Hophornbeam seeds

On the constitutional this morning, Whip's interest was toward the hay field.  I finally followed her gaze and saw four sandhill cranes.  They seemed a little short to me until I heard another crane start it's rauctious call from just down the hill.  Got it.  These four were colts and the parents were telling them to hurry up and get over here.  Whip barked twice and the youngun's finally got the idea, spread their wings, and flew a short distance.   Maybe there were more than one pair of parents around.  Four colts in a year is a lot for just one pair of sandhills.  Got home and saw Dunder was up and playing w/ a leather cord under the table.  Cute ... but I don't have any leather cords around.  Figured it out.  While Whip and I were on the walk, Dunder went into the garage and caught a red-bellied snake.  I carefully picked up the lifeless body and put it out in the tall grass.  I have nothing against the little guys.  They come into the garage looking for earthworms and stay the night because the concrete stays warm.  Not sure how Dunder managed to catch one.  It's late enough in the season that birds aren't still raising young so Whip and I drove Jormungandr around to clean out bird houses and bring home the detachable ones.  The houses are set in pairs so the territorial tree swallows will set up house in one and a bluebird couple will use the other.  No bluebirds this year but did have tree swallows in each of the paired houses - except the one I keep at my neighbors.  I was checking the status of my hazelnut bushes when I heard a bird chirping insistently from a birdhouse hung on the stockade.  Had forgotten about that birdhouse.  Guessing from the noise, it still has a fledgling in it.  Will be surprised if this little bird is strong enough to migrate or make it through winter months.  Nature is always surprising me though.