Feathers and Fuzz

one woman's cure for the empty-nester blues

Carolina Wren

Territory Dispute: Phoebe vs Wren

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Phoebes at Phoebe Place

 

Several years ago, I built a platform to facilitate Phoebe nesting in what had become a favorite corner for them – 14’ up in the air – under the eves.  They produced 3 broods there the first year.  That winter, I attached an artificial plant object to the platform to provide a winter roosting place.  One of the Phoebes used that perch every night through the winter.

 

 

The second year, however, Mr. Wren went to work building his abode at Phoebe Place.  It is incredible how much debris a little Wren can haul in a day!  Mr. Phoebe was not happy when he came to roost that night.

Wren Takes Over Phoebe Place

 

Mr. Phoebe showed up during daylight hours to take the Wren on.  It was war!

 

Phoebe vs Wren 0 - 2016-04-29
Phoebe vs Wren 2 - 2016-04-29
Wren Takes Over Phoebe Place
Phoebe vs Wren 3 - 2016-04-29

 

The Wren won.  (Maybe the much-larger Phoebe decided he didn’t want to haul all of the Wren’s mess out of the way in order to make room for his own nest.)  The Phoebes relocated to the nest site 20’ above the front door.

Lesson Learned:  Never turn your back on a Wren during nesting season!

Bird Parenting: House Hunting Through Empty Nester

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The Feathers will be relatively quiet now until spring.  My personal view is this:  Every bird parent on the planet deserves a break!!  Little did I know six years ago, when I couldn’t tell you the difference between a Chickadee and a Titmouse, all that goes into successfully carrying-on a species.  I am in awe of creation – all the tiny details that do work together.

It All Begins With a Bond Between a Male and a Female

There are so many wonderful things to say about the bond between male and female birds.  From courtship, through teaching the youngsters how to thrive independently, it is a partnership.  (At least this is true for the Bluebirds, Phoebes, Wrens, Titmice and Chickadees who nest in "on camera" on this property.)

In the courtship phase, you will often see the male bring food to the female.  I remember watching a female Bluebird land on a new feeder I had filled with live mealworms.  The feeder rocked when she landed on it.  It scared her, so she flew to the nearby fence -- wormless.  The male immediately went to the feeder, grabbed some worms, and flew over to feed them to his partner.

In the video you will see this bond play out through a nesting cycle.  Think of it as what you might find in a book about human parenting -- the basics.  The pair finds a place to build a nest, builds the nest (5-10 days), lays eggs (5-7 days), incubates the eggs (~14 days), nurtures the young until fledging time (~18 days), and then shepherds them into adulthood (~2 weeks).  In total -- 8 weeks, give or take.  Seems simple enough.

Ahhh ... but ... What the Books Don't Tell Us

The books neglect to tell us about the certainty of outside factors wreaking havoc on our cozy little nest.  Over the coming weeks, I will share with you my own experience of the havoc-wreaking factors experienced by the bird residents at The Retreat.  There is quite a bit of humor in their reality -- maybe not to them, but certainly for us.

Until then, enjoy the peacefulness of the basics ...