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Chucks, snakes, and a wren issue



Another busy morning in the woods today.  You gotta love early May!  I
finally tracked down my Chuckwillswidow for the year.  I'm only counting
seen birds, so while they are awfully easy to hear, seeing one can be a bit
of a trick.  I'm a bit embarrassed to admit I had to resort to using a
flashlight.  There were probably a dozen chucks along with the single
calling whip at the end of West Lake Rd last evening.  The best spot is 1/4
mile south of the WL elementary school.

In addition to birds early May is usually pretty good for snakes.  After
not finding any in AZ, Tracy felt somewhat better by coming across several
on Sunday while at Brickhouse Rd.  She, ,I and some friends spotted 1
Copperhead, 2 or 3 Red-bellied Water Snakes, 1 Northern Water Snake, and a
Ribbon Snake.  The warbler to snake ration was about 1:2.  Kinda scary.

I have a bluebird box with chickadees nesting inside.  The chicks are only
a few days from fledging.  Unfortunately we also have a House Wren.  Last
year he, or a suspiciously similar facsimile, killed the chickadee chicks
just a few days from fledging.  I'm afraid the same will happen this year
as the wren was perched on the box yesterday.  I immediately put a wren box
on a shepherd's hook nearby in hopes of offering alternate accommodations.
Anybody have any tricks to keep the wren out of the bluebird box for a few
more days?

Thanks!
Steve Shultz
Apex, NC