This Carolina Wren was furiously stuffing this decorative bee skep with grasses...he ( she ? ) seemed to be in a BIG hurry. I think I saw another one flitting in and out of the shrubs. This skep is on our front porch, just sitting on a table. I don't mind them moving in, but I worry that it is not such a great place...in fact, the cats ( two ) could just reach right in, really. I think I'll move the whole thing up...maybe hang it in the corner of the porch. There is also a pair of house Wrens out back...raising a second wave of wrenlets in a Bluebird house hanging in the Wisteria. Early eviction of House Sparrows ( removed nest ) back in April seemed to send the Sparrows on their way,and then I left the door open...didnt want ot keep clearing out HS nests ! But then J closed the House back up, and within two days the House Wrens took charge. I'd heard that you can have multiple wrens in your yard, they just need to not see each other. So front and back yard territories seem to suit these couples just fine.
A friend, Laureen, and I monitored the Bluebird boxes out at BRCES this morning. She was really great to have along, unafraid to get dirty and intensely curious, as is requisite of all of us amateur naturalists :) She did most of the work...unscrewing the door, looking or gently feeling for babies or eggs. We saw some VERY young , naked babies. The tiny nubs of wings; wrinkled, pot-bellied translucent bodies and gigantic bulging still-sealed up eyes seem far to frail to digest still-kicking robust insects caught by the parents and stuffed down their throats...yet they not only manage, but thrive. Amazing.
We also saw a Northern Oriole, a Worm-Eating Warbler and several Indigo Buntings. The birds were all pretty quiet, perhaps because of a big Scout Training event with Wood Badge.
Zillions of gnats swarmed around us , but none of them bit ( thank you Gnats ! )
What a great start to June !
