Yikes something is scratching in our downspout and it’s driving me crazy. While sitting on the porch, reading a book last weekend I kept hearing something scratching so I decided to investigate. The closer I got to the downspout the louder the scratching got. I realized some critter had found it’s way in and couldn’t get itself out. As the day went I just couldn’t stand it so I called hubby home from the golf course to get whatever it was out. I was afraid it would die before he could get to it. Of course it wasn’t a simple task of just taking the downspout off the evestrough, hubby had to dig it up where it connects under ground to our drain tile system. He did so with as much care as he could to not disturb the landscaping. I of course was waiting patiently with my camera to capture whatever was caught inside. My guess was either a bird or a ground mole.
Yep I was right, it was a Red-Winged Black bird stuck in the downspout. I have no idea how it got in there but I was glad I decided to enjoy the day outside and heard it scratching. I hope it wasn’t trying to nest in the evestrough and fell down the downspout hole, if that’s the case it will probably be back and may make the same mistake again. Anyway it’s free now and I feel so much better that it didn’t die.
So glad you and your hubby rescued it!
Me too Nancy it feels good to help nature.
We have a mama robin nesting under the cap of our propane tank! Hoping we don’t need fuel til the young hatch and fly out!
Carol that seems so early to me this year. I’ve heard others say they already have eggs in the Robins nests.
Oh my, so glad you were able to free the bird.
Linda me too I’d have felt terrible if it had died in there.
So happy your bird was able to be rescued unharmed. About two years ago, I heard scratching noises inside my house and thought it was coming from somewhere in the walls of my utility room. What I discovered (too late) was that it was a bird that had come through the many crooks and turns of my clothes dryer vent and was in the bottom of my dryer. Not realizing it was there, I turned the dryer on and there were terrible noises that told me that whatever had been scratching was IN the dryer and no doubt had been killed when I turned it on. Living alone and not able to do it myself, I called a repairman to take the dryer apart and remove the poor dead bird at a cost of $80. So, for approximately $5, I put a screened cover over my dryer vent so no more birds could make that fatal journey. We live and learn.
Pat Oh no I bet you felt terrible once you learn the bird was in the dryer. Sometime things just happen and we can’t control them. I was wondering about putting a screen over the downspout hole, I’ll have to suggest that to my hubby.
Your husband is a prince among men.
Nancy, yes he is. I’m sure to him it was stupid to take everything apart but I just couldn’t let it die in there.
I would of never thought that any thing would fall into the down spout. I am sure glad that you got to save it. It’s always something, is’nt it ?
Cheryl, Yes it’s always something. Im thinking maybe it was trying to next and made a wrong move.
Glad it got set free!…We had a squirrel caught in ours once!
Shirley OMG how did a squirrel fit into the downspout? Those darn critters are crazy.
Awww, good, a pretty bird. We had pigeons nesting in our gutter, near the back patio. But our dogs constantly barking and my husband making noise, they decided to nest elsewhere. They seem to be taking over my neighborhood, sign.
Kathleen in Az
Kathleen, I think that’s how this bird feel down the spout, I bet it was trying to nest.
The birdie lives to see another day. I had two mice in my dryer vent once. I’m sure they fried to death from the heat.
Debbie yikes to the mice. I’m glad we were able to free the bird, I’m not quite as fond of mice.