Gone to the Birds

Today is one of those days when things happen to get in the way of "the best laid plans".  I am having company, as I type this I know I should be cleaning house.  The story is just begging to come out and so I will share my morning that has gone to the birds!

I went outside to use the leaf blower on the studio porch, leaves are actually falling and blowing onto the porch, I don't know if it is due to the drought or the first sign of fall, however slight it starts with dry falling leaves.

I somehow was "called" into the studio and to a project I'm working on, burning sage and listening to music and organizing my mind about what I should be doing.  I finally got to a point on the project I decide to do what my original plan was and that was to blow off the porch. 

Carolina wren baby
saved from the cat!

Just as I finished and in the nick of time, I hear a distressed bird screaming for help, then I see my studio cat slinking away.  Now I know the habits of cats and birds are often their prey, but something made me go have a look.  The cat ran under the car and dropped her catch.  You'll never guess!!!!  It was a baby wren!!!!  I have been stalking these wrens for weeks!









feeding babies.....

  The stalking began in earnest four days ago when we found them nesting in the padding of an old side saddle hanging from the studio porch ceiling.  What a treat watching the parents come in to feed them on a regular basis.

And now today, the babies are leaving the nest and I have cats ready to capture the yet unskilled little flyers.  I caught the little bird that the cat didn't kill and checked it for injury.  It actually seemed fine, but I couldn't release it until I caught the cat.  The cat knew I was trying to catch her and kept a safe distance. 



saved baby and the adult
on a pine tree branch

Finally the cat went into hiding and I released the little wren on a branch where I'd watched adults land before coming in to feed the babies.  They were so excited to find this little baby, making quite a bit of noise, trying to get him to move from that branch.  Finally the little guy took the plunge into some over grown vegetation and they seemed much happier.  Meanwhile I am taking photos of the entire event, getting great shots to identify the Bewick's wren!  Along with photos of the little baby wren I saved from a sure breakfast this morning.

I have spent hours waiting on the cat to appear so I can put her in the studio for a few days.  While waiting I have been watching the adult wrens trying to coach more baby wrens to leave the nest.  The adults are not feeding them today, the babies are hungry and all but fall from the nest trying to reach the adult that surely has a morsel to eat.   Then the adult fly's away.  I know they are all going to fledge today.  The bird field book I have says there could be five to seven eggs laid.  I've seen two on the verge of falling out, plus the one I saved from the cat.  There could be more, there could be some that left eariler.  I'm so excited to have been in the right place, at the right time.  Isn't it Amazing?

Seriously, I have to clean house or maybe take a shower before company comes!!!!