Reports From My Front Porch

Hi Everyone,

Yesterday, while was eating dinner at my front porch table, I kept seeing a mama and papa Carolina Wren flying back and forth to feed the four growing chicks they’d tucked away in a nest built in what was originally an ornamental birdhouse. I’d painted the birdhouse with my daughter while we were together over the Christmas holiday season and since springtime it’s been sitting on the limestone mantle of the fireplace in the corner of the porch. Its been extremely hot and humid in this part of the country and so I’ve worried about so many birds living in such a small close space and so I’ve kept the ceiling fan on when temperatures are at their highest. Many times over the past couple of weeks I’ve very slowly and carefully approached the birdhouse to check out the four eggs, which became newborn chicks and now are half grown baby birds. Carolina wrens are small and brown and unassuming in many ways, but they also have a surprisingly loud call for such a small bird. I’ve watched Carolina Wrens nearly knock themselves off a branch with the force of its call. They usually scold me a bit while I’m on the porch, but if I am quiet and breathe slowly for awhile they settle down and go about their wren-ly duties. I love watching the babies emerge from the entrance of the bird house to recieve what one or both parents brought them. So faithful the two parents, so perfect the young chicks.