Don't tell #75!

 I like the change in seasons. Autumn rolls on by, glorious colours paint our world. Once that is done I look forward to the snow. At this point, we've high snow banks. Guinevere is up to her neck in snow!

Don't tell #75, but the snow bank is high enough that he could jump onto the bird feeders!

 

 at Riverside Park in fall

Mice friends have been on the deck. 

Blowing snow, and more tracks.

Speaking of tracks! My personal assistant fetched supplies from town.  I did clean up on aisle #1. It is a great tool. I sent him out for it last week. 

 

Then he rested with Cinnamon.

It's been a cold one. 

Stay warm out there!

Labbit and skunk

 My poor rhododendron! I covered it. Twice. The wind was gusty. The fourth time I did it. In the meantime its little leaves are drooping sadly, doing Downward Dog. 

The weather sure changed.

The cats were keen on the cottontail I accidentally trapped the day before. I think I might give up. I haven't seen the visiting cat, Harley, since March 14th. 

I looked out Sunday morning, and there were Labbit tracks! Apparently capture didn't dissuade it.

No harm was done as Labbit was back the very next day!

 

Labbit March 24 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Out back, more tracks. I suspected skunk.

This is where the trailcam sits. It is quite frozen into the ground and a bit crooked, but aren't we all wobbly somewhat?!

You can see my lights on the water fountain. Skunk just whirled about the yard. 

Skunk March 23 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I suspect that she is nesting in the old ground hog hole, again. It is dug into the side of the hill. She was lactating last year. Yay spring!

Snowshoes!!!

Wed. morning, Jan. 30th, I popped out to grab the rain gauge from the deck, to check the snowfall. The little tracks in the snow were so cute. Poor critters out there in the cold. The polar vortex extends down into the USA.

In the dark of the morning, I could see tracks. I examined them in the light of day, and I'm not sure. Something in the rodent family, with something running sniffing its path. It wasn't Hooper, he hadn't been out overnight.



It's a goodly distance for a small track. Perhaps our weasel.

This is from December.


Red squirrels are everywhere. Here, near the water barrel, leading to an actual hole in the snow. The snow has a base of about 30 cm.


This tree is still splitting. It will fall into the wetland, it won't harm anyone. It creaks in the winds.


It's so dark, but looking for tracks is motivation! Once you get going, you warm up.


This is our island in the middle of the wetland. It's a busy crossing, a path all the critters use. You can see the fox scat, and then the turkey tracks.


A deer bed, they nestle in the snow.


This was in the middle of the frozen frog pond.


My trusty snowshoes.


I'm thinking these are turkeys, strutting their stuff, dragging their wings, as they do.


The purpose of the trek was exercise, as well as fetching the trailcam SD cards. This guy I filmed out the kitchen window. He's shed his antlers. I was hoping to find some. It's good exercise.



Jake is still carrying his.
Trailcam Jake from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Trailcam friends, et al

January is typically a cold one. It hasn't been, until now. It's a bit of a shock!

They've been reluctant to go outdoors!

 The turkeys have been frequent flyers! (See them under the tree?) This tale begins Thursday. You can see my precipitation gauge on the railing in the forefront. I track the snowfall, and melt the snow, just for fun. It's interesting seeing the water to snow ratio. I liked doing science with my students. Here is the data: ❄️JANUARY, if you are so inclined!

The recent snowfall meant perfect little tracks... 

Red squirrel, Hooper, turkeys, and the final one: Hooper and mice friends.

I went out the next day...Mr. Sun was out!  No matter how cold, seeing the sun makes such a difference.
Little mice, and maybe a squirrel?!


The coyote came by, but avoided the trailcam. Smartass! I tracked him across the back of the frog pond, through the pond, along the path across the meadow, and up the hill towards the house. The cold went right through me, just too cold and I gave up. I hauled some wood in, so JB can watch his curling in the warm basement by the fire.

Trailcam Videos

The danged coyote totally skipped around the camera. (I moved it, but don't tell him! Shhh...) His tracks go around the back of the trees, here. Our bucks are much more co-operative!

I arrange the settings so that you can see the main subject of the video. You don't have to watch it, normally, to see the subject. In this case, the subject is just a bit too quick! You can see her at the edge of the camera light, on the right, headed for the trees.

I'd say this is a snowshoe hare. What do you think?! :-)

I love them when they do selfies for me!
Doe a deer from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I designed Eileen's meme thumbnail. Isn't it fun, interacting with people you have never met?!

Saturday's Critters #265