I don't know why, but the last 2 times in as many days that I've tried to respond on this thread, my comment has just disappeared into the Bermuda Triangle or something. Today, from inside my house, I heard the same screaming. Stepping out on my front walk, I could tell it was up in my pine tree. Look as I might, I could not see the hawk, but there was a ton of noise and commotion up there. I think I saw some grackles and some bluejays hoppping around, and I still wasn't positive there was even a hawk up there, despite the screams (not being a bird expert, I don't know the calls for certain). I thought maybe it was the blue jays screaming. This time I had the camera. i took a step onto the grass under the trees to aim for a better vantage point, but before I could do anything else, a HUGE (wide wingspan) bird flapped out of the tree, away from me and my house, and flew off into the distance. With him flew at least two smaller birds (same as last time). He didn't seem to be chased by them. They seemed to be companions? wingmen? LOL I dont' know. Anyway, I stupidly was trying to turn on my camera although it was already on and I didn't get a picture. I'm marvelling at the fact that this large bird can hide itself in the trees so well. This is the second time I was certain of it's location in a particular tree but still could not see it. Anyway, I think it's pretty cool!

Would you like a few of mine, Gail? I like to watch them as well, but have to admit they are the least intelligent of any of the birds who visit my feeders. I may have in excess of 20 on the ground at any one time.

jiggreen: When I was a kid growing up in MA, there were no cardinals, or carolina wrens, or tufted titmice. Now they're commonplace. There are lovely stories, apparently verified, of the first flocks of tufted titmice flying across the Cape Cod Canal by crossing the bridges, flying from girder to girder. Supposedly they hate to fly across water. kendra and terrene: That wasn't a normal PFW count day, but I'm doing the PFW gender study, so I was looking out more often, and I always have my camera nearby. I reported the dove to PFW separately and they confirmed the identification as a rare bird for my area. Claire

Mantis, I got rain finally today and lots of it! Yes, Garden Butterfly was photographed at 7:17 in the morning! I love seeing all the colors they are in the early morning before the sun hits them. And I often take the moning vs evening photos to see the difference but I have not done so with GB yet. As happens any spring with massive rains my foliage explodes and it did again this year. Green Rainbow is just above the foliage and usually is like that. It always has so many buds that it mass blooms like this for many days. And usually reblooms. Hope you have gotten rain as well. I think we were all due some.