Homebound

  For the next couple of weeks, one of my friends will be homebound. This little friend is a Mama Brown Thrasher who is setting on a clutch of four greenish-blue eggs that are speckled with reddish-brown dots. Last year she made her nest closer to the marsh edge and a snake devoured two of her little ones.  Thank goodness the birds were nigh on old enough to leave the nest and three others tumbled to the ground. By the time, the snake dropped from the nest after the elusive chicks, the parents coaxed the little ones far away.  This year, Mama Thrasher made the nest just behind the greenhouse. While this does not assure the safety of the little ones, I can at least keep a closer watch on the nest.  It has to be quite traumatic having some monster attack your home and babies.  Poor Mama and Papa Thrasher tried desperately to save their little ones but the snake was not an easy foe.

   Brown Thrasher babies leave the nest as early as nine days after hatching.  It is common belief that this is because of their habit of nesting in shrubs and not high in trees.  Once predators find the nest, it is not overly difficult to attack.  Cats, snakes, fox, coons, squirrels and other birds such as crows will ravage a nest given a chance.  Mama Thrasher is a good parent and stays put on her nest until the danger is just far too great.  Papa Thrasher is a good protector and will do his best to drive away the predator.

  I am glad that the thrashers have nested near the gardens.  Their preference for bugs, caterpillars and worms far outweighs what little berries or figs they steal. I just figure after they have a filling meal of army worms, they need a bit of dessert!