After a little confusion and searching, mom and pop finally found it and continued to feed the kids all the while chattering and dive bombing the painters who were using a power washer and paint sprayer. In the resulting chaos, pop disappeared. Don't know if he got hurt or just left on his own, (hope it was the latter), but mom stayed and continued working.
The painting finally got done and she was left in peace, but flew herself ragged trying to keep them fed all by herself. Poor mom. But she rose to the occasion and even let me close enough to get these, after I stood there for 10 minutes with arms outstretched holding a 15 oz. camera that slowly turned into a 50 lb. camera and cramped all my arm muscles.
A mouth full of ewwwww
Inside, stuffing that ewwwww into open mouths
Coming back out and yelling at me
After about a week it was time for the babies to leave the nest. She would call them, sometimes from the bushes and sometimes from the roof of the house until they were all out and in the nearby shrubbery. There were 4 of them this time. No wonder she was so tired and thin.
I tried to get a picture of them coming out, but she would have none of that. Every time I would try to get close enough she would tell them to stay in there and hide. So no pictures of their first flight. But they all made it and I can hear them in the trees. GOOD JOB MOM
10 comments:
damn, you take some very good pictures!
papa bird was probably always sitting around drinking beer in his wife beater anyways.
Good Job Mom!
Ditto on the pictures:-) And you certainly have THE TOUCH. I moved my swallow box for the same reason (painting), but 'my' birds never would go to the new location, even though it was within view!! They just kept flying around the 'old' location. They still had eggs that they were sitting on. Maybe it would have been different if there were young ones?? Glad your story had a different ending:-)
SisterNan
Thanks fave.
And I did wonder who belonged to that teeny tiny tank top that I saw hanging on the branches.
Nan, I think the babies squawking helped them to find the house. At first they just flew around the old spot too.
You really have to watch out for those little wrens. They are so fierce to be so little. They do have such a sweet song though. What would we do without persistent and loving moms? She did a great job!
Susie,
I love hearing them sing. And she worked so hard. Kudos to her and hard working single moms everywhere!!
Great post. Love the pics. Most birds won't hold still long enough to get decent pictures. I wonder where the dad went!
Lisa
Thanks Lisa,
I stood still for so long I think she finally thought I was some kind of statue (good thing the pigeons didn't see me) and she just went on about her business.
And I really hope dad flew away on his own and wasn't hurt by the power washer.
Awww. What sweet pics. Wrens are such pretty little things. I'm glad that she was able to raise all those babies by herself - those single moms are tough!
I'm glad all the young ones survived. Good story. I loved the previous post too.
Marnie
Dog geek,
You're right about single moms. And not just the feathered kind!
Marnie,
I was worried after dad left, but she managed to keep them all alive.
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