An critter in my downspout

We hear scratching and scraping for days in the outside rain downspout. I took out the screws but there was no play in the fit between the aluminum tube and the plastic drainpipe, so I couldn’t leave the end of the pipe open.
I stuck a wedge into the joint hoping that the beast could find his way out.

Several days later, no luck. Something is clawing inside the downspout. I take out the mounting screws and bend the tube to get the end to be free. Now he can escape I think.

Days later the unwelcome guest still has not left. OK, time for fireworks.

I get out the smoke bombs, (I SWEAR my kid told me they were smoke bombs when she gave then to me).
I lite the fuse and put the flaming ball into a ladle, and hold it under the pipe, expecting a harmless smoke trail to gently waft up the pipe, coaxing the furry/feathered friend to find a more suitable location.

BAM, the cherry bomb goes off, leaving me with a ruined ladle, and exploded drain pipe and ringing ears.

The bird did fly away after that,so thats nice.

Did the bird fly away under its own power, or leave looking like a cannon ball with singed feathers?

It might not be a bad idea to check the spout for a nest site. A bird isn’t going to enter it for no reason.

The six inches worth of leaves and straw that was its nest fell out after the boom.
A healthy but startled bird followed.

( re: an critter? Started out as an animal and I though critter sounded better, oh well)

Yes, I’m still mildly obsessing over “an critter.”

He should have called her!
http://www.annescrittersitters.vpweb.com/

I probably would have got out the hose and ran water down the downspout.

We had a hard rain the entire weekend.
I thought that would have done something, but no.