In my mother's garden in Clovelly, a pair of robins have raised two chicks about to fledge. Yesterday there was a commotion in the garden, with all the birds fussing and fluttering near the nest. Everyone rushed outside, as they know what this signifies and, sure enough, there was the resident cobra, very large, slithering up to the nest. Frantic robin parents divebombed the cobra, getting dangerously close to the gaping mouth, but nothing was going to stop it and it wasn't long before the first chick was gone. The commotion continued and the snake slid off up the mountain taking a circuitous route towards its home, but then turned round and came back to the nest for the other chick. It then made its way to an old tree stump on the top lawn, where it coiled up for a few minutes in the sun before heading for the hole under the steps where it lives.
The robins fluttered around it the whole time, sitting on the step and watching as it disappeared from view. If they could have, I'm sure they would have blocked the hole with a big rock.
The cat went to have a look and appeared to be hypnotised by the snake. We had to throw a rock at the cat to chase it away.
The cobras have been there for many years, and we have no idea how many there are, but this one was slightly speckled, while the other sightings are of even colouring and recently one only about three feet long. So maybe there are a whole nest of them!
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