Birdsong: I can certainly understand why you feel the way you do. In fact, I agree with your views 100%. I am saddened that we are all in the position of losing our tempers because this issue is so near and dear to our hearts, and we always feel that we are losing the battle (especially when facing the approaching season of Chemlawn ads). I think I pointed out to Dil in one post why we all feel as strongly as we do: . . . I have often seen posts on this board seeking information on how to lure and feed deer, raccoons, etc. only to later see the same people here seeking a solution when the natural reaction has created a nuisance. . . . so you can see why people develop strong opinions about this issue. However, after spending a couple of years reading, I believe that we all have a unique opportunity here. This kind of board gives us the opportunity to debate these ideas online for many people to read. I like to think that there are other people out there, like Dil (and probably each one of us at one time or another), who are similarly fertile ground. I think that when we do lose our tempers and get sharper than we want to, our argument loses power. I'm as guilty as anyone of losing my temper in this thread, but the amazing thing about Dil is that he hung in there. I personally think that takes a pretty big person . . . not to mention that Dil has promised to try to explain his new understanding to his neighbors. He won't win them all over, but he may convince a few. What more can we ask for? Afterall, what we are asking for is a paradigm shift. Our culture values making money and personal enjoyment above and beyond all else. So, we are asking for deeply-rooted cultural ideals to change. That won't happen overnight. Maybe I'm being way too optimistic, but I think if people did understand the common sense of it, some of them wouldn't do the things they do. The only way to hope to change people's opinions is to debate them respectfully. So, while I understand where your anger comes from, I hope you will rethink your approach. You obviously understand the issue clearly and have some valuable insight to add.

His tail was pretty long, but I dont know much on him overall at all for ID, the going call was Coop (so I wrote below) but I personally haven't a clue here's a few more pics of him that I printed today for my neighbor (who calls me Elly Mae Crampet lol) he didn't believe me on the hawks that come and sit in our yards. He comes often to the yard, daily, sometimes twice a day :O He did have 2 RTH trying to steal his dinner last week, now THAT was a show! He also sounds like a crying baby, he will on occassion sit in a low tree in my back yard and whine (so weird!) -Michelle

Not pleasant. Found one in my yard a while ago. Looked like it had been hit by a grenade. Some deaths are caused by other species of hawks wiping out the competition. I can take that better than I can the notorious cats.

We have had tons of possims through the years. We give them a ride to the 30ac bird sanctuary across the other side of a creek so they won't come back. I have one larking, she thinks she lives here. A few weeks ago my dogs chased her through the yard and the next day I discovered a baby in a bush which must have fallen off during the chase. I scooped the baby and put it out in a sideyard outside of backyard fence so dogs wouldn't get him. The next morning he was back in the backyard. He was squeaking while in the bush so his mother would find him. I left him alone and the next day he was gone. Mother is showing up on my garage roof. They're cute but such a nascence I'll save my armadillo, baby hawk and skunk stories for another time. Or the one when a rabbit was sitting next to an armadillo on my corner...LOL