Monday, December 4, 2006

Mr. Saucy

Our Carolina wrens are with us year-round. We have at least two pairs, one near the house and one that roosts in the wet woods below the house. All day long we hear the wrens calling back and forth with their mates.

To me the wrens seem like the most lively and exciting of our winter yard birds. They have a certain spark to their movements, a saucy glint in their eye. As though they are not about to let winter get them down.

Back in 1977-78, during the two worst winters in recent history, we lost most of our Carolina wrens here in southeastern Ohio. They just cannot survive long periods of snow and ice coverage of everything they eat. I'd like to think that we provide enough organically grown spiders and yummy insects, plus suet dough and sunflower bits, to get our wrens through a stretch of bad weather.


I took this image of Mr. Saucy the Carolina wren yesterday morning. He was checking out the suet dough dish I'd just filled and I was able to photograph him through the double-paned window over the kitchen sink. I'm starting to like this new camera.
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8 comments:

  1. LauraHinNJDecember 4, 2006 at 6:04 PM

    Great shot - I love their color!

    I have trouble getting them to my feeders in all but the worst of weather. I haven't tried out your suet dough recipe, yet.

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  2. AnonymousDecember 4, 2006 at 6:45 PM

    Nice image! Through a windowpane? You must do windows, too! Judy

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  3. KatDocDecember 4, 2006 at 8:10 PM

    Don't you just love Carolina wrens? So cute and perky - "saucy" is a great description.

    Try the suet dough recipe, Laura - "my" Carolina loves it. I suspect mealworms would be good for them, too. I offer those in a bluebird-style feeder (Plexiglas sides, with 1.5 inch holes in each wooden end.) I haven't seen the wrens try to get into this feeder yet, but they are welcomed to if they choose.

    ~Kathi

    Verification words are getting longer and harder! "idxyrvng" Are you kidding me?

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  4. AnonymousDecember 4, 2006 at 9:53 PM

    To me, it sounds like the carolina wrens in our yard call out, "chee-burger, chee-burger, chee-burger" just like Jim Belushi on Saturday Night Live. I've never been able to find their nests, but they do often come to our feeder and back porch to eat seeds and spiders. They are the ones that come to the chair closest to my kitchen window and hop around when the feeders are empty.

    Heather
    Wayne, PA

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  5. Mon@rchDecember 4, 2006 at 10:13 PM

    I miss the Carolina Wrens that use to frequent my feeders and those wonderful calls (O, how I miss them)! Love your shots that your taking with the camera!

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  6. Rondeau RicDecember 5, 2006 at 8:47 AM

    Excellent photo Bill.
    Nice stick as well.

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  7. Susan Gets NativeDecember 5, 2006 at 11:03 AM

    I love those cheeky little guys.
    When I look at them, I think that if chipmunks were birds, they would be Carolina wrens.
    They like to clean up under my suet feeder, where I put out veggie-based suet with crickets and mealworms. Yum!

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  8. BillDecember 6, 2006 at 4:21 AM

    My computer crashed and it's been a while since I've checked out your blog. My loss! I see that this evening you are speaking at the RTP Institute. They got you pegged with their description....."Bill enlivens bird walks and programs at birding festivals with his not-so-dry humor and ever-present guitar." I'm back doing some work at Longaberger. Who knows...maybe we'll bring Salle back from the North Woods and the Bird Watching Weekend will rise again. Continue "enlivening!"

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