[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: CHICKADEES AND CAT HAIR & BLUEBIRDS



I have seen birds pulling pet hair from a doormat in past years at my former
home in the woods. Really enjoyed watching them do this as they worked so
hard to gather enough hair for a soft lining. Now that I live closer to town
and on a pond I have different birds to watch. Yesterday I watched a female
bluebird collecting pinestraw for her nest in the bluebird box. She would
fly back and forth with the male following close behind.

Last year I had bluebirds occupy this same box but it was a bittersweet
tale. The female mysteriously died and I found her at the base of the tree
where the birdhouse was.  Amazingly the male raised the young all by
himself.

One day I stepped into the backyard and he was making the biggest fuss along
with other neighborhood birds. They seemed to be trying to get my attention
which they did very quickly. Upon inspection, I saw a snake that was making
it's way towards the tree. I had nothing to deter his route into the tree
but I did get my BB gun which held him off long enought for me to phone my
husband who worked close by.  The entire time the birds were all fussing and
dive bombing the snake until he disppeared into the tree but they remained
at watch.

I hope none of you are very fond of snakes as the snake's story is not a
happy one. After that little male bluebird had worked so hard to raise his
four little nestlings we were not about for them to meet their mother's
tragic end. The BB gun did not have enough power to bring him down from the
tree. My husband is a law enforecement officer so when he arrived on the
scene it was just a matter of minutes before the crime scene was under
control.  Needless to say the snake was no more of a problem. However, this
was not their only close call. A week or so later a neighbor's dog came into
the yard as the fledglings were leaving the nest so once again I had to come
to the rescue. I hope this year's brood will not have all the excitement of
last years.

Ginny Gillam
Edenton, NC