This morning I walked the towpath upstream from Riley's Lock, passing six  
of my warbler boxes there.  I noticed two male prothonotaries singing  
vigorously above boxes 3 and 5.  Ah hah, I thought, two males advertising  their 
territories in hopes of attracting females.  
 
On the way downstream, I noticed something at #5.  Pup up my binocs  and 
found a black rat snake a third of the way inside.  Banged on the box  until 
it took off, swimming across the canal to the far side.  Inside was  nesting 
material that had been put in there in the last few days.  Was the  female 
predated?  I'm afraid so, or the snake probably would have departed  after 
checking out the box.  
 
This may be natural, but I have to admit it p....d  me off!
 
Bob Mumford
Darnestown
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