Rain Gryphon

The first-year Cardinal pair are, I believe, getting ready to try their third nest. The first one, in the shrubberies, got raided either just before or just after the three eggs hatched. The second, in the little trees at the NE corner, looked really questionably placed to me, but I figured she was a bird, and knew her business (not that I could have done anything anyway). That one got raided and destroyed, actually knocked out of the tree, with only one egg laid in it. Now they're trying again in the yew outside my bedroom window. Hopefully that will work. There are birds raised there every summer, so it has a good history.

*****

I saw a Squirrel today, the first I've ever seen here. He entered the yard at the NE corner, travelled along at the eastern edge of the yard, in that lolloping Skwirl gait, two or three flowing hops, and then stop to look around briefly. The yard was filled with Birds, and I thought he'd perhaps come over to see about getting some of the food that was on offer, but he didn't. He kept going, straight to the SE corner, and disappeared into the cornfield. He was obviously on a mission.