Anyone had snake get through baffle?

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

My brother who lives in Georgia was telling me about seeing a snake which got all 4 of his bluebird eggs. The nest had a wobbling stovepipe baffle on the pole, and he is trying to figure out how it got around the baffle and into the nest. Sounds like it was installed properly, with the wire at the top of the baffle so a snake could not crawl through. I forgot to ask him if there was a tree close enough for one to drop from the tree to the box, only thing I can think of. I remember that a year or two before he put up this baffle, he actually witnessed a snake eating one of the babies. So I told him about the baffle and he got one put up.

Anyone had experience with this?

[blue diamonds]

Not sure what State this took place in, but there was a YouTube video showing a snake bypassing a stovepipe baffle. Snake was black and super long, 5 to 6 feet. With the tail on the ground it could reach over the top of the baffle. We do not have that kind of snake here in Michigan. Bluebirders that have long snakes are using additional stiff netting ruffled up along with the baffle. The snakes can’t figure out how to get around the netting without getting tangled up in it.

So glad we don’t have them here…..good luck.

Judy-Michigan

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Thanks, Judy – I will try to locate that video. I am really interested if anyone else has had this experience. I live in a rural subdivision and have these baffles up. Have not had any problem with snakes SO FAR on the nests, but with all the rain we have had this year we have noticed some small grass & garter snakes in the yard a few times. My poor brother was just devastated to witness this snake incident, or should I say incidents!

[ReneeinWinslow]

So far, knock on wood, I haven’t had this happen on a baffled box. I did once that I know of have a snake go up a tree and get a Robin nestling. The nestling was pretty good in size but not fully feathered. I found both on the ground under the tred. The nestling was dead, with its head still in the snake’s mouth and soon afterwards so was that snake.

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When the new wears off the old shines through

When The New Wears Off The Old Shines Through.

[tamsea]

Yes, martin landlords in the south have awful issues with rat snakes. They are so long and can reach all the way up over a wobbling baffle. They use garden netting under their wobbling baffle as Judy described. Or sometimes even above it but martin poles are a lot higher. If I can find directions I’ll copy them here.

Tammy

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