The plants were purchased from the government so we are fairly sure they are Red Pine. Â Yep, Red Pine 1) Is it normal to take so long for male cones to show. Â I'd say that's a bit slower than one might expect, though the forest habitat (more shade from competing plants) will slow down production compared to single specimens in full all-round sunlight 2) The red parts seem larger than any other picture on the web. Is this because they are more mature and elongated at the time the picture was taken? They also seem redder than any picture I can find. Â Yep, they're mature and shedding pollen. Rather surprising for them to be shedding as early as 5 March though (or is it stupid US date citations?) 3) Is it unusual to have all of the trees produce male cones the same year? You would think that they would all start in different years. last year was a very cool summer here. Â No, normal; generally, all trees of a particular species in a particular area will cone in the same year, as they'll all be triggered into coning by the same weather factor. Over here, even a fairly short warm sunny spell can trigger a good crop, if it is at the critical right time (end of May or early June seems to work for a lot of species) even if the rest of the summer is cool. Resin

i don't discriminate and feed everything that show up. but was a bit mad last couple days as i had set out a variety of tomato planted in pots that i had grown and nurtured in the house by a picture window. was already getting some cherry tomatos from one and set them out the other night. and a big doe and yearling showed up and ate the cherry tomatos and stripped the leaves from the plant. So i set out some replacement plants early this morning and 4 deer showed up not long after and pulled up and ate two of the plants.

obviously this is a little late, but here is a section of the illinois wildlife code. imho, it includes damaging nests of native and specifically birds of prey. does your state have anything similar? am i wrong? "520 ILCS 5/2.2) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.2) Sec. 2.2. This Act shall apply only to the wild birds and parts of wild birds (their nests and eggs), and wild mammals and parts of wild mammals, which shall include their green hides, in the State of Illinois, or which may be brought into the State, that are hereby defined as follows: All birds, both game and non‑game (except the House Sparrow, Passer domesticus; European Starling, Sturnus vulgaris; and Rock Dove or Domestic Pigeon, Columba livia). GAME BIRDS‑Ruffed grouse, Bonasa umbellus; Sharp‑tailed grouse, Pediocetes phasianellus; Bobwhite quail, Colinus virginianus; Hungarian Partridge, Perdix perdix; Chukar Partridge, Alectoris graeca; Ring‑necked Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus; Greater Prairie Chicken, Tympanuchus cupido; Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo. MIGRATORY GAME BIRDS‑Waterfowl including brant, wild ducks, geese and swans, Anatidae; rails, gallinules and coots, Rallidae; snipe, Gallinago gallinago; woodcock, Scolopax minor; pigeons, including doves and wild pigeons (except domestic pigeons), Columbidae; and crows, Corvidae. RESIDENT AND MIGRATORY NON‑GAME BIRDS‑Loons, Gaviidae; grebes, Podicipedidae; pelicans, Pelecanidae; cormorants, Phalacrocoracidae; herons, bitterns and egrets, Ardeidae; ibises and spoonbills, Threskiornithidae; storks, Ciconiidae; vultures, Carthartidae; kites, hawks and eagles, Accipitridae; ospreys, Pandionidae; falcons, including the Peregrine Falcon, Falconidae; cranes, Gruidae; rails and gallinules, Rallidae; all shorebirds of the families Charadriidae, Scolopacidae, Recurvirostridae and Phalaropodidae; jaegers, Stercorariidae; gulls and terns, Laridae; cuckoos, Cuculidae; owls, Tytonidae and Strigidae; whip‑poor‑wills and nighthawks, Caprimulgidae; swifts, Apodidae; hummingbirds, Trochilidae, Kingfishers, Alcedinidae; woodpeckers, Picidae; kingbirds and flycatchers, Tyrannidae; larks, Alaudidae; swallows and martins, Hirundinidae; crows, magpies and jays, Corvidae; chickadees and titmice, Paridae; nuthatches, Sittidae; creepers, Certhiidae; wrens, Troglodytidae; mockingbirds, catbirds and thrashers, Mimidae; robins, bluebirds and thrushes, Turdidae; gnatcatchers and kinglets, Sylviidae; pipits, Motacillidae; waxwings, Bombycillidae; shrikes, Laniidae; vireos, Vireonidae; warblers, Parulidae; European Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus; blackbirds, meadowlarks and orioles, Icteridae; tanagers, thraupidae; cardinals, grosbeaks, finches, towhees, dickcissels, sparrows, juncos, buntings and longspurs, Fringillidae. GAME MAMMALS‑Woodchuck, Marmota monax; Gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis; Fox squirrel, Sciurus niger; White‑tailed jackrabbit, Lepus townsendii; Eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus; Swamp rabbit, Sylvilagus aquaticus; White‑tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus. FUR‑BEARING MAMMALS‑Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus; Beaver, Castor canadensis; Raccoon, Procyon lotor; Opossum, Didelphis marsupialis; Least weasel, Mustela rixosa; Long‑tailed weasel, Mustela frenata; Mink, Mustela vison; River otter, Lutra canadensis; Striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis; Badger, Taxidea taxus; Red fox, Vulpes vulpes; Gray fox, Urocyon cineraoargenteus; Coyote, Canis latrans; Bobcat, Lynx rufus. OTHER MAMMALS‑Flying squirrel, Glaucomys volans; Red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus; Eastern Woodrat, Neotoma floridana; Golden Mouse, Ochrotomys nuttalli; Rice Rat, Oryzomys palustris; Bats, Vespertilionidae. It shall be unlawful for any person at any time to take, possess, sell, or offer for sale, any of these wild birds (dead or alive) and parts of wild birds (including their nests and eggs), wild mammals (dead or alive) and parts of wild mammals, including their green hides contrary to the provisions of this Act. However, nothing in this Act shall prohibit bona‑fide public or state scientific, educational or zoological institutions from receiving, holding and displaying "

I feed the birds, my parents have two suet baskets that sure go fast and they are constantly having to buy suet to put in them. And I tend to feeding the birds, black oil sunflowers as they do love those alot and go through them tons and tons when its so cold and snowy. We buy major birdseed and also loose peanuts, not in their shells and then buy this smaller bag for tiny birds to enjoy eating. I give out lots when we have had our winter storms some years and snow and cold talk about how fast they go through all that during that time but they need it. And don't forget the winter hummingbirds too as found out one winter storm and it was bitter cold outside for us living here on west side of canada on island and a hummingbird came along and it was being taken in and thawed and the other one put out and they rotated them my parents did. Our birdbath is frozen I noticed and so yes, they must find it themselves but the water is in creeks, streams that isn't during the summer months. I have to laugh as we have one area by the back door I use from my suite and its bent and so it really fills up with water and birds bath themselves in it. I will come out and go what is that noise and see water and wings going like crazy, even in the winter they do it too. We have small, medium, large size woodpeckers, we used to have doves but haven't seen any this year at all. We get tons of chickadees which I love and they are so friendly and they see me coming to the area I throw out the food for them and its like hurry, hurry and then I throw the peanuts and they dive and I go watch out here is the seed and I throw it in. We have other birds too and lots are pecking on the ground where parents gardener put mulches leaves and they go after berries too on the trees. Its nice to see the different birds and to watch them I love to do.