A Serpent in the Garden

I live on the edge of the woods.  Deep woods.  Below our home is a swamp.  You can find it on the Civil War maps identified as Higgins Swamp.  Norfolk and Southern Railway runs on the other side.  Only a few trains per day, and when they come through the house slightly trembles and the stochatic noise of the rails and wheels is rhytmic and comforting.  We live in an area that was carved out, and we kept as many trees as we could.

Our bluebird house is at the edge of the woods.  This year we had one successful fledging.  No sooner had I emptied the old nest, than a new nest was built.  I witnessed the 5 eggs and the first hatching.  Also during that time I spied a female cardinal on a well-hidden nest.  I was excited in the anticipation of seeing these two avian families care for and dispatch their young into the world.

About 1 week into the nestling period, I noticed that the male and female bluebirds were not going to the nest.  I also could not see the female cardinal sitting on her nest at any time since I first spotted her.  Mark climbed aboard our de-commissioned Ford Taurus SHO to get a better look.  A black flash on the ground alerted me to the serpent. 

I went to check on the bluebirds.  I whistled my way to the box to not alarm inhabitants. Taking the top off the box, I saw nothing but an empty nest cup.  Something had predated the nest.

I can only suppose that it was the a snake, likely the rat snake living about the place.  I tangled with him last year a couple of times as he was near the bluebird box. Once he was in an adjancent tree, and just scared all of the birds.  The second time, he was on the ground near the box.  Both times was alerted to his presence by the bird behavior and intervened.

But this time, there was an intrusion during a time that I could not intervene.  I thought the snake guard on the box would be effective.  Apparently not.  I'm deeply said that they nest did not make it.  I'm reminded that everyone has to eat...and for one to survive in the animal kingdom, something else does not. 

The male and female bluebirds are still about.  I've not checked the box.  But for failures, there are also successes.  My neighbor, Tim, keeps me apprised of his nestlings.

  His bluebirds had fledged, but this ratsnake was making a nest inspection.  You can see the one unhatched egg.   His nest as no nest guard, but it is on the side of his grape arbor post.  His cardinals had a nest of two, and those fledged successfully. 

A habitat is just that:  a place for all to make a home and survive.  Not everyone ends up on the right side of the equation.