Warning: This post is not for the snake-squeamish.

Earlier in the summer, a pair of cardinals built a nest in a bush right outside my bedroom window. I watched them build it, and occasionally the male would turn a suspicious eye my way, but they finished it. The female laid three eggs (when I wasn't watching) and sat on 'em for what felt like weeks to me. Poor thing would sit there panting in the heat, and I couldn't bring her water for fear of scaring her from her nest.

Earlier this week, I noticed Mama Bird was missing, along with one of her eggs. I've kept a lookout for her, but she's gone. On Wednesday morning, the last two eggs went... into the belly of a snake, and I got to watch from the safety of my window... and later from the outside, while the snake seemed too lethargic and full to be too bothered by my voyeurism.

It had its head in the nest and the second egg in it's mouth when I found it. I wish I had a better camera. It had dark hexagons all down its back. I think it was a rat snake...

Silent assassin took quite a while to swallow that egg, and both eggs slowly progressed down its belly. I could see its belly move in little flutters like breaths.

Everyone I've told about this thinks that Mama Bird got et. I hold out hope that Snake got one egg while she was out of the nest, and she sensed it when she tried to return, so then abandoned the rest.

Here's the crummy picture from inside my house. I couldn't remove the screen without disturbing the snake.

I wonder if I put a few quail eggs from Mr. Chen's Market into the nest, the snake will come back...