cheryllynn744: (The thread that will never end :-) Your question is what started this thread, lo, those many years ago. Best thing I've been able to do is to use one of those New Year's noise-makers that you crank that makes an ungodly noise--something the hawk has not previously heard that will freak him/her out. I have a stuffed owl up in my back yard, and it might as well not be there. For me, it worked fine for a week, and every bird in the vicinity was stressed out and came to squawk at it from a safe distance, and some were bold enough to get quite close. Couple of Bluebirds flew right above it, and hovered (as Bluebirds will) for a few moments, checking it out. But unless you move the decoy almost daily, songbirds soon learn that it is no threat to them, and they won't pay any more attention to it. Been there for about a year, and most of its feathers are gone, but it still has the silouhette of an owl--to no avail. -------------------------------------------------------- Recent hawk episode for me involved a dove nesting in my window sill. Doves--like pigeons--are "ledge nesters", and sometimes only place a few sticks on a ledge to keep the (2) eggs from rolling away. My dove built a little more elaborate nest, with lots of sticks forming a nest between my double-hung window and double-hung storm window, about 4 inches apart. I had the storm window raised about 10 inches, quite by mistake, and a dove nested there last year (between the 2 windows) and fledged 2 baby doves. Success! Another dove used the same nest this year, and added sticks to it. Unfortunately, the dove began setting on eggs about March 4th, where there were no leaves on the trees (yet) in my area, and the dove was more visible than last year. One morning about 2 weeks ago, I heard a THUMP on the window about daylight, and I opened the curtain and looked out. The dove was gone, the 2 white eggs were exposed in the nest, and a Peregrine Falcon was sitting on a tree limb outside the window, no more than 3 or 4 feet away. The Falcon saw me through the window pane, and flew off. The dove stayed away the rest of the day, and did not come back and begin setting on the eggs (again) until the next day. I thought it was rather remarkable that it even returned, after being attacked by a hawk (falcon). I had no idea how it survived the attack, since it seemed more-or-less trapped there, inside the two windows. But the THUMP sounded like the falcon hitting the window, so somehow, it slipped away. Maybe the falcon tried to attack from above, and hit the glass above the dove. I had an idea the falcon would come back and try again and sure enough, about 4 days later, another WHUMP on the window. Same result--I looked out, the dove was gone, the eggs were exposed, and the Peregrine Falcon was 3 or 4 feet away on a tree branch. But this time, I had gotten my crank, New Year's noise-maker out of the closet and had it on my dresser. I grabbed it, and ran up the hall and opened the front door as quietly as I could. The falcon was still sitting in the tree, and I eased out and cranked-out a bunch of raucous noise while running toward the tree, and the falcon freaked out and flew out of the tree. Unbelievable that the dove returned AGAIN, only a few hours later, and began setting on its eggs again, the very same day, after (somehow) surviving the second strike by the Peregrine Falcon!! Again, it sounded like the falcon hit the glass above the dove. The falcon did not return, and the dove continued setting for about 3 or 4 more days. Then one morning I heard noise in the window, and I peeped out to see the dove turning the eggs over beneath it, and it appeared to be examining them. Soon after, it flew away, and left the nest and the eggs, and did not return. After the dove did not come back many days later, it was obvious the dove had abandoned the nest, and I raised the window and got the 2 eggs out, and put them in my basement. I have an idea what I will find when I crack them open; I think I'll find 2 babies that were nearly ready to hatch until the dove flew away after the first falcon strike and stayed away for more than a day. I believe the eggs may have got too cold that night she was away, and the babies inside probably froze--or otherwise died wiithout their mother there to keep them warm. Shame that she spent weeks there, only to have it end that way. But amazing that she had the resolve to return after 2 falcon attacks and continue to TRY and hatch the eggs. And more amazing that she escaped with her own life. wt

Hi guys! Kathy, I am glad your back. I hope your new program works for you. I took the day off Sunday, we had freezing rain, and I stayed in my pj's all day and took pictures of the birds. I worked out monday, tuesday and this morning, I just haven't been on here to post. We are leaving Saturday morning for Florida and I have so much to do. We will be staying 2 to 3 weeks. I am not sure if I will have access to a computer while I am there. Last year we took ours along and we might again. We stay with my mom, so that is why we can stay so long. I hope you guys keeps things going here and I will join you when I get back. I am taking my tapes along with me, and I plan on taking alot of sunny florida walks. Hope I get a chance to post from down there. See ya guys later, Wanda

I'm with you, Wanda! Tomorrow morning. I plan to do the 8 minutes in the morning and then do the WATP after work. I love to walk outdoors, just wish I had someone to walk with. I will probably alternate the WATP with walks at the track. (There is sure to be someone there to walk with) Our track goes around the football field and there is an exercise I do on the bleachers for my abs. It works those muscles like no other exercise I've ever done! I used to walk one mile around the track, then do my ab exercises and some steps (18"ers) on the bleachers, then do 4 or 5 more miles on the track. I felt wonderful!!! I had to stop doing the steps because my legs were getting too muscular. I had so much energy that I couldn't hold still. I sure wish I could get back in that condition again. I hope this coming week is a great week for everyone!

Hi everyone my name is Kim and I am a 36 year old mother of 2 very active boys 11 & 7. I work for an elementary school doing tech support for their 130 or so computers and printers. I walk alot somedays and other days not so much. I have been overweight most of my life and still battle it each day. I am 5' 7" and weigh 183 now and at one time weighed 240. I have hopped from one diet to another never really finding anything that worked miracles. Only through healthy eating and regular exercise was I able to achieve weightloss of any kind. I stumbled across this forum on accident by search for Leslie's tapes and really really liked it sooo. I joined. I just received her tapes from Half.com for $19 (which didn't come with any extras just the set of tapes). I did the 2 mi this morning with just plain hand weights and really enjoyed it. There are so many wonderful and encouraging stories on this page I couldn't stop reading it. I really look forward to reading more of them. It really is good to know that I am not the only one who struggles with water intake, food temptations and exercising struggles. Please keep writing. I am really excited to start this program and I hope I can be as determined as you all.