Sunday, June 28, 2009

They Didn't Even Say Goodbye


After weeks of watching the pair of House Wrens popping in and out of their cigar box home they have quite literally flown the coop. Or so I hope. Two days ago I noticed that the front had fallen off the house--it is just a modified cigar box, after all. When I replaced it I had an excuse to look inside and found three little Wrens looking, at least to me, like they were about ready to fledge. This evening, for the second day in a row, we were treated to the spectacle of the local American Robins mobbing what I believe was a Cooper's Hawk. They were raising a ruckus and chasing it off to another block to be another group of Robins' problem. That's when I noticed the absence of the Wrens' constant chattering and singing. At first we thought it might just be that they were laying low until the Hawk was definitely gone. But now, a couple hours later, it's still very quiet out there. I opened the front of the box and found only a nest and some feathers inside. I hope the little wrens are somewhere being cared for by their parents and that maybe Mom and Dad will be back to raise another brood. Honestly, an occupied birdhouse is better than television.

3 Responses:

Unknown said...

I always have mixed feelings about raptors...One of the most amazing as well as horrifyng things I've watched was a sharp shinned hawk which picked out a mourning dove from a group. The dove flushed, and that hawk was on that bird for quite some time. The dove dipped, dove, banked and generally applied every acrobatic it could think of before the hawk brought it down.

I was thrilled with the manouverability and speed of the dove, but there was part of me which was sad to see it be eaten. On the other hand, the hawk was gorgeous and impressive and all things must eat.

I thought of you the other day when I startled a wren on my fence. It darted into a rosa glauca to hide.

Shady Character said...

That does sound like it would be an exhilarating sight to see! I'd be sad to see it eaten, too. I have to remind myself sometimes that the survival or an individual isn't the survival of the species.

AMIT said...

Informative post.By the way good pictures too.

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