 

Then there is the skunk!I love that bushy tail.

 

Saturday's Critters # 611 <= for more critters, visit Eileen. 

Saturday's Critters

Things have been dry. We're not flushing every time we go. I make sure the dish washer is truly full before we run it. Joe has been shaving with less water. Our big problem is showers. It takes time for the hot water to reach the shower being at the other end of the house. I've resorted to running water in one of my two water buckets in the tub until it runs hot so as not to waste water. 

Cardinal in the wild grapes looking for bugs

We're keeping the goldfish pond and water fountain going, as the critters are needing water, too. Then I can water my hanging plants with the water. The hummingbirds are happy in the fountain, as well as the cedar waxwings, robins, wood thrush, goldfinches, etc. 

We've had quite a few critters! This black squirrel was funny. Just off camera.

The birdcam is on the sidewalk, as I'm trying to keep track of Fred. There is another looking at burrow #6. I don't want to fill it in if she is in there. MiniFred seems to come and go. Where, I do not know.

You just never know who will show up, though. The skunk came by. 

I've two squash or pumpkin plants (I forget!) and they aren't doing too, too well. See these lovely blossoms? They are gone. I blamed Fred, but I think it was the skunk ↑.

Bear, Aug. 2nd, he inspected the trailcam.

 

Bobcat, Aug. 2nd,

 

There was gunfire most of the day Aug. 3rd. I worry about our deer. Here is a buck and a doe hanging about.

 

They were down at the frog pond trailcam, as well. Mind you, it's a vernal pond, and all dried up now!

 

For more critters: 

Saturday's Critters # 609

Saturday's Critters

 There is a wee baby ribbon snake in the garage. Joe called me over as it headed into the garage, and I tried to catch it. It slipped away. I don't think it will starve, as there are lots of bugs in there, but it won't be happy in winter. 

I did (at great risk to my back), grab a wood frog who was hell bent to get into the garage. It hopped into the tipped over pot and I got it. FREEDOM!!!

Fisher

   

 Coyote 

   

 Bear came by! 

   

 I put the Birdcam on the sidewalk after skunk visited twice. I was rewarded! I've only ever seen skunk on the cameras at night. They pretty much ignore people, anyway. 

 

Saturday's Critters # 563 <= visit more of Eileen's critters here.

Saturday's Critters

I wonder how many critters I miss. Some are so fast. All I have is the skunk's tail! 

I am having trouble with new Vimeo settings. Bear with me!

We've had 3 Monarchs eclose (at least the ones I have seen!) and I imagine that is the last of them.

 

An eagle soars, it is tricky following it, but it keeps me sharp!

It's tricky mowing the lawn! I have to watch for frogs and snakes. The frogs always move in the direction I'm going. 

Porcupine in the dark:

 And a sign of fall! This was Sunday, when the Hydro crew began their work.Saturday's Critters # 562

Saturday's Critters

 Here we are. Saturday again. We've a power outage tomorrow morning. Hydro will be replacing a post somewhere near us. Hopefully, we'll see you on the other side of that.

I'm working on some videos of Jeremiah Bullfrog. Here is a screen shot! We had some flying ants all around the goldfish pond. Isn't that a heckuva tongue?!

Galloping skunk

   

I put out a muffin. Butch stole it. Mousie ate the crumbs. This is the Birdcam. A handy little tool.

   

 I found an SD Card in the forest, beside the Frog pond trailcam. You can see that a year apart, they still pee on camera. We've only had a single coyote lately. I heard two yipping at 11:30 on night. I know there is more than one this year.

   

 I have seen three Monarchs recently eclosed, hatched out and flapping their wings to dry!

 

The fisher whips through!

 

Saturday's Critters # 561 <= visit more critters at Eileen's site!

Saturday's Critters

 Autumn approaches, and the seasonal changes as our critters get ready for winter. Hibernation, migration, or just more winter dozing, like Butch raccoon.

I saw three baby snakes Aug. 15th, which bodes well for the species. The first was a garter snake (yellow/green), the next two ribbon snakes (chocolate brown). They are distant cousins, and often confused. Soon they'll be heading for their winter hibernaculum or mice holes, or under rocks and such. This is an Eastern garter and an Eastern ribbon snake (Thamnophis saurita). So wee! 

I was delighted to see them, as you can hear on the video. They are adorable, and eat up the bugs on the ground. Lots of reptiles and amphibians are at risk in our province. We have a billion crickets out front beside the sidewalk! They have a lot of predators! Add in habitat loss, human predation, and the like. 

hatchling ribbon snake from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

eastern ribbon snake from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The hummingbird moths are out and about! Soon they will disappear. The men who replaced our eavestrough trampled a lot of the phlox down one year. It hasn't really come back. 😔😢

UPDATE: Fred groundhog! 

Fred disappeared for a couple of weeks, although he's been around since March 30th. I thought he'd gone to his winter home. Apparently, he came back to visit the shed. He's done quite a bit of renovating here over a couple of years. An entrance and exit, and a tunnel under the cement shed floor. 

One post I wrote should have been titled, Burrows By Fred! (He had 5 of them!) Groundhog burrows can be 8 to 66' long, so says National Geographic. Other critters use them. I've had bumble bees, and a skunk use them. But foxes, opossums, weasels and rabbits can take over abandoned burrows, as well. Speaking of skunks, I saw one in the yard as I was heading to bed.

skunk Aug 12 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

This was Aug. 15th, and it appears more dirt has been moved. I was thinking of filling it in, but I'm afraid I'd start coughing. Besides, how do you get it back in there?! 

