Between the floodlight bulb adventures and other miscellaneous odds and ends things going on, it has been a pretty lively past couple of weeks at our bird feeders, for reasons I'll get to in just a little bit.
But first, for those new to this series, to get some background and perspective on both my life as a caregiver to my mom and my journey from being "meh" on having bird feeders to becoming an avid bird watcher, this single diary entry covers both those bases pretty well.
When last we left you on the issue of the birdies, I noted how we had some young cardinals in our yard whose beaks haven't yet turned orange and who I refer to as Baby C's, even though they're no longer confined to the nest.
At the time, I occasionally would see their daddy, Papa C, feed them on the ground as the three gathered near the feeder.
READ MORE (VIP) -->> Caregiver's Diary Part 30: These Birds Are Made for Feedin'
While we're still seeing the baby cardinals feed off the ground, we haven't seen them being fed by their Papa anymore. But what we have been witness to is our backyard turning into a wildlife preserve of sorts, with a different animal parading through nearly every day of the week.
Though seeing different animals trek through at various points isn't uncommon, it's usually very sporadic and spaced out over the course of a few months.
But in the last two weeks, we've observed a marked increase in squirrel activity, have seen deer prance through, have spotted what looks like young turtles meandering across the yard, have noticed bunnies scurrying near the feeders to pick through the leftover bird food, and have even had a blue jay swoop through a few times (though they can't fit on our feeders).
This isn't the one I saw, but what a picture!
10:39, 6/4 : We “see” blue, but did you know that the pigment in the Blue Jay’s feathers is melanin, which is brown! The blue color is caused by scattering light thru modified cells on the surface of the feather barbs. #cornellfeeders pic.twitter.com/KjzOPx8VLU
— FeederWatch Cam (@FeederWatchCam) June 4, 2025
Are those things big or what?
But on Wednesday morning, I peered out the window at the feeder closest to me, and about six feet from it was... a snake.
I'm not a snake expert, but I think it was either a black snake or a king snake. And while I know they are good for taking care of mice and some of the more dangerous snakes, it threw me way off guard, especially when it slithered toward the feeder.
Two squirrels were under it, but there were no birds around at that time, thankfully.
While I wasn't sure what the snake was going to do, one of the squirrels walked over to it like it was a shiny new toy, and I sensed that the snake was not amused. So I began tapping on the window to scare the squirrels off. It worked for one, but not the one closest to the snake.
Fortunately, Mr. (or Ms.?) Snake slithered away from both the squirrel and that particular feeder, but it was slow-moving going over the concrete patio, seemingly searching for something to eat.
It paused for a few minutes at our second feeder, and I got nervous then because some birds were nearby, but thankfully, they flew off. Then another squirrel acted like it wanted to play with the snake, and this time I was bamming my hand on the glass door to get the squirrel to move on, so much so that my mom was telling me to be careful I didn't break the glass pane.
Granted, I was aware that the snake never moved close in a threatening way toward the squirrels, but I didn't want to take any chances.
Finally, the snake decided to scoot off, but he went into the bushes in between our house and the neighbor's, near where we'd seen bird activity previously and where some nests may be.
While I was glad the snake went on its merry way, I couldn't help but worry on and off about whether it'd gotten to any nests.
Here's a photo (please ignore the dirty glass - the birds and the elements don't allow me to keep it clean for long):
In #TodayProblems we have Mr Black Snake going on. He headed away from the house, but went towards the bushes where the birds and their babies sometimes nest. 🙁 pic.twitter.com/w67kziTXJL
— Sister Toldjah 💙 (@sistertoldjah) June 11, 2025
I know snakes are always going to be a thing, and that some of them can be quite useful at keeping away things you don't want in your yard. But ideally, I'd prefer they do it sight unseen and away from the birds that give my mom and me such joy every day, know what I mean?
RELATED: To read my previous Caregiver's Diary entries, please click here.
