I Love A Mystery!

Yesterday afternoon, a break in the rain gave me a chance to take a walk.
I love taking walks around the farm...
never knowing exactly what I will see along the way.

Yesterday's walk was no disappointment as it provided me with two mysteries.


Mystery #1...
as I looked up at the cat-head bird house that hangs on the peak of the wood shed,
I noticed something strange coming from the cat's mouth...


I moved in for a closer look.


What the...?
How did a snakeskin end up there?
Obviously there had been a snake inside the birdhouse...
a snake who shed his skin as he crawled up and out of the house.
Why was he in there?
Was he stealing bird eggs?
How did he get up so high?


Did he climb an adjacent tree?  Land on the roof?  Slither down into the house?
How did he even know to do that?
All of these questions will most likely remain a mystery....
all that's left behind is one obvious clue...
an empty snake skin.
Hmmmmmmmm.

Mystery #2...

There are two chestnut trees that grow in the pig yard.
Every year I find the empty prickly burrs that fall to the ground...
devoid of any chestnuts.
I always assumed that these small seed pods had no seeds.


Then, this year I found a wealth of chestnuts laying outside the fence.
Thinking that I might roast them, I gathered them all up and filled my pockets.
It seemed that this year the tree had grown large enough that the limbs now hang further than the fence.  Hence the nuts in the driveway.


Were there any nuts in the pig yard this year?
I searched, but only found empty prickly pods.
No nuts.


Where were the nuts?


And then as I tried to take photos of the pigs, the answer hit me.
You see, I could take no clear photos...


the pigs kept following me around very closely and excitedly
(my pockets full of chestnuts.)
Could it be that the pigs smelled the chestnuts?  And liked them?

I had to climb the fence to get away from their curious noses.


The only way to know for sure what happened to those chestnuts inside the fence
was this....


Mystery solved!

By the way....Happy October, Friends!

Comments

This N That said…
I guess that's why they are called pigs... Those little piggies will eat anything. It's sad to think about that snake going after eggs in that little birdhouse..... Very interesting post today!
Kathy said…
We have seen a black snake crawl up the side of our stone house to get to a bird's nest lodged under a gutter (insert EEK here!) I made my husband get it off with a rake before it could reach it's goal, but they can easily crawl up the side of your woodshed. Would love to see how the girls get the chestnuts open!
Anonymous said…
I had a mourning dove (who has the worst nest in the bird kingdom) on a column on my front porch. I watched the dove mana and daddy sitting on the egg every day, and saw the tiny hatchling. One day, soon after, no baby bird (or mom or dad) was there. It was a very sad day.

Yes, snakes and even raccoons or oposssums can climb up and steal eggs, or even worse!

Maggy
Unknown said…
Snakes have no business in the bird house! Nature can be cruel. But then you lifted my spirit with your adorable chestnut-eating snouts!!! Which I will watch over and over again - thank you!
Peter said…
I am willing to bet that the snake skin was put there by a bird. Birds sometimes pick up discarded skins to use in their nest. Although why a bird would be nest building at this season....
Laura said…
Based on the pictures I'd say that a snake got in there and then shed it's skin on the way out. I'm not surprised about the pigs. From what I've heard they'll eat anything. But I may not have the most reliable source (old Criminal Minds episode). :-)
blessings
~*~
Anonymous said…
pigs love chestnuts, as I was reading this, actually my husband was reading it to me, i am almost blind now,, anyway he said I bet the pigs loved them, lol,

that snake could not have found a more snuggly warm spot than that bird house and maybe even a snack or two of bird or birds eggs, poor things,,,,
snake skin decorated bird house, lol, very creepy photo, lol, perfect for halloween!!
NanaDiana said…
LOL- Yep- I solved the second mystery with no help but that first mystery is a creepy one! I am NOT a snake lover AT ALL!!!! xo Diana
jaz@octoberfarm said…
i don't know how i know this but pigs LOVE chestnuts. i think my father told me this a long time ago.
Cath said…
I love walks around the farm...exactly right...there is always something new to see! Very puzzling mysteries alright...the snake skin made my skin crawl but I guess it is futile to hope no little chicks or eggs were harmed. Love the bird house though. And as for your other mystery...the minute you mentioned chestnuts and pigyard...I had it all figured out! Our cows can't get enough of broccoli plant stems and leaves (the story there is a longer than I have space for)
Cath from Cath@Home

daisy g said…
I sure hope the snake wasn't still in its skin when it made it up there. I like Peter's answer...
Those lil' piggies like chestnuts, and you didn't even have to roast them! ;0D
Carla said…
Bev, I got a full time job a month or so ago, and have not been able to comment. I only have time for quick reads of my favorite blogs. This one, I can answer for you. Rat snakes (aka Chicken snakes, aka Black snakes) can climb nearly vertically. They are fabulous predators to have around, as rats/mice are their favorite snack. However, they've been known to eat bird eggs if they see activity around a tree/nest. If I were a rat snake, I'd go for the eggs every time---eggs don't bite when being devoured. :)
I find a rat snake or two in my nest boxes every year. I just put them in a box and relocate them.
Unknown said…
Fun post, didn't know pigs would like chestnuts...very cool. I got caught up on reading your posts...too much camping, etc. Sorry. Fall sure is a special time with lots of work to prepare for winter. I loved seeing the Little guy on harness, looks like it will work out great with all your expertise!
An American in Tokyo said…
OH! I missed this blog! Now I see how you figured out that pigs eat chestnuts! I never knew as well...how educational. I can't believe they can eat the hard "skins" and all!