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?
Millie's Farm 
I enjoyed your description of the bird activity very much. Watching the birds on the birdbath behind my kitchen is one of my favorite things to do. You sound very happy with your new farm, and I’m happy for you.
Happy sunny morning!
Bird watching is certainly a shared interest here too. We’ve attracted the tiny (canary sized) green finches which I really enjoy and some orioles are appearing.
Thanks, Millie, for your vignettes of life on the farm. Lovely.
Isn’t nature incredible? I love your bird story, sista. We have had lots of tanangers this year, more so than I have ever seen before, hanging out at the waterfall. I just love their little red heads and yellow feathers. Very sweet.
Just catching up. Love the bird stories. We have two Mourning Doves, Fred and Wilma, who return every February and make a few attempts to lay and hatch eggs. As a former teacher, it is my educated opinion that these two birds are developmentally disabled. Only once in the past three years have they successfully hatched and dispatched any progeny. Hence the names we have given them.