Habitat for Animalia

We spent most of the day taking down the rest of the interior wall of part of our kitchen-to-be. We discovered evidence of multiple animals rooming between our studs. Multiple kinds of bees and wasps - paper and mud nests/hives. The expected mice, with their dirty, cottony bedding. Chipmunks with literally hundreds of black walnut shells! A messy straw bird's nest. And a couple snake skins, unclear whether left there by their original owners or drawn in by other animals as bedding material.

There are one- or two-inch gaps in our exterior beside every rafter tail, and that looks to be where most of the animals entered. How fantastic that they have all lived peacefully together in such close proximity! I suppose our wall is like the habitat a big, dead tree provides.

Just after sundown, I heard a flapping in the kitchen. A little starling, gorgeous in its iridescent speckled black coat, returning after a long, hard bird day's work, no doubt had been quite surprised to find its nest half blown out. Hekate, too, was immediately intrigued and moving in fast to investigate. I opened the kitchen door wide and herded the pretty bird out. Smart bird, it did not attempt reentry.

What I would give to watch all these creatures snuggling in their nests. Especially the chipmunks! I am seriously tempted to leave the rafter tail gaps and fasten up glass interior walls!