Late spring or early summer the big wood boring bees make their annual pilgrimage to the eaves of our roof line. They wreck havoc leaving a path of sawdust destruction in our midst. My husband has tried everything short of hiring a professional exterminator to get rid of them. Dear husband did do a little damage to their nest wielding a can of Raid or Otho Bee Killer; I can't remember the particular brand. But alas, they remain a persistent pest.
This year, for the first time, we've heard a rap, rap, rap on the outside of the house. For the life of us, we couldn't figure out where the sound was coming from. It was not constant, but it was consistent; each day.
Then, we spotted them both! Holes in the wood trim of the house, and a black speckle feathered bird with a long narrow beak; the wood pecker.
I enjoy nature, and admiring the beauty around me, but this bird was no friend. I also know, learning from some long ago school lesson, that birds don't like owls. So we bought one, an owl that is, at our local Wal-Mart. Our owl has been a centenial on our trellis, keeping a watchful eye for birds, squirrels, and any other small creature his mere presence can dissuade. But, much to our dismay, the woodpeckers have returned.
So our wood eaves attracted the bees, the bees attracted the woodpeckers, but the owl did not keep them away. I don't know how we are going to rid ourselves of these pesky birds. At a bird feeder, they are lovely to watch. But when they are chipping away at your house searching for their next meal, it's a whole other story.
Joy for today is in the cycle of life and hoping a real owl, or possibly a falcon, will swoop down and find his next meal in that of our pesky woodpecker. Bon appetite!
HDP
