I have also been adding a bit of sawdust to my compost bins every season for the past few years - and, in addition to tilling it in with wood ash and bone meal amendments, I also use the compost as mulch over my growing beds. Additionally, after planting, I've had success applying dried blood around each plant, along with a bi-weekly application of fish emulsion solution during the growing season. Application amounts of all these ammendments follow recommendations from my annual soil test lab reports. I'm wondering if the OP should consider scraping off the wood mulch from her beds at season's end.

Thanks for the info Cyp. The pole does have all kinds of wires, telephone, electric, cable TV, and a big cable that stablizes the pole. It just seems as though it is so close to the pole that it is likely to have something to do with it. Electocution seems possible although I see birds on those wires all the time, and I suspect the GH owls sit there frequently because I hear pairs calling from the woods in back to roughly that spot quite often. I kind of thought geographically, the bird flu was probably out. I have never heard of owls really being big victims of West Nile either, but that doesn't mean they aren't. I thought that a bird like that may lose sight of a big obstacle (particularly one that sticks out in an open area) if it in the throes of a hunt. The area next to our driveway is open space on both sides. There are about 3 or 4 spruce trees spread over 350 feet of straight dirt drive. The open space on one side is left to grow all spring and summer and was recently mowed. The other side is pasure, so it makes up about a 2 1/2 acre treeless, non-lawn type area. We have added about 200 native berrying shrubs in the vicinity during the last year or two. I suspect there is plenty of good hunting out there in the way of skunks, rabbits, mice, etc. I've seen a fox hunting out there quite a bit also. When someone mentioned a long ear last night, I was beat and didn't check the size. It is a large bird. In fact, I would not want to mess with the likes of his talons. The amazing part is the size of his feet in general. I would say his legs are as widea as two of my fingers. They look formidable. Although it is very sad, it is so cool to be able to examine such an interesting creature up close.

So sorry that you have lost Martha. I remember the egg picture you posted a long time ago. Maybe she will meet some of my feathered friends there who kept my father company.

is there a reason you can't use dryer sheets? We use them exclusively and they keep our clothes static-free and soft. I have a couple of kids who get excema flare ups with regular fabric softener. Target makes a linen-breeze scented sheet that is gentle enough for their skin.