Protecting The Bluebirds

Over the years we've seen countless batches of bluebirds nest, raise their babies and fledge into the wild from our backyard nesting box. It's always been our joy to monitor the nests and observe the birds return again and again. Our joy turned to horror over the past few nestings as the boxes have been raided by black snakes who've repeatedly wiped out the babies. Seemingly undaunted, the bluebirds continue to return and build more nests! We've launched into protection mode around here, the aim is to stop the predators from getting to the top of the pole and, ultimately, to the newly hatched babies. Previous attempts have been thwarted, even the razor wire! I wanted to quit; to simply take down the nesting box and call it a day. Mr. G talked me out of that, he explained that we owed to the birds to do more. Don't ever underestimate the ingenuity and stick-to-it-iveness of a retired engineer! So, we've developed a new baffle, it's two feet long, has a lid and is very tippy and unstable- just what a snake doesn't like. He said something about the adhesive side of Gorilla Tape making an appearance but I still wasn't sure. 

And then this arrived in the mail. Oh. I shouldn't have been shocked (sorry). He's pulling out the big guns! Yep, in addition to all of the above, he's also electrifying the pole (a three prong approach), the charge will be the same voltage as an electric fence used to contain cattle or horses. The birds in (or on) the box won't be bothered by this because they won't touch the baffle and the pole simultaneously. It won't kill the snake but it will most definitely deter them from climbing onto the supporting pole. All in the name of protecting the bluebirds. We currently have a clutch of two eggs, Mama's sitting on them, she's counting on us. 

Life is Good!