Baby Bluebird Rescue x 2

Saturday, July 5th

The previously mentioned babies saw their first snake! We suspect it's the previously photographed rat snake because we first saw it near the same location. Within the hour we were very excited to see it again, this time slithering along the backyard. Luckily, I am no longer using my Palm to shoot photos so as you'll see these are much better! Since I was mostly preoccupied with the twins, my son Simon had the presence of mind to shoot some fabulous snake shots.

We were a little slow to comprehend why we were so lucky to see this brazen fellow, but when he started heading toward the steadily chirping baby bluebirds we caught on! He was hungry.

We tried to stand in his path, hoping he would veer, but with no success. He made it to the tree and began climbing ! Knowing he wasn't poisonous, wasn't comfort enough to convince any of us to touch him at first. Using sticks we gently pushed him down and then tried moving him with the baby pool.

He escaped and headed back to the tree. My Dad got into the act and was brave enough to pick him up by the tail! He quickly doubled back on him though and was, ummm, quickly put back on the ground. I had put down my human baby and picked up the camera by this time, but the only shot I got of my Dad, the snake wrangler, was of his butt; I'll spare you that one. Finally, he was deposited in the woods and what we hoped was far enough away from the bluebird babies! They were safe!

Saturday, July 12th

I was enjoying my favorite view yesterday afternoon, looking down from my bedroom window, when I saw baby bluebirds diving out of their home like paratroopers from a plane. It was very exciting until I noticed that one of the birds had landed in the baby pool immediately below. Simon and I rushed outside to see if help was needed and found that a second baby bird had also landed in the pool. The parents were flying anxiously above, chirping furiously, but the babies were motionless,

one on the dry side,

the other on the wet.

The wet one was easy to scoop out using a frisbee. We deposited him on the grass

and the father found him quickly.

He hopped across the yard, finally taking flight.

He landed on the slide and slid right down to the bottom! I laughed out loud, but unfortunately didn't snap a picture. While all of this was going on the 2nd baby was still unmoving in the pool. Simon managed to get him out; I was too nervous to watch how he did it. neither mother nor father found this one right away. We didn't have to worry though, this little fellow was an expert in disguise.

Can you spot him in the grass?

Careful now, don't hurt his feelings, he's convinced he's invisible!

As we watched from afar he finally stuck his head up and his father found him! The family was reunited and hanging out in our woods!

Two final notes:

The offending pool is now empty and upside down so it can't catch anything else!

The snake appeared again today by the cutting garden. He seemed a little nervous around us this time and quickly headed back to the woods. Poor guy, I guess he doesn't know that with the bluebirds safe our interest in him is purely scientific!