nhbabs: Do you think the hawks are hunting something, like voles, near your house? Or maybe considering a nesting site close by? I saw the first Baltimore Orioles of the season today! and it's before the hummingbirds show up - usually the orioles come a little after the hummers. The grackles had gobbled up most of the suet outside and the orioles were picking at the scraps. I raced out and put new suet in all of the cages and added some apricot preserves in a dish. This one came back but didn't seem too impressed with the new suet. He did seem to be looking down at the preserves in the dish in the middle of the feeder. When they start showing interest in the fruit I'll phase out the suet in those cages to discourage the grackles. I have another suet feeder up in another area. Claire

Well, since the Common Raven is considered a songbird (the largest in North America), I guess grackles are small in comparison. Be glad you don't have a raven landing on your feeder. I have another possible take on your crows-with-snake event. The crow broods are fledging now in my neighborhood and they're flying all around with non-stop nasal cawing (I flew to this tree! What do I do now? Where is everybody? I'm hungry, feed me!). Maybe your crow is delivering the snake lecture to the kids - "This long skinny floppy thing is dangerous! Watch out! This is how to deal with it!" Just a thought. Claire

I love the photos of the foxes and the coyote. The photos of the otters are positively magical, Pixie! What a wildlife treasure to have in your back yard! The hermit thrush is our state bird, but I don't believe I've ever actually seen one. That's a great picture, Claire. As to wildlife around my house, all I've seen lately are the neighbors' two yellow cats that patrol my brushy areas in search of rodents collecting food stores for winter. One cat has a tail and the other doesn't, and they belong to two different families. My old cat seldom ventures out in this weather, and then only for a few minutes, and she never leaves the porch. These two relative newcomers have inherited her hunting grounds.

I know that it has been a lot warmer up here this year than in Colorado so this may just be some encouragement for some of you. And, I'm only going to make one more post on this thread because, it really felt like spring here today. The thermometer said 64°F, the warmest day so far this year. It has already started to rain so . . . it isn't all sun and lawn violets. But yes there are, at least 6 lawn violets blooming in my yard! And, in just about the warmest and most sheltered location hereabouts, I discovered the snowberry bushes were leafing out! Steve And life gets more exciting with each passing day And love is either in your heart or on its way. Don't you know that it's worth every treasure on earth To be young at heart. For as rich as you are, it's much better by far To be young at heart. And if you should survive to 105 Look at all you'll derive, out of being alive. Then here is the best part You have a head start If you are among the very young at heart.