"DannyD." wrote in message
...

2. What creature is swirling the steel water tanks ...
But, what is making this swirl in my gray steel tanks and the same
swirl (in the middle steel tank) of my neighbor?
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3879/1...3a8b91b8_b.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5507/1...0d057f23_b.jpg

Some animal that's rubbing against the tank looking for water. I assume
it's pretty dry where you live. At first I thought you were talking about
the swirling inside the tank. I'd look for animal hairs caught on anything
that might trap them. Could be deer eating some of the foilage that's
hanging down near the tanks.

http://www.outdoorlife.com/node/45352

Has some interesting information about "deer rubs." Lots of other animals
will run up on things like your tank to leave their scent markings,
particularly on something like a water tank whose obvious leakage (from the
photo) probably is considered "good territory" because it provides an
important resource.

Obviously a job for a "critter cam" - If you lived close by I'd lend you
mine - it's solved many a mystery about who did something in the backyard
when I wasn't watching. Reminds me of what happened a while back - people
had tied yellow ribbons around their oak trees as reminders of family
serving in Iraq. Almost every day, someone would rip the ribbons off the
trees. Damned liberal peaceniks were suspected g but a critter cam
revealed it was squirrels, building nests with the ribbons which they
apparently found irresistible.

--
Bobby G.