Summer unfolds

Things are lively here, despite the heat. We've had our fair share of rain, which is a good thing. July has various levels of rain over the years.

First Monarch caterpillar I have spotted! 

I'd neglected to take a photo! Souvenirs from Caitlin's trip to the Baltics. A lovely amber butterfly and chocolate biscuits from Zurich! 

 The Freds have settled in with Auntie Fred at the shed, and MiniFred elsewhere! 

Fred likes the deck burrow.

 

Look who is visiting at night. Red fox.

Turns out MiniFred has been working on Burrow #6A! In the corner of the house. 

 

I tipped the camera down to capture the action. Joe was sitting on the deck, and Fred kept working!

The Freds and flowers

Firstly, to answer Jeanie's excellent question. 

Q. "Was this a tornado or just a major wind/lightning storm?"

It was just a thunder storm, with big winds. Down drafts, perhaps. It went for several km up the highway. It could have been a lot worse.

FRED Report!

OK, while we have tree damage, I do have flowers in bloom. Oh, yes, and views of Fred. I think we have Auntie Fred at the shed. Then a kit under the septic bed. One keeps running up and down the driveway. The grass is greener there! This is July 3

Then July 5th

July 3rd they were on the wood pile.  

 The coyote appeared on the camera in the forest. It looks more like a rabbit than a groundhog.

 

Now, for the flowers. Such a short season we have.

This is a heavy planter. The other one was balanced on an upside down pot. Whoopsie, Butch raccoon! My zucchini plant! 

I moved it, drained the bird bath, and will try this.

I am happy to say the planter Fred decimated, has come back. They haven't been running around the front yard garden. Thankfully!

I rather think these are fireflies! We have hundreds.

Bats in the belfry, or wasps in the flagpole topper. Live and let live!

Fred, AKA Trouble!

But first, some funnies.

🐀 🐀 🐀 🐀 🐀 🐀 🐀

 I am pleased that people are wanting more of Fred Groundhog! I hope not to bore you. They are truly taking up my leisure hours, as well as my work efforts in the garden. I find it immensely entertaining. So far! The summer is young, though. 

Big Auntie Fred and #75 squirrel. You can see a kit in the background.

Fred makes its bed. Leaves in the mouth, a big sign. They've been working under the deck, under the wood pile (burrow #8). The people that built the house put lots of large gravel loads around the house for drainage. Fred pokes a piece of gravel with its nose. 

   

 I find it funny trying to keep track of them. I remember taking my three kids shopping. Madly counting: 1 – 2 – 3, all is good, all 3 accounted for. We've 4 kits, plus Auntie Fred, last year's kit. The coyotes grabbed a couple of them last year. All they need is 'one and a spare!' We've still 4. 

   

 I spotted a Fred on the driveway. I wonder where they go. There isn't a lot of land where they can dig burrows. The shallow soil doesn't lend itself to deep groundhog burrows.

   

 The sidewalk trailcam captured one in the act. FREEDOM!!!

 

Caitlin's Trip overseas

 Switzerland (SRH) 

In Switzerland, she went into the FIFA Museum. There was a shoe from a game in New Zealand. Barbra Banda's boot used to score the 1000th goal. Zambia's first appearance at FIFA. It was a game they attended when they were there a few years ago.

to Helsinki (HEL), Finland. Close to landing! 

sauna in the harbour

Suomenlinna Island by Ferry

The weather is good. In the 20s, not like Europe which has a heat wave. 

"The barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis) is a species

 of goose that belongs to the genus Branta of black geese..."

Lots of critters!

Our release squirrels are doing well. I've removed this camera as I wanted it elsewhere. 

 

That said, I spotted three black squirrels on the path beyond the shed, leading to Barry Beaver's habitat. It has to be them, as they normally don't travel in threes! It is about 100m from their nest box. Good sign.

 

 They are wise to get out and about. While they watched the pregnant doe steal their supplemental food, they don't come out to watch Butch. Butch Raccoon was the one who knocked the camera askew! Sound up, as it chirps away. Another racoon was at the tree.

 

Imperial Moth

I found a poor little moth. It was flapping in the lawn. I believe its wings didn't unfurl properly, or dry properly. They emerge from the cocoom and hang off a branch, letting gravity straighten their wings. I put it in the weigela bush. 

 From my archives. They show up on the cameras at night!

The Freds have been rambunctious.

May 25 – my lovely basket. Fred has done a number on it! What I think was last year's kit, Big Fred, has disappeared. The 4 kits have been rotating around the 4 remaining burrows. Or they've all picked on. 

June 17th – nipped in the bud!

The signage doesn't seem to work! 

You'll notice Cinnamon watching them.

You can follow it right around the corner to the front garden.