[TN-Bird] Great horned owl + Christmas Eve day birds

Hello TN-birders.
 
On a rainy day here in Charlotte Park, West Nashville, Davidson  County, a 
few blocks east of the Cumberland River across from Bell's Bend, my  deck and 
feeders are filled with some very hungry, wet birds.  My  mockingbirds, 
chickadees, titmice and at least one male cardinal are filling up  on peanut 
butter.  
Robins are slurping grape jelly from inside the "dish"  made from the hull of 
half an orange and eating the fruit from another half that  is still all 
orange.  Juncos, white-throated sparrows, 14 cardinals, 7 or 8  blue jays, 20+ 
mourning doves, a song sparrow, two field sparrows and the  very handsome 
white-crowned sparrow are all gorging on the bird seed which the  chickadees 
and 
titmice also eat between their trips for peanut butter.  I  have not seen my 
Carolina wrens or the goldfinches today.  One  yellow-rumped warbler is 
present, but 
it does not partake of  the  "Smorgabird" like the one I had for three 
seasons that ate peanut  butter. Of course, starlings, house finches, house 
sparrows 
& rock  pigeons, along with a never ending supply of squirrels and mice, all 
get  more than their share.  An opossum still comes at night and finishes off  
the left over grape jelly and any fruit of the half orange thus creating a 
new  orange hull "dish" for the next day's jelly supply.  At night, the great  
horned owl(s), an occasional screech owl plus a couple of neighbor's cats are  
trying to "control" the mouse population.  With a peregrine chasing the  rock 
doves and the Cooper's hawks eating mourning doves along with rare visits  
from red-tailed hawks, sharp-shinned hawks and kestrels, the feeder visitors 
are  
kept somewhat on their toes.  As of last week, I have had a total of 80  yard 
species either on or seen from my little plot of ground in Charlotte  Park!
 
Early this morning before the rain set it, a great horned owl was in a  
neighbor's tree about three houses down from my kitchen window.  About 60  
common 
crows saw it, and they set up a harassment session that seemed to last  
forever.  Many of the crows kept converging on the ground below the owl, so  I 
wonder 
if it had dropped something which they found to be "tasty."  The  place on 
the ground was behind a still-leafy shrub, so I could not see what the  
enticement was.  The owl was still there when I left to do last minute  errands 
this 
morning, but had gone when I returned an hour later.  
 
Speaking of owls, a friend sent me a 2006 "Hooter's Calendar"--owl  photos, 
not waitresses.  If any of you would like a copy who doesn't  already have it, 
please contact me directly, and I'll send it to you.  It's  one that downloads 
right inside the E-mail, so you don't have to fool with  attachments.  I've 
printed mine out.
 
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Holidays to all whatever your  
personal celebration may be.  May 2006 bring us all peace, happiness,  health, 
prosperity and every good bird we've ever wanted to see!  May all  you yearly 
and 
state listers get more birds in 2006 than you ever dreamed  of seeing in a 
year or in the state for which you are listing!  For all of  us, bring on the 
lifers!
 
Cheers, prayers & blessings,
 
Dee Thompson
Nashville, TN

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