I don't think cougars (or panthers either) are a big risk factor for humans. We've seen both in our yard and even though they will growl or snarl, or maybe even roar, they pretty much turn their back and walk away. However, there are recorded instances of cougars killing people from time to time, so I never turn my back on them......I do all the standard stuff, backing away slowly while still facing them, waving my arms to make myself look larger, etc. Cougars (and, of course, panthers, coyotes, bobcats, etc.) are a threat to dogs, cats, poultry, etc., so all our animals are locked up securely inside predator-proof buildings at night. Every year some of our neighbors lose domestic animals to wildlife. At least three times we've had neighbors in different locations lose a dozen or more cats in one summer (usually 2 or 3 mamas and their litters of kittens). One of our neighbors heard her little dog bark, walked out the door and saw it in the jaws of a coyote. She ran right at the coyote, yelling and waving her arms, and it dropped her little dog, unharmed. We lost one cat, probably to a coyote (he was spotted near our house the day the cat disappeared) just a few weeks ago. I do take the feral pigs seriously. No matter where I am or what I'm doing, I get the heck out of there if I hear or see feral pigs. They are more common in the more sparsely populated western part of Love County than they are here in central Love County, although the Chickasaw nation has had a lot of trouble with them tearing up the golf course near the casino at Thackerville. The roar/scream of a cougar scares me although I don't mind hearing it from a distance. I am not so crazy about hearing it up close, but that's a very rare occurrence. I enjoy living in the midst of lots of wildlife, but sometimes they come a little too close and that makes me nervous. One of my neighbors, who has lived here for all of his 87 or 88 years, insists he has seen a lynx several times the last few years on his property adjacent to the Red River. I am not convinced it is a lynx, but he insists it is not a bobcat, so who knows? Once, while I was walking three large dogs (a circus in itself), I saw an animal I was convinced was a red wolf, which isn't likely, but I know what I saw! The best logical explanation is that, if it wasn't a red wolf, then it might have been a coyote/Irish Setter cross, but it looked more like a wolf than anything. I can tolerate just about any wild thing here around the house, but not skunks and not venomous snakes. This winter, a neighbor who lives about a mile and a half from us fed stale bread, crackers, etc. to a "starving" coyote that always raises its pups in an area near their stock tank. I don't think I'll ever feed coyotes though. We have had a very large, fearless coyote/dog hybrid around for about 6 or 8 months now. He looks like a cross between a coyote and a golden retriever. One of my "old rancher" neighbors is the one who told me that this very bold and seemingly fearless coyote was a cross between a dog and a coyote. He told me that the only coyotes that have ever killed his calves are the ones that have crossed with dogs.....he says they are fearless and, based on what I have personally observed, I know this one is not afraid of me or our dogs. Around here, it is usually feral dogs, heartlessly dumped "in the country" by their one-time owners, that form packs, roam and kill farm animals. Everyone here shoots them if they catch them killing their calves, colts, goats, etc.

Am fascinated by the beautiful Painted Bunting, so have been reading up on it. Most of you probably already knew these things, but will post what I have learned, just in case P B Facts: Member of Cardinal family. Bright colored with blue head, green back and red stomach is male. Drab colored green is female. Shy, difficult to see. Mostly monogmous. Sometimes hops along on ground. Seed eater. Oklahoma is one of its Summer breeding areas. At one time was a captured, caged bird, but now illegal. Is nearing endangered list, especially on East Coast due to losing habitat to industry and construction. The most colorful bird in America. Thanks to Dawn's and Gayle's suggestion, I am going to buy Millet seed to add to my feeders, as I want them to be repeat visitors, along with my many other bird visitors. As I have said before, my favorite gardening poem on "My Page" expresses how I feel about life. Jeanie

Barbara, The fact that we're all seeing Canada Geese so early is making me a bit nervous. However, Busy1 and I already have mentioned several times that we feel like an early autumn freeze is 'overdue' and likely, so the geese do back up what we've been feeling "in our bones". I believe in intuition and I've had that 'early freeze feeling' for at least a couple of months now. I don't think we've had a really early killing freeze here in Love County since 1999, although we had a kind of early one a few years after that one. So, that intuitive feeling, plus the fact we're having recurring cold fronts in July plus the fact that a lot of the northern and eastern parts of the country have had odd weather this year plus the early geese.....well, do you think it is trying to tell us something? And, even if August is indeed hotter than you-know-where, that still doesn't mean we won't have an early autumn. All I know is that here in Marietta, our hottest summer weather is usually the last two weeks of July and the first two of August, and July has given us some oddly cool weather. I have a feeling August will do the same. And, where are the hurricanes? Certainly not in the Atlantic. When hurricane activity is low, we often have cooler autumns. (That's just an observation from living my whole life here in either Texas or OK, not a scientifically-established fact! LOL) So, I think a lot of signs are pointing in that direction. On the other hand, the climate/weather both are so odd any more that it is hard to know what to think. A lot of folks in the northeast have had virtually no sun and way too much rain and their gardens aren't producing much if anything. They are disgusted with their weather. The PNW is having great weather....sunshine and heat for once instead of fog and rain and cool temps. It is like the NE's weather is in the PNW and the Pacific Northwest's weather is in the northeastern U.S. This is just such an odd year. Down in Texas, they can't catch a break. The same wet areas keep getting rain and the same dry areas get little to none and are in exceptional drought. If we have had a weirder summer with odder weather in various parts of the country, I can't remember it. Dawn

i live 40 mi west of chicago, and we have a wolf in our forest preserves. took pics to wolf park and monty sloan, famous wolf photographer, believes it to be a wolf. saw it close up -15 ft away- not huge but shepard size. black body with brownish face whitish throat andbelly. small ears like wolf tail like wolf, not coyote. no look of dog at all. more coyote like face then dog. if anything othe then pure wolf, coywolf. could be what yours is. white spots show its shedding its winter coat. summer coat will be much lighter. have pics of ours showing it shedding its winter coat. looks scruffy.