Yesterday afternoon I was looking out my kitchen window when a male=20 Eastern Bluebird with a small (4=94-5=94) Red-bellied Snake dangling = from=20 its bill landed in our front yard. He had the snake by the head and it=20=
appeared to be dead. The Bluebird smacked the snake against the ground=20= a couple of times and took off toward an open area beyond our small=20 orchard. I went outside but was unable to relocate the bird to observe=20= whether or not (or how) the snake was actually eaten. The Red-bellied=20 Snake is quite common in our area of Big Lake Township in Sherburne=20 County. I have seen it taken by American Kestrels and Red-shouldered=20 Hawks but never by Bluebirds or other small songbirds. Paul Gunderson Elk River= ------ http://USFamily.Net/info - Unlimited Internet - From $8.99/mo! ------
