Good Little Mama!

  Son keeps after me to "let nature take its course" when it comes to the critters of the Bayou.  I admit that I find that difficult at times.  Take for example a few years back when I "rescued" about a dozen skink eggs from sure ruin in a tropical storm.  I had found the mother skink and her clutch of eggs the day before the storm hit and watched them closely as the tide edged nearer and nearer the nest.  As waves started sloshing around the nest site, I could not stand it and raced down the hill to rescue what remained of the nest.  With a dozen ready to hatch eggs in my shirt, I trudged back up the hill in the pouring rain to relocate them in the greenhouse.  On  the way up the hill, three little skinks hatched in my hands!  Over the years, I have saved a baby 'possum, a few squirrels, a couple of baby mockingbirds and a rat snake.  (The snake needed rescuing from several crows!)  With each rescue, Son reprimands me.  "Mom, you have to learn to let things occur as they are meant.  Let nature do its own thing."  I always agree and tell him I will try to do better. 

  Recently, this rescuing came into action again but I just did not tell Son!  A pair of wrens made their nest in the oddest of places and were prime targets for a snake invasion.  Sure enough, a rat snake (probably the one I rescued) was found winding its way up to the nest of baby birds.  Oh, no you don't!!!  In one swift movement, I grabbed the snake and pulled it free from the board covering the nest.  The snake was bewildered which gave me plenty of time to relocate it before it thought much about why it was suddenly not having breakfast.  The parent wrens were in an understandable frenzy about this whole ordeal but soon went on about raising their brood.  That nest was near the shed and happily all five little ones survived.  Mama Wrens are not above reusing an old nest for their second brood of the season but this little mama decided against it.  She has relocated.

  This afternoon, I noticed something strange about the hanging fern that I was rooting.  The basket hangs right next to the steps that I use about two dozen times a day.  It is within easy reach since I want to keep it well watered while the fern roots.  As I looked at my basket, I had to smile.  Mama Wren decided to move her nest near the person that helped her earlier this spring.  The neatest little nest is being made in the hanging basket. I guess she  knew that I would help her if needed and decided to make it easier for me to watch over her brood.  At least this nest is not an easy target for a snake since hopefully, I will be able to see it much quicker than back by the shed.  Smart bird!  Good Mama!