Subject: [Tweeters] The mystery of the dead and missing birds
Date: May 22 19:35:32 2012
From: dennispaulson at comcast.net - dennispaulson at comcast.net


Virginia Opossums are omnivores and known nest predators, but the disappearing three sparrows in a line is a weird story indeed!


Dennis (pleased at finding a Hudsonian Godwit at Willcox, Arizona, this afternoon) Paulson

----- Original Message -----
From: "Rob Sandelin" <nwnature1 at gmail.com>
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Monday, May 21, 2012 10:27:10 PM
Subject: [Tweeters] The mystery of the dead and missing birds





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
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