A service of the Northern Neck Audubon Society--- This afternoon, Mon. @ 5pm approx., I was returning from walking the dogs. As I turned into my driveway, a movement caught my eye. It was a fledgling, probably a robin, that chirped and headed for the green buffer between our houses. I hoped for its success on the ground. As I walked down the sidewalk, i noticed the bluebirds dive-bombing their box on the opposite side of the house, sounding and acting distressed. Ah ha, I thought and headed over towards it. Sure enough there was the black racer wound around the pole. i watched as the birds continued to dive-bomb as the snake sought purchase around or over the baffle. Eventually, it gave up, slid down and away. There was even a housse finch defending the box! After unleashing the dogs inside, I returned to the mailbox to get the mail and heard more bird distress noise. I wondered if the snake had sped all the way around to the opposite side where the fledgling had been. I happened to look up onto the peak of the next door house, and there was a very large crow. Just as I stared at it wishing to shoo it away, it took off, with a gang of birds dive bombing it. I watched until it was some distance away, turned and came into the house. I looked out the back at the bird bath and the brown thrashers were bathing, unconcerned... All's well for now...Paula at Hills Qtr. #18 fairway of KCGC "Value the land for the life it harbors" Sarah Stein You are subscribed to the NNASnet, a birding hotline sponsored by the Northern Neck of Virginia Audubon Society. To unsubscribe, send a message to nnasnet-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with "leave" in the subject line (please omit quotation marks). For other questions or comments about the listserver, send messages to: nnasnet-admins@xxxxxxxxxxxxx