Anne, your post reminded me of one of our Blue Jays---he has learned how to call like a Red-Tailed Hawk! He will use his bi-lingual ability to try to frighten other birds away from the food I put out. They stopped paying attention to him a long time ago. I'm the only one who pays any attention to him---he settles for that!

Hey GENI, I read from other Members, that the Butterfly-Season is very slow this year.. Down here in Florida we have lots as usual.. When I went to ALABAMA to check on Houses I found a huge LUNA MALE resting underneath a big leaf in the yard of my dreamhome ...I was so thrilled my realtor thought something bad happened..lol..She never seen a LUNA before and was amazed by his beauty.. Lots of Greetings Susanne(SUE) I love the picture as usual, waiting for more...

I just want to expand on something Brute said. Gopher Tortoises will build more than one burrow, though they will be separated by some distance. Gopher Tortoises have a very wide diet and they always seem to know just what their body is in need of. So while a Gopher Tortoise might have one burrow near a group of food sources, it could have another burrow elsewhere near another group of food sources. This is why they should never be fenced in or otherwise have their movement impaired/restricted. It also means that if you happen to end up with a Gopher Tortoise den in your yard, it could be vacant as long as 6 months to a year and seem deserted only to have its owner return one day in search of some food item that is in your area. I happen to have a Gopher Tortoise burrow in the lot between my house and my neighbor's and it seems to be a part-time residence for a 6-7 yr old female. She only appears in the spring and early summer, but then moves elsewhere for late summer/fall. I have always been a avid fan of turtle-kin, but I have started educating myself more and more about this endangered species and I have started putting in plants like Gopher Apple and Indian Blanket that they tend to snack upon. One final tip: If you see a turtle/tortoise crossing a road, always move the critter to the side of the road that they are heading toward. There is something over there that they want to get to and if you simply put them back where they came from, they will try crossing the road again.

They are so beautiful! Is the middle one Famous Amos? Lately 3 sightings in one day has been about it around here. I am glad some of you have had increased visitors.