Unexpected shop companion

[TheCraftyCarver]

So, yesterday as I was rolling up my shop door, I reached out to hook the chain to the hook & a Bird and I scared the Bejeezus out of each other.

Apparently a Carolina Wren (my favorite east coast bird I've seen so far) decided to build a nest in the gaps of the shop framing & built it next to the roll up door chain latch.
I had not rolled up the door for a week or so, so I hadn't really noticed the nest taking shape.
Mamma bird flew out & I took a photo. She came back an hour or so later and started yelling at me in an agitated squawk so I left for the day. I will be trying to rig up a camera to catch video (or at least some photos), but that all hinges on if I can get my wifi thrown out that far (we moved the router to the back room to hopefully extend the signal a bit further).
You can see she lined the nest with some dried snake skin she found somewhere & the nest is about the size of my fist and about 6 inches deep.

So, I might have some temporary, honorary shop companions for awhile I'll update if they hatch!

 

[Dalecamino]

Better birds than snakes. You might find a signal booster for your router if needed. Thanks for the photos.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Better birds than snakes. You might find a signal booster for your router if needed. Thanks for the photos.

Waled into myh shop a couple of year back, glanced up at the thermometer above the window and discovered this little guy.... He was a bit annoyed when I knocked him down onto the work bench.... a little rat snake that thought he was a bit tougher than me.... grabbed a tong and tossed him out the door.

There was a 4 or 5' black snake that took up residence under my shop, but he/she's long gone.... it did prevent this from happening
again. Went out one day when my lathe was left open where I was working on the pulleys.... the pulley chamber was filled with acorns,
then started my little Rhyobi band saw... it was full of nuts too.

 

[TheCraftyCarver]

Better birds than snakes. You might find a signal booster for your router if needed. Thanks for the photos.

I'm trying to convince my husband I need a signal booster; but no dice just yet. But we are both bird people so this might change his mind And we apparently DO get a big black rat snake in this yard (according to previous owners) but I keep the shop tidy and prevent mice with various methods so the snake has been MIA for the 7 months or so we've been here!

Waled into myh shop a couple of year back, glanced up at the thermometer above the window and discovered this little guy.... He was a bit annoyed when I knocked him down onto the work bench.... a little rat snake that thought he was a bit tougher than me.... grabbed a tong and tossed him out the door.

View attachment 309585View attachment 309586View attachment 309587

There was a 4 or 5' black snake that took up residence under my shop, but he/she's long gone.... it did prevent this from happening
again. Went out one day when my lathe was left open where I was working on the pulleys.... the pulley chamber was filled with acorns,
then started my little Rhyobi band saw... it was full of nuts too.
View attachment 309588View attachment 309589View attachment 309590

oh my gosh! Nope nope nope!!!
there were mice around the shop when we first moved in but we keep sweeping, don't keep food scents out there and I liberally spread pepermint oils around the shop (it helps cut back on spiders too!) and caught 2 mice in traps and since then no mice and no snakes. Here's hoping that stays the case!

 

[TellicoTurning]

There's no foodstuff in my shop, but it sits under a giant oak tree that rains acorns down on the roof in the fall... mice or chip monks or maybe squirrels gather them for the winter and decided a cast iron lathe head stock and a Ryobi bandsaw would be a good storage unit.