Here's an article that I found on Plant Delights website: You know you have voles if your entire hosta clump disappears into a subterranean hole, or returns in the spring as a fraction of it's last years size. Voles (herbivorous mole relatives) are easy to control if you follow all three steps. First vole bait (rat poison) must be applied every 10 feet through the infected area. If you can find the runs, then apply the material there. If a run isn't evident, then put the material on the ground (they find your hostas don't they). Secondly, cover all of the bait, as the voles only feed in the dark. We like to use clay flower pots (it makes visitors ask questions). Thirdly, repeat the procedure in 2 weeks. This doesn't mean three or four weeks...TWO. If you follow this procedure, you will get rid of your vole problem. Voles are most active in early spring and early fall. When we had severe vole problems, we applied the vole bait for two years (both in spring and fall) until the problem was eliminated. If you have pets, be sure and check with your vet as to the toxicity of the product that you use on your pet and other non- target species. In 1987, we were the first ones to recommend mixing pea gravel into the soil for vole control at a national conference. This has now been spread around the world, but in all bizarre manners. Our original recommendation is to spread 1-2 inches of pea gravel (#78) washed stone over the planted area, then incorporate it to 10 inches deep. The sharp points of the gravel seem to deter the voles from damaging the plants. It doesn't kill the voles, it only moves them to another part of the garden.

Pixie Lou, I love those pond shots. You get such a range of critters visiting, and the green heron is especially nice. It has finally warmed up enough that Jane's least favorite critters are emerging in my garden, the snakes. I found a small (8") red-bellied snake that ended up in some grass clippings I moved to the compost after we hayed the lawn between rain showers. I was surprised to find him in the bottom of the garden cart, and tipped him out before I thought to photograph him. My reading tells me that they don't get much bigger than a big night crawler, so he was full grown. I was cleaning out the bed around the back patio where I so often see garter snakes, and had the company of this guy for a bit until he decided that I was interfering with his basking in the sun and left.

HI,SORRY I`M SO LATE IN POSTING!MY PACKAGE FROM MICHELLE CAME ON CHRISTMAS EVE!!SHE SENT A LOVELY COTTAGE MAGAZINE,A HOME MADE BIRD FEEDER MADE FROM A ROUND PLASTIC JUG,PAINTED RED,DRILLED HOLES ON EACH SIDE FOR ACCESS TO THE BIRD FEED AND ATTACHED A CABINET KNOB BENEATH THE HOLE FOR A FOOT REST!!I LOVE IT!!!iT ALSO WAS HALF FULL OF BIRD FOOD.SHE SENT A DECK OF PLAYING CARDS WITH BIRDS ON THEM,AVON ANTIBACTERIAL GEL,A CROCHET BATH MIT AND A BEAUTIFUL HANDMADE CARD!!MICHELLE,THANK YOU SO MUCH!!I HOPE I DIDN`T LEAVE OUT ANYTHING.IT ARRIVED AS MY EXTENDED FAMILY GATHERED IN FOR OUR CHRISTMAS EVE SUPPER AND GIFT SWAP SO EVERYONE WANTED TO KNOW WHO SENT MY PRESENT,IT WAS REALLY A HIT! SHARON,YOUR BOX WILL BE MAILED TOMORROW.I TRIED TO MAIL IT TODAY BUT AFTER LEAVING IT IN THE BOX ALL DAY I FINALLY REALIZED THE MAIL WASN`T RUNNING TODAY! SHIRLEY,THANK YOU FOR HOSTING THIS SWAP!!!!!

Pat, the only adjustments I've made over the years is switching to safflower seed for a few summer months when the sparrow fledglings out number the dandelions. Otherwise, I use a good blend, very light on millet, for the rest of the year and buy suet by the case in the fall when it goes on sale at Agway. I have just the one seed feeder, one suet cage and one hummer feeder. What I did do was plant extensively with native plants that attract everybody. Plus, we live in a somewhat wooded area. Feeding birds is all about me. They will continue on long after I'm gone. They are my entertainment as I photograph them mostly through my office windows. What I have learned even more so from observing them is that NONE of this is my design. Mother Nature never consulted Jane and we all know she doesn't give a tinker's dam what I think. So whoever, whatever, comes because I put food out, is all on me. If a hawk steals a mourning dove in my yard, I feel bad for the dove, good for the hawk. He will live another day. Many hawks do not reach maturity due to starvation. I've learned that birds do not have the greed gene. They take what they can eat, store what they can if that is their habit - like BC Chickadees - but nothing goes to waste. When the birds fool around on the feeder and seed goes to the ground, the chipmunks, et al, eat well. I have a wonderful neighbor who buys only shelled sunflower seeds, pricey stuff, and uses a feeder that is weight balanced to exclude blue jays, grackles and all the guys she doesn't want to feed. She likes little birds. She won't even look up when I say, "Oh, look! A red tail hawk!". She can't stand hawks. But she is a great, kind woman who gives and gives of herself - just not to big birds.But she too feeds all year long and is concerned when her regulars disappear. Long answer here, but yes, I keep the same feeders year round filled and have a ton of birds that are happy and fight among themselves - just the way Mother Nature designed it. Any bird here is okay by me. Pat, I say do what makes you feel good in your birding area because, to me, it's all about us watching them; not them depending on us. (I know that is a debatable subject in the current ranks of ornithology, but that's not where I am.) Life is easier if I don't hate anything. I have to work on the sn*ke thing, lol, that's fear. Maybe a trip to New Hampshire would help. :) Birds pay me back ten fold just for being themselves. This little guy is worth all the sugar I can give him: Link to Buddy being Buddy - - - Buddy Jane