Snake Kills Purple Martins. I Kill Snake

This was not the smartest thing I've ever done, but I was heartbroken to find that a water moccasin had slithered up the pole and into the Purple Martin Palace. The snake destroyed all ten eggs and the martins have left our house.

Rare Bird Sighting at Lake Frankston

What a glorious weekend at the lake. Bird watching has been a full-time job. A noisy pair of scissor-tailed flycatchers are hanging around in the late evenings and sleeping in the sweetgums. Three of the five bluebird eggs hatched this week. Bill and Hillary are busy flying in and out with food. Friday, a rose-breasted grosbeak showed up. He's alone and probably migrating north, but he has been here for three days hanging out with the female red-winged blackbirds. Here's a quick video I managed to capture by taping my iPhone to the raccoon baffle!
Come on down!!

Bluebirds: First Brood of 2010!

Greetings from the lake. The weather is gorgeous and the yard is filled with chickadees, titmice, cardinals, white-crowned sparrows, first ruby-throat hummers, phoebes, spiders, and, of course, our resident bluebirds, Bill and Hillary.

Purple martins did not roost on the dock Sad.

Our first eggs of the year appeared some time in the last 9 days. Follow their progress here! Better yet, come on down and see them for yourself!