Pretend you hear the opening notes of the “Dragnet” TV show theme song:
“Dum da-dum dum…”
Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to read is true. No names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Previously, on Dragnet!
The crime spree began in July, 2014. The first episode, “Dragnet!” was posted July 26, 2014 at http://www.fromhighheelstogumboots.com/gumboot-tracks-blog/archives/07-2014. Something had raided two bluebird houses in our yard. One contained eggs; the other, newly-hatched babies. Both were now empty. The prime suspect was Blackie, a black snake observed by me earlier in the spring, casing the premises using peony bushes for cover.
When Blackie returned to the scene for another meal heist, he was captured in a dragnet of wadded up bird netting attached to the pole beneath the bluebird house. Bill took pity on him, cut him free from the netting, perp-walked him across the road and released him into a neighboring pasture to do community service cleaning out the rodents.
A year later in June, 2015, Blackie slithered back to the scene of the crime, like the crack addict who can’t resist one more hit. But this hit would be his last. He spent at least one day, maybe two, trapped in the netting and succumbed to heat and sun exposure. No more “Baby Blue(bird) Plate Special” for him! Crime scene report and photos posted June 11, 2015, at http://www.fromhighheelstogumboots.com/gumboot-tracks-blog/archives/06-2015.
A year later in June, 2015, Blackie slithered back to the scene of the crime, like the crack addict who can’t resist one more hit. But this hit would be his last. He spent at least one day, maybe two, trapped in the netting and succumbed to heat and sun exposure. No more “Baby Blue(bird) Plate Special” for him! Crime scene report and photos posted June 11, 2015, at http://www.fromhighheelstogumboots.com/gumboot-tracks-blog/archives/06-2015.
A New Generation
Fast-forward to June 5, 2019. Bill was planting zinnia seeds when he saw a trapped black snake dangling from the bird netting attached to the bluebird house pole.
For four years, we hadn’t caught a black snake raiding this bluebird house. Blackie was dead. Was this new predator his progeny?
There was no immediate danger because the former occupants had raised their young and vacated the premises. Bill tugged on the snake’s tail and got a “hiss” in response. No, it wasn’t dead. He finished planting zinnias and went back later to deal with the would-be nest robber, intending to show him the same leniency as he’d shown Blackie on his first offense. But this next generation would not live to carry on the tradition. Like his predecessor, he succumbed to heat and sun exposure.
There was no immediate danger because the former occupants had raised their young and vacated the premises. Bill tugged on the snake’s tail and got a “hiss” in response. No, it wasn’t dead. He finished planting zinnias and went back later to deal with the would-be nest robber, intending to show him the same leniency as he’d shown Blackie on his first offense. But this next generation would not live to carry on the tradition. Like his predecessor, he succumbed to heat and sun exposure.
Epilogue
The question remains: Are we dealing with copy-cat criminals working alone or the next generation of a reptilian crime ring? And if the latter, was this latest predator Blackie’s progeny? We’re keeping the file open pending further developments.
“Dum da-dum dum…DUM!
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