12/06/2024
Diary of a City Girl in the Country - Episode HAPPY FLEDGE DAY!!
I FINALLY got to see baby birds fledge. Since I moved in here early 2022, I've seen several nests built 🪹, several that had eggs 🪺, and even a couple where babies hatched but then they didn't survive. I've buried several baby birds here (all Eastern Phoebes 🙁).
Last spring, a pair of Wrens built a nest in one of the ivy containers next to my door. I had no idea the nest was there until one day, Seriously Snofie and I stepped out and something darted out and hit Snof square in the side. After a relatively loud screech from me, it was then that I noticed the nest with a single egg in the container. Mama Wren never came back and I actually suspect that she ran into Snofie so hard that she injured herself. A week or so later, something ate the egg. 🙁
So, imagine my excitement when I realized a nest had been built in the other ivy container on the other side of the door!! It's more protected from the elements AND isn't in the direct walking path when Snof and I walk out the door 🥳. So, I had a front-row view of the nest building, the egg laying (didn't see it directly but I'm fairly sure I know when Mama was laying the eggs 🫣), peaking while Mama was sitting on the eggs, and sheer excitement when two babies hatched🐣🐣 🥰(there were four eggs).
So, I read up on what all to expect throughout the process - those who know me may recall how I became an eagle "expert" back in 2010 when the Decorah, IA nest cam went live - and knew that they should fledge this week! So, when I would hear activity out there (feedings and p**p sac retrieving), I'd watch as much as possible hoping to see a peek of a baby fledging.
This morning, Snof and I went outside for her to do her business 💩 and the wrens were VERY vocal. Suddenly, one flew in front of me and was a bit erratic. After a quick, WTF mumbling, I realized what was happening!! At least one of the babies was learning to fly! So, I got Snof out of the way so they weren't any more stressed than needed (remember the first time you drove on the highway??) and just stood back and watched for a bit. Then I realized both babies were out taking their flying tests with mom and dad cheering them on. 🦅 It was quite loud out there for sure! So, we came inside to let them continue their thing - oh and I gave the ivy plant a good watering since I hadn't been able to in quite some time! 🪴
As I sat working, I suddenly noticed movement out of the corner of my eye and heard some baby cheeping. One of the babies had "crash landed" in a flower box right outside my window (fuzzy baby pic - last one). It was so very tired and cried for a bit and then dozed until one of the parents started squawking on the other side of the house.
Then, I heard something at the sliding door. The other baby "crash landed" just outside the door near the nest container and one of the parents was desperately trying to get it to move (the one on the chimney). Snof heard it too and was quick to come over and investigate. I got her away from the door so she didn't start barking (envision that scene of Dion driving on the highway accidentally with the big rig bearing down in Clueless).
Then both of them made it over to trees in the front yard and because they were slow and unsure, I was able to use the telephoto lens to get some decent shots. It amazed me how they went from fuzzy feathers to looking like adults in a matter of a couple of hours! If I hadn't seen them flying wobbly and crash landing on the ground and into things, I wouldn't have believed they weren't adult wrens!
Now, it goes from the normal silence outside (other than those guys removing trees across the way) to a sudden flurry of wren calls and songs when the babies are being encouraged to fly. They circle the house and go farther and farther out. I've read they won't come back to the nest so this may be a bittersweet day at the end of it. But I finally saw babies fledge!! 🦅🦅🤍🤎
RIP Seriously Snofie - January 31, 2012-October 1, 2024 Hi! I'm Snofie and always up to some sort of silliness that makes my Mommie laugh!! Oh, and ice cubes!!
