Just like the swallows returning to Capistrano.

We were starting to get worried. The rattlesnake that spent about a month behind our house last year hadn’t shown up yet. And it was getting late in the summer. We were starting to wonder if something had happened to him.

But then yesterday, the birds told us that he had arrived. We shouldn’t have worried. He was only three days later than last year.

In Birds Looking Down, I wrote about how the birds will tell you exactly where a rattlesnake is if you know what to look for. The key is to look for a small flock of them that are gathered around a spot that doesn’t have any other attraction for them. For some reason, they’re fascinated by a rattlesnake and they’ll even hover over him. That’s something that sparrows and finches don’t do for any other reason. There are eighteen birds gathered around that spot!

We feel sympathetic for McRattle. How would you feel if you were constantly surrounded by people saying, “There he is! There he is! He’s right there!” It would get to be kind of annoying.

Anyway, it’s nice to have him back for a while. In a month or so, he’ll head out for his winter hibernation until next year.