summertime 2005

From: Caroline
Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2005 7:22 AM
Subject: summertime 2005

Well, its a lucky thing my trap wasn't any larger or I'd be catching foxes and coyotes. As it was I caught the grand daddy of all possums. So big and stupid that even though I had opened the back of the cage and his tail was hanging out he still didn't realize that he was free to go. I have put away the big bird feeders and only have a small one for thistle seeds or as they prefer to have them called"Niger Seed", so squirrels are no longer tempted and I have put the trap away. We tried to use it again one morning when I found two baby raccoons huddled outside the screen porch. They were so lethargic that they didn't move or growl so I knew they were really sick although I didn't think they were rabid. I called the Animal Control Officer who turned up in the form of a charming very young policeman. We tried to get the babies into the trap but failed and one ran off and was shot, the other disappeared under the deck. My neighbor Michael thought they had gotten into some poison which he had put out for the rats that were getting into his pig's food.

I am fortunate in having my own well and an unlimited amount of water so I can have a bird bath with a continuous drip. As we have not had any rain all month it is very popular. There is a robin who acts like a dog in the manger and keeps the smaller birds away even though he just sits on the edge. Even the cat birds don't try to bathe with him there. The bird bath is just outside the computer window so I can easily see what is going on and already robins are coming . The early morning sun is shining directly on them and their breasts really glow. The English sparrows like dust baths as well and have chosen some spots in the picking garden where they have made little depressions and scattered dust all over the surrounding plants. I was very lucky to have barn swallows nesting for the first time in the shed. Of course I had to leave the door open but they do such a good job on mosquitoes that I welcomed them. As I understand it they keep their mouths open when they fly and if a bug gets in, their jaws automatically snap shut. This is called hawking. I wonder why it isn't called swallowing?