To: invictus who wrote (35886 ) 4/22/2001 1:19:50 PM From: RR Read Replies (5) | Respond to of 65232 Invictus: Bad news. We lost our blue bird babies. Snake ate them. This happened a few years ago, too. It's crazy, but I had this uneasy feeling when we got up this morning and asked Mrs. RR if she'd checked them lately. She said one of the boys did yesterday and that the 5th egg had hatched after all. We were outside for awhile on the deck sitting early this morning and I kept mentioning we ought to go check the nest. Couple hours later I finally went out there and when I tapped the box to alert momma I was there, I saw the snake through the hole. Was a huge one, little over 5 feet in length. Thought at first it was a king snake but once I got it out, I think it was a moccasin. Gee, we're just sick about it, too. I wonder now if I'd just gone out out there first thing this morning when I initially thought about going out there if I could have saved them. I know it's odd, but there was something just telling me to get out there. First thing I thought of this morning when I woke up was wondering how they were doing and whether the 5th egg had hatched. Our crazy bird is back. Returned a few days ago. He's the one that flies around the house and pecks on the windows. We think it is an oriole. I don't know how long birds usually live but Mrs. RR thinks this bird has been doing that now for 5 years. Maybe it's a "summer tanager." On the good side, the humming birds returned this past week, turtles are out making love, and coon family is doing fine. Grandpa possum is back on a regular basis and baby possum is putting on weight fast. That's the latest critter report if u want to pass it on to Ma Jones. The youngest son had his first prom last night. Looked like a young man in that tux. Growing up. We got to drive him and his date around, took them out to eat, to the prom, all that fancy stuff. Leaving town this evening. Hold the market up! RR