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The Púkas of Caerbannog
POND FROLICS
Finch Frolic is home to many Desert Cottontails.
Dah-DUM. Dah-DUM. Dah-DUM, dah-DUM, DAH-DUM –! More all the time, in fact.
“Whoa! Do you see what I see?” “Yeah, yeah — when did that rabbit get there?” Or at least very solid population replacement.
We see them all the time because they are pretty comfy here and used to us, just scooting around nibbling grasses and fighting the ducks (I gotta see if I have photos of that to share — hilarious bunny sass…).
The funny thing is how infrequently they appear on the wildlife cameras, and when they do, they’re invariably being rather sneaky.
“Oops, still in shot, sorry.” 
Sometimes, it can start to feel a little spooky….
(Nasty, big, pointy teeth.) 
— Run awaaaay!
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Coon Tales: The Beginning
POND FROLICSWhen we first put out our wildlife camera over the big pond’s north bog, we quickly found that aside from the oppressive scourge of the querulous ducks, raccoons are our most frequent visitors.
“Ooo — I wonder if that little red light is edible?” 
“I can just sneak right up on it….” 
“Hmm — nothing inside this shell to eat. A pointless object.” The story they present is also generally a much more compelling one than the ducks’ — they both have intrigue, romance, action and comedy, but when you’ve watched ducks go back and forth and back and forth and back and forth in petty squabbles for the zillionth time, you come to respect the way the coons economize their time.
INTRIGUE 
COMEDY 
ROMANCE 
ACTION The ducks take the whole day to execute their drama, but the raccoons squeeze it all into night visits lasting only a few minutes, perhaps a quarter of an hour.
Or perhaps only the time it takes to capture a single, perfect picture.
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Always Time to be Grateful
Today, on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22, 2018, as on every other day there is so much to be thankful for. For waking up, for food, clean water and shelter, for friends and family, for the opportunities to volunteer and the ability to do so. this year at age 57 I returned to school, taking Horticulture classes at a local junior college to update my skills and knowledge. I overdid it with four classes, so my time management skills have been as severely tested as my ability to memorize and learn new concepts. Without my daughter’s help it would be less successful.
Finch Frolic Garden continues on and as we close the garden to the public for the winter, it remains open and thriving for wildlife seeking clean water, shelter and food as well. For my birthday, Miranda bought me a game camera which has recorded some interesting life in the bog area of the pond. Now we know why the irises are always smashed. The two glowing orbs from under the boat are just reflections, not a monster, but the ones from the pond are invasive bullfrogs. The juvenile red shouldered hawk has been walking around in the bog several times. Pond life is full of surprises!
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MOULTRIE DIGITAL GAME CAMERA We didn’t burn this go round with wildfires. We are maintaining, and therefore are so grateful for everything that we have, even the troubles that we have as they are not as severe as so many other’s. I am especially grateful to have a permaculture habitat so that these animals can survive.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyday.
https://youtu.be/xcStEV4QiUE
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