Wildlife Report

Just saw a beautiful white-tailed deer on the lawn.  Paul had just cut the grass, we were chilling in the gazebo, and suddenly there she was, walking casually down the grass path from the woods.  Unfortunately I didn't have my camera, but I can tell you that she was a lovely creature, a warm brown colour with bright eyes and the classic white tail.  She paused and looked at us for a few moments, twitched her ears, flicked her tail, and then ambled down the trail back towards the woods.

This set me thinking about all the animals we've seen since we arrived here.  We've seen plenty of moose tracks and scat in the woods, but had not actually seen a moose:



Moose track. 

Then one morning, suddenly and to our astonishment, there was Mrs. Moose, standing at the bottom of the garden:



This picture was taken from the kitchen window, which is quite a long way away, hence the poor quality. 



She looked in our direction, sniffed the air, then turned and walked back into the woods.  It was a real privilege to see her, and it really made our day!

We have an abundance of wetland wildlife as well, due to our pond and the general health of the forest and garden, which has always been organically maintained, and so frogs are a common sight:



This green striped frog was hanging out on the forest trail.  We've also seen green spotted frogs in the potato patch, and brown frogs near the pond.  Grass snakes (garter snakes) are also abundant, much to my husband's disgust.  (We have a mutual agreement: I tackle snakes, he tackles spiders)



Mr. Brown Frog chilling on a leaf.

Of course, as in any healthy garden, we also have birds, butterflies and bees.  There are so many bees, actually, when you walk past the spirea it sounds like a buzz-saw convention. 



Here is one bee who managed to stay still long enough for me to take his picture.  His legs are packed with pollen.



A butterfly enjoying a chive flower.



A flock of goldfinches in the silver willow.



Somewhere in this picture there are brook trout.

We've also seen Mrs. Grouse and her babies, at the bottom of our road.  Apparently in Cape Breton, a grouse is called a partridge.


So, the comprehensive fauna list, to date, goes like this:

Seen:

Moose
Beaver
White-tailed Deer
Grouse & Chicks
Coyotes
Red Fox
Black Bear
Monarch, Tiger Swallowtail & Black and White Admiral (?) Butterflies
Bees
Eagle (at Baddeck)
Heron (at Baddeck)
Falcon or Hawk (?)
Whimbrel or Snipe (?)
American Goldfinch
Robin
Chickadee
Swallow
Hummingbird
Woodpecker
Raven
Crow
Blue Jay
Vole
Mouse
Bat
Chipmunk
Toad
Green striped Frog, Green spotted Frog, Brown Frog
Brook Trout
Garter Snake
Many varieties of bug: blackfly, mosquito, beetle, woodlouse, dragonfly, moth, deer fly, house fly, and many more.

Seen tracks only:

Hare
Lynx

Heard:

Hooded Owl

I think that's it for fauna for now.  Next post will be flora!