Date:         Mon, 7 Jul 2003 17:22:51 -0400
Reply-To:     Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender:       Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From:         Denise Ryan <Denise_Ryan@LCV.ORG>
Subject:      Re: Atlasing story
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Last year I bought a Screech Owl nest box for my Mother to add to her bird house collection.  Earlier this spring they watched a snake of some kind go into the nest box.  That brought about some quick action and the black rat snake was dispatched with a shotgun after consuming at least two unidentified eggs.  Mom doesn't know what is nesting in there, but it is not an owl.  She thinks Robins found a home in there.

Do the metal guards added to the posts of Wood Duck boxes work to deter the snakes?  Can anyone recommend a pattern for making such guards or a place to purchase them?

Denise Ryan
Washington, DC

-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Sussman [mailto:Warblerick@AOL.COM]
Sent: Sunday, July 06, 2003 8:33 AM
To: MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Atlasing story


Hi all,
 I had an interesting occurance yesterday while atlasing. There is a large, old sycamore tree on the property of an old farmstead in one of my 1/4 blocks, which always has something interesting near it or on it to watch. Last week I noticed a number of holes in the branches rather high up, and saw a flicker at one of the entrances. Sadly I also saw a good number of juvenile Starlings in the same area. A pair of E. Kingbirds has a nest nearby, and chase anything that comes close. Also last week I heard and saw a Great-crested Flycatcher in the tree, so was hoping to confirm this yesterday.

 While searching the tree yesterday I noticed a bit of snakeskin on a branch very close to one of the holes, flapping in the breeze. AHA! I thought, GCFL nest (they are big users of snakeskins in their nests)! I got out my scope for a better look. When I focused it on the closest hole, however, what I found was not one but a pair of black rat snakes. One was in the hole with just its head poking out, the other was just emerging from the hole, and I watched it for a while, fascinated. As it came out it began rubbing its head on the branch where the remaining cast-off skin was, continuing its shedding process. Evidently that's where the skin came from that I had first seen. This pair of snakes was about 35 feet up in the tree, and all I can hope is that they were there for Starlings and not Flickers...

Rick Sussman
Ashton,MD
warblerick@aol.com

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