In spite of the season’s late rains, I hear tiny peeps coming from the birdhouses scattered across the farm. Right outside my kitchen window, one of the houses is occupied by a family of house wrens. Each time I walk through the gate on which the house is mounted, the fledglings begin to peep.
Lower on the orchard fence, a family of western bluebirds has taken residence. It’s most fascinating to observe the rituals that the male and female take with the feeding of their young. One stands on the top of the house fluffing its feathers as its tail bounces up and down while the other is out searching for food. I can only guess that this is an attempt at scaring off any other birds that might be interested in entering the house while the mate is away. I listen as they call to one another… a signature of sorts because they continue this until the food-seeker has returned to the nest.
Once these rains finally end, I hope to witness the first flights. Today I noticed that a long stem is now protruding from the wren house. A perch perhaps for a launching lesson?
