What a windy day we had yesterday!
I looked out my window to see what was
happening around the bird feeder and
saw this pair of White-crowned Sparrows
sitting together looking like they were
having a conversation.
They sat this way for ever so long. Maybe they
were discussing what I was about to observe
and what I am about to show you.
WARNING!!
The photos I'm about to show you contain a
disturbing image that may or may not
distress you. Just so you know.
Here they are:
Since I had my camera in hand, I thought I'd
check on my Bluebirds who had a nest in this
old house. Imagine my shock and horror
when I zoomed in on this snake wreaking
havoc on this little family!! I was just
devastated!
If I thought I could have gotten there in time,
I would have gotten a garden hoe and gone to
work on this Bluebird destroyer!
I had just remarked recently that I hadn't seen
as many Bluebirds this year as I normally do.
Now I believe I know why.
I feel so bad for this little family. I didn't see
Mr. Bluebird the rest of the day that I was at home.
I'll watch for him and his Mrs. tomorrow. I do
hope that they will be able to have another family
this year. We need to get that birdhouse down and
clean it out and maybe put it elsewhere.
Mr. Bluebird has been so busy recently with tending
his family that I've not been able to get a good,
crisp shot. He wouldn't sit still for long. I wonder if
he'll sit still now while he's grieving for his young?
Until next time...
Poor little birds. I HATE snakes.
ReplyDeleteOh.. that is so sad.
ReplyDeleteI've seen these black snakes on other bloggers posts.
Creepy.
Are they poisonous?
Is there any way that you can keep them away from your yard?
Oh my goodness - that is so sad. You actually caught the guy. Did he eat the babies (?). And was that a black garden snake?
ReplyDeleteWell those two White-crowned Sparrows were talking and they were looking at you taking their picture! lol
sandie
The pictures of the sparrows and the blue bird are great. I feel bad for the blue birds. I hate snakes! I'm glad I don't have them in my yard.
ReplyDeleteOh, that is so terribly sad. Sometimes nature deals us hard blows. A few years ago, a pair of Canada Geese had 7 goslings that we saw around our yard for a few days. Then it was 5 goslings, then 3, then none. Every time I looked at the parents after that, I wanted to cry.
ReplyDeleteBut - it's all part of life....we just have to keep reminding ourselves of that.
betsy in tn of Joyful reflections just posted two days ago that snakes got her whole family, babies and all. she said she is greasing the pole and getting some kind of thing that goes around the pole so they can't climb it. so sorry about your birds.
ReplyDeleteCheryl very sad. We just had a brood of Bluebirds launch! We had trouble with two snakes last year like the one you have pictured and we moved the house they were menacing. We have 5 Bluebird houses and monitor them all the time but you can do only so much. Sorry Cheryl I know how you feel. Heartbreaking. Snakes and House Sparrows make me angry when it comes to the Bluebirds.
ReplyDeleteOh Cheryl, I am so sad about this especially since it happened to me last Sunday. I still don't totally know that mine was a snake since I never saw it...
ReplyDeleteHave you seen either parent since the snake left???? My male is still around here searching for his family... Poor thing...
SO SORRY, Cheryl... I sent you an email --telling you a couple of things to do. First of all, I'd move your nestbox to another location --on a pole --away from trees... Of course, there's no guarantee anywhere.
Hugs,
Betsy
I wish you would of seen it sooner too.... A hoe works wonders on a snake.... I hate snakes!!
ReplyDeleteSo, so sad. Darn those snakes. How did he know?
ReplyDeletewe had a snake get in our bluebird house, too. the babies were almost ready to fledge and did. i tried to get them back into the house as they couldn't fly yet, but they wouldn't stay. sadly 3 of 4 met an end by the next day... not sure if the 4th survived.
ReplyDeleteOh, I so hate to see this...but it is part of the cycle of life. Just doesn't make it any easier to accept...always wished everything just ate plants.
ReplyDeleteI had the same thing happen last year and it is awful.
ReplyDeleteI have since put a stove pipe with hardware cloth covering this year to protect the box. It isn't pretty but seems effective.
Cheryl,
ReplyDeleteYour bird photos are GORGEOUS!! So clear and close-up. I love them. Did you take them with a special lens? I have a point & shoot and don't think you can get good bird photos with it.
I had to scroll quickly past the slimy, slithery, homewrecking snake. They give me the creeps big time! How sad that he did that to the bluebird family :(. I have a baffle around the pole to my bluebird house, but I recently read that the sneaky varmints can crawl over it. Grrr....
Your shots are so lovely, Cheryl.
ReplyDeleteI love the little Blue bird sitting on the wire.. pondering life no doubt.
Nature can be sad at time like this, unless your a snake-in-the-grass.
I have a blog friend, Betsy, and it looks like this is what happened to her bluebird eggs. The daddy has been flying back and forth in a dither for days!! I love your two little sparrows conversing. She said to grease the pole. But I'm thinking what if rain washes it off?
ReplyDeletei am worried about my baby doves and what happened to them.
ReplyDeleteyour pictures are beautiful....
I don't hate snakes at all. They have a purpose too. But, I feel horrible for the bluebirds and losing their young.
ReplyDeleteT
Oh no! That is so sad. I love bluebirds and saw one in our yard yesterday.
ReplyDeleteYour photography is gorgeous!
How devastating for the bluebirds.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your visit that led me here.
That's awful. I know it made you sick.
ReplyDeleteSo sad! Beautiful pictures of the birds, but horrible of that snake!!! Enjoy your day!
ReplyDeleteYou had some very cooperative sparrows there!
ReplyDeleteThe circle of life certainly can be difficult to watch....we're all so fond of birds...poor Mr. Snake isn't on many favorites lists.
How awful for the birdies! If you sit back and watch you can see that animals do have feelings and they are amazing! The mothers are always the most amazing to me. I hope the mom and dad blue birds are okay and they can start over. I would try to attatch something around the pole that the snake can't crawl around. I just found out that having Black Racer snakes around help keep poisonous snakes away.
ReplyDeleteOh how tragic! Yes, they'll need a safer home I guess, but who could have imagined that this would've happened. I know that you feel terrible about it, but I'm thinking it is a good thing that you saw it since now steps can be taken to prevent it. I loathe a snake.
ReplyDeleteWonderful pictures; but a very sad story. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteAwwww that makes me sad. I've seen lots of black snakes already this year. They seem to be everywhere.
ReplyDeleteThat is so sad. But what do you do about nature's way.
ReplyDeleteOh, I forgot to say that the moon shot is great!
ReplyDelete