[va-richmond-general] A feathered discovery
- From: "IE Ries" <featherchaser@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "RAS" <va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 6 Jul 2005 14:34:04 -0400
Over the winter I purchased a wooden bird shelter, and in the early spring, a
friend helped me install it against the back wall of my townhouse. It remained
mostly empty, occassionally visited by birds seeking shelter from the rain
here and there.
Yesterday evening I noticed the stem of a leaf sticking out from the shelter,
and resolved to look in the morning to see what sort of activity might be
taking place up there.
A pleasant surprise occurred when I heard the pristine voice of a Carolina
Wren, loudly singing the "seed-eater, seed-eater, seed-eater" song, and very
close by, too. I happened to look up and glance at the side profile of the
bird shelter and noticed a curved bill, opening and closing in time to the
song. I found the singer! When she hopped down after a while and wandered off
into the bushes to conduct wren business, I quickly went outside and carefully
climbed up onto the AC unit to peek in: There is now a beautifully-crafted
wren nest that was not there last week! She used lichens, a little reclamated
pet fur, pine needles and leaves to create a round ball-like nest with a little
entrance (no eggs inside as of today, but let's hope she does a second brood),
and she can still use the lip of the shelter as a "balcony."
I put it up, and she moved in. I've got a tennant :)
Irene in Southside
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