Birding and Freds

What a few days in terms of temperature. Hot days previously, with cold warnings overnight, hanging plants were brought indoors. I woke at 2 a.m. and it was 10 ℃. By 6 a.m. it was down to 5!

The lilacs are in bloom, see in my header. I walked outdoors and couldn't figure out what beautiful thing was blooming! 

🐦 Birding

It's been a great season for 🐦birding. I haven't gone far. OK, not anywhere else. May is the season to bird during mating season when they are calling. Also, when the leaves aren't out in full. My back deck needs work, but we are so happy overlooking the yard.

Merlin's App certainly helps. I knew I had to look for Great Crested Flycatchers. OK, not great from the back deck! I am not quick enough, and have to switch between looking out to find them and then sliding on my reading glasses for the camera focus! 

Dunno, 'Proof of Life?' You can almost see them. This is me on the back deck, aiming into the forest.

I decided to venture out in the bugs in the early morning. Sure enough, in the back 40, where Barry 🦫 is busy. The results weren't as good as I thought. This is a bad photo of the Black-and-White-Warbler. Maybe it's not worth it?! I can listen to them...

Archive photos of Flycatchers. 

Swainson's thrush

Ovenbird

Goldfinch!!!

Robin

Fred Groundhog

Yesterday I had to document the tree losses. It is Fred's Groundhog's turn for fame. 

MiniFred and Fred had a fight. Momma Fred came over and chased her.

Momma Fred has been clear about MiniFred being around. There have been 2 chases that I've seen.

 

This is why! Caitlin thought of it. There are at least 2 kits. I have evidence...

Fred has been working on my Hosta! We just have to laugh.

Barry Beaver busywork

Oh, Barry Beaver! I haven't seen him out in the daytime since last year, Nov. 2025, in the snow. He's been out in the dark a lot. 

Sorry for the photo dump, but I do want to document the action, just in case we have to do something. I am amazed at the work. Back in the day, beavers used to be much larger. Glad that isn't the case now!

He continues girdling the trees to nearly falling. The wind and the weight of the tree takes over. I am fascinated with Barry and his work. They've lived here for ages. We have to balance the destruction, as opposed to the survival of the amazing critter. 

He is only going after aspens. 

This one didn't fall, it was leaning on another tree. He's been going at it. 

Here we are! I am safe, as the trees creak if they shift. I can hear them from the deck. Joe Brian doesn't go down there, it's not good walking for him. 

May 18th

Big winds, and power outages (26,285) across south and central Ontario. I was happy for the winds as the widow makers came down.

Barry's going after the aspen. Another tree fell on the precious tree. He's been going after this one for weeks.

 

I could hear the trees creaking. Sure enough, with the winds, the last tree felled leaning on another one he felled, it crashed. It's a relief. If he's going to take the trees down for food or lodging, he might as well eat it. 

We have a little grove growing beside it. This is where I stopped mowing the 'lawn.' Who needs more lawn?!

Finally they came crashing to the ground. Barry will be busy. I hope that means he won't fell any more!

It was a nice sunrise! We had 4 mm rain. The trees are just leafing out.

I set up a trailcam to dissuade Barry from working in the dark. No Barry, but a deer walked through. Nice leaves for her to chew! 

 

🦫 🦫 🦫 🦫 🦫 🦫 🦫 🦫 🦫 🦫 🦫 🦫

May 19

Another tree went down after I'd prepared this. In the background.

So much for our walking path! It's also my vantage point to check out Barry's wetland.

As Caitlin said on our family photo stream, "How rude!" I giggled...

I will watch to see if he removes and strips the branches. I expect he will. We may have to get people in to chop up the big trunks. Later. We'll let Barry do his work. Stay tuned! 

P.S. Fred has had more kits. She had 4 last year. The coyotes snagged 3, I think. More on this later. I was resting from planting my summer flowers and spotted this.  Two kits, at least. It was a 32 ℃ day. She looked roasted!

Healthcare update

I've been reading about everyone and their healthcare issues. I hear you. Between getting things done, and managing our health, things sure can get busy. 

Dog tick or moose/winter tick

May 6th we had captured a tick on my arm with a piece of tape.  Sending off the photo to eTick, they told me it was either a Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick), or Dermacentor albipictus (winter or moose tick). Neither transmit Lyme Disease. Interesting stuff.

I decided to look at Joe Brian's appointments. He has had ~124 appointments since 2013:

PART CXXIV – Bone Mineral Density test #9, Mar. 19. Maybe in prep for going off Lupron injections in summer. This includes quarterly PSA and Lupron injections. The PSA tests have gone down to once every 6 months.  

The Lupron keeps the metastasized cancer cells from growing. 

Prostate cancer tests

Bone Mineral Density Scan #9 March, 2026

CAT scan #8, 2021

Ultrasound #4, 2018

Biopsy #2, 2015

Colonoscopy 2015

Chaos on the front deck

The front deck is a lovely spot to sit.  Joe Brian has been having an afternoon pipe here.

Butch raccoon visited us in the night! Those opposable thumbs...

They look so benign in the night in the forest. But let your guard down and you are doomed! 

Cinnamon was wary in the morning... 

I still have the one remaining bird feeder up. I brought it in last night, since I had a bear on the trailcam on the back 40. He didn't appear on any of the other trailcams. He is a good bear.

In between cleaning the garage, I would rest on the back deck. It was a hot one.

We set out some things at the road for someone to pick up. The big thing was the log splitter. I've tried to sell it or pass it on and failed. Someone could use it. I can barely move it. At my age it is best to hire younger people and the professionals for these projects.

We put it out after the garbage and recycling was taken. People can use this stuff.

Things are heating up.

We were sitting on the back deck when a pair of swallows began to circle the flag pole. They didn't come back. I was disappointed.

Phoebes have hatched 5/5 eggs!

Life goes on!