Joe and I were relaxing on the deck in the sunshine (Aug. 14th), and there he was! Long lost Fred!

 

Fred from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Saturday's Critters # 557 <= visit more critters!

Saturday's Critters

We are ready for Monarch butterflies. The milkweed is in bloom. It smells glorious, by the way. 

 I headed down to the frog pond, having doused myself in bug spray. The deer are scarce, as we've a ton of deerflies after them. Look at the poor doe's neck.

 

bugged doe from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The bullfrog tadpoles are big. They live as tadpoles for two years. 

 

The pond is alive with critters. I spotted a turtle in the middle of the pond.

We had what looked like a young coyote!

 

coyote from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I caught him on three cameras! Two cameras by the house, Skunk peering into Fred's burrow, and down on the dock, inspecting Muskrat's work. 

skunk June 24 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I enjoyed seeing the bears out and about. They haven't been by the house lately. Never in daylight. Down by the frogpond, Booboo bear! (I think!)

 

bear June 21 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

This looks like the older bear!

 

June 25 bear from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We're expecting thunderstorms, which will spoil the weekend for some. I've a grocery order to fetch, having ordered online. I should wash some floors, too. There is no end to the fun!

🕷Heard from a tick specialist: if you see a freckle with legs, it's a tick. Joseph Brian's Lyme Disease symptoms (headaches, chills and sweats) are lessening slowly.  This is a good sign.

Saturday's Critters # 550 <= visits Eileen's meme.

Monday morning comes too fast!

 It was sunny Friday, and Saturday morning. The daffodils recovered from the frost. 

Cinnamon helped me, providing moral support, – or a distraction as I worked to clean the fountain. He is on the fence about 'helping.' Just beyond the fence are holes 4 a) and b). (There are usually two!)

Here are Fred's burrows. While I was working on the water fountain, I noticed Cinnamon going over to burrow #4. Fred had dug out some sand and grasses. Cinnamon had a good sniff. I thought that Fred was doing spring cleaning. 

 

Then Cinnamon rolled around in the sand and debris.

Cinnamon from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I wondered why Fred wasn't working on burrow #4, off the edge of the septic bed. The skunk may have moved back in. Maybe holes 4 (a) and (b) aren't connected! It'd be clever to be beside the skunk for protection! I think the cottontail burrow is right nearby, as well.

I moved the Windscapes camera, I found some friends.

 

doe from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Fred Groundhog from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Skunk Apr. 26 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Garbage is out, and it is raining. The snow tires come off today. We'll see what the week brings. I know the day will bring us rain. Sudbury has ice rain. 

Saturday's Critters

 I've been having a fun time keeping track of the skunk, cottontails and other critters. I found a baby once. So wee!

This is what I'm seeing on my sidewalk:

The moon has been fabulous. Even as I am critter watching.

Labbit moon from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Rainy Labbit from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Skunk (I shall have to think of a name!)

Skunk March 27 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Down in the forest, a ruffed grouse appeared. I seldom see them.

 

Grouse Mar 24 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The deer fence will go up once the greens begin to grow!

 

deer in the garden from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I've had a disaster in the house. In September, 2012, we bought a 60-gallon fish tank. I've thought about when it might fall apart. It has sprung a leak. Having taped it with Flex Tape, it was still leaking.

I'd bought the tank when we had five goldfish and they needed a larger tank.

 

I had no choice but to put the fish in the outdoor goldfish pond. JB helped me drain the indoor tank. They don't make this style anymore. I cannot replace it. It is difficult to say if anyone repairs them. We'll ask around. 

It's a bit chilly outside (-1℃), but I expect the fishies will be OK. Percy is pretty solid. One of the other three is showing signs of age. 

It sounds like spring!

 Our skunk and Labbit have been busy. I was piffling around with the Crumbly Acres camera footage and found that both Skunk and Labbit were in the front yard. The images are not great, in the dark and black and white, but you get the idea. 

In June, 2023, she was lactating. This is a screen capture from 2023: lactating skunk. 

I have not seen her out in the day time, she's not sprayed at all. She is very wary of humans, I'll bet. I ought to put a trailcam over her burrow like last year! I tossed some dried grasses to see if it is moved today.

Here she is!

skunk Mar 25 front yard from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

OK. It is spring. The spring peepers and wood frogs are in full mating mode. Sound up! March 17, 2024, and a lovely sunset.

spring peepers & wood frogs from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Apparently we're going to be having little Labbits! I went out back to check things out while my morning coffee perked. TWO cottontails!!!

2 Labbits from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Wednesday we took a drive to Merrickville. More on that later! As always ,I took too many photos. 

Fox, Labbit, skunk, Butch

Fox

Nutmeg was on the back deck with a pouffy tail. I looked out and a fox was in the yard! Nutmeg was watching keenly. I couldn't coax her in the house. It disappeared down into the gully and she headed to the lower deck, to follow it. I sent JB (headed for his physio appointment) to go around in front of her and head her off. He clapped and fake chased her and she headed up to the house and in the open door. 

This is an archival photo from Bala, Ontario (2009?)! 

In the meantime, our cottontail has been very busy.

 

Labbit Mar 25 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Skunk continues to hang around. I've not seen her during the daytime. They tend to run if humans are about.

skunk Mar 25 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

And good old Butch is awake. Soon there will be kits following her!

Butch Mar 20 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Joseph Brian has been busy!

Indoors, Cinnamon likes watching our murder mysteries. We are watching Maria Wren with subtitles. He heard a doorbell ring, the same sound as our old doorbell fooled him! 

Spring unfolds as it should. It's a bit early, we shall see what summer brings.