The swallows have moved into the new garage. This is important because they used to nest in our basement, somewhat inconvenient because having to leave the door open not only caused the walls to sweat, but made it possible for larger critters like grey squirrels and the cats that hunt them to visit.
Anyway, last year the garage was not attractive and we worried that we had lost our mosquito hunters for good. But, they're back and working hard to scoop up every last bug.
The grey squirrels seem to have been replaced by little red ones--too small to reach the holes in the bird-feeder while perching on the top. Of course, if they are patient, the sparrows will drop enough seed to feed both the squirrels and the chipmonks. The sparrows, as usual, nest in the box by the pond and then bring their young to teach them to nosh at the feeder. That may be why we seem to host multiple broods every summer. We are not, however, over-run by sparrows. Unlike the swallows, they seem to depart whenever the young are fully fledged and then brood again. The swallows, on the other hand hang around until the weather changes and they head south. They expect to be able to return to the structure in which they nested. If there's a wire for them to perch on, they'll sit there together and poop to their heart's content. Another reason to keep them out of the basement.
That we can now keep the basement closed is particularly good since we have recently been visited by a black bear and her three cubs. The other morning they were sitting in the neighbor's tree, but they seem to be frequent visitors to the garbage cans at the pre-school down the road and another neighbor's birdfeeder (he now takes his in at night).
The biggest thing I've ever seen at our birdfeeder was a raccoon who sat on the branch from which it hangs and reached down into the tube from which he had dislodged the top. These critters sure are clever.