sedge wren

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Mother Birds

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A house wren mom has won my heart this spring and summer. The wren couple occupied a wren house set in my apricot tree this spring. For weeks now, Mom has called and hunted through the front yard, ceaselessly bringing one bug after another to the babes. She'll perch, bug in beak, and call to the young ones, and feed them when they reply. Sometimes the bugs are large and visible, other times much smaller (I'm always hoping the real small ones are ticks). She never stops, and ranges from the ground beneath some bushes to 30 feet up a dying birch, which should be full of bugs, and every level in-between.

Photo by Kelly Colgan Azar

Into the Nest: Let's build a nest

Into the Nest: Let's build a nest

Grassland bird nests are just about my favorite things ever. They’re perfect little secrets hiding in the foliage, holding precious babes. I love the way they are often fairly similar, but have subtle differences that let you identify who built them. (Sparrows are my favorite group of birds, which might explain why I love small brown things that look alike!) Nest searching is tricky business too -- and it feels like an incredible accomplishment when you find one.

Photo by Carolyn Byers