For reasons perhaps due to insanity, I decided to go for a walk in the rain
today. I stumbled upon a dead fledgling song sparrow, then a second and
within a few feet, a third. I looked all over for a torn up nest thinking
perhaps it was crow mayhem, but no nest in sight, or at least that I could
see. Upon further forensic investigation I observed that all three birds
were actually in a perfect line with each other, and almost the same
distance apart, (about 20 inches) Very peculiar eh Watson? I decided to go
back to the house and get my camera to photograph the obvious murder site. I
was gone less than 10 minutes and when I returned all the bodies were gone!
Great Scott! The killer had returned. Why it could have been waiting in the
shrubbery and watching me the whole time. Search as I might I could find no
feathers or other clues to the vanishing bodies.



Suspects: There has been a weasel seen in the area lately. Also a coopers
hawk. A cat is possible and crows have also been working the area. Hmmm. It
was cold, and raining and I was running out of options when there came a
rustling in the bushes. I ducked down, and waited. And out came...A possum.
A coincidence? I was going to interrogate the suspect but it got tipped
off and ran away. In some parts of the county that counts as a guilty
verdict.



Rob Sandelin

Naturalist, Writer, Teacher

Snohomish County