Sunday, April 10, 2011

bringing up baby


baby lower left, parent upper right

Yesterday morning the baby wren was snug in it's nest and yesterday afternoon it was on the floor of the garage underneath one of the shelving units along the wall. I had noticed that while the wrens were still coming and going into and out of the garage, they were no longer flying up to the nest. And the baby bird sounds weren't coming from the nest anymore either. I don't know if the baby tried to fledge or if it fell out, but it was indeed under the shelving unit and there appeared to be only one baby. That was when the cat became housebound, something she's none too pleased about.


I was doing cold work out in the garage all yesterday afternoon working on the flat lap and going back and forth from it to the table while the wrens were also going back and forth. We narrowly missed each other several times.

Early evening, the baby was in the middle of the garage floor. Half an hour later when I was ready to close up the garage, it couldn't decide if it wanted to be inside the garage or outside so I propped one of the doors up enough to allow the birds to come and go but no cats.

This morning the wren activity was centered on the other side of the cement apron from the garage. One or another of the wrens perched itself on the side of the truck bed keeping watch while it's mate tended to the baby which we finally located in the grass under a magnolia leaf. I feared for it's safety there in the grass so I managed to get it into the bed of larkspur where it stayed all day while it's parents tended to it and stood watch.

This evening when I went out in the garage for something, I noticed the baby was back on the concrete apron so I stopped to watch. Mom and dad were flying down to it and then flying onto the truck. Back and forth, back and forth. Down and up. Down and up. And baby would take fluttering hops, more hop than flutter but it was trying. It worked it's way over to the grass closer to the garage by the time I went in.

Dark now. Cat is still housebound and still none too pleased. We'll see where the baby is tomorrow. Once it can take to the trees, it will be much safer. In the meantime, it's parents are never far away and keeping vigil.


15 comments:

  1. Fly, baby, fly! Oh I do hope it will be okay.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I hope the wren makes it okay, life certainly isn't easy for them is it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh dear, Ellen. You worry for that little wren, so vulnerable in such a ferocious world.

    You do well to impound your cat but I imagine there are other predators out there as well. It's not a safe world for a baby bird.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh dear!!! I would be a nervous wreck!! Poor little guy...hope he flies soon!!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

    ReplyDelete
  5. i'll be letting my little girl know about this unfolding story. we'd have a house full of all sorts of loners and orphans and broken ones if she could. steven

    ReplyDelete
  6. It just makes you realize how tough life is, with a constant struggle for survival, for so many animals. I hope he lifts off to the trees soon.

    ReplyDelete
  7. You go baby bird! I bet the kitty is getting a migraine thinking about ways to make you understand that bird parenting makes no sense lol. Nature is so lovely. The lil' bird will fly soon and the kitty will be able to go out and dream about the days when things could have been sooo easy ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Monday morning and the baby wren has survived another night but is still on the ground.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I sure hope that little wren makes it okay...mama and daddy are watching over it frantically to keep it safe. Bless your heart for worrying over this little wren :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. You are so good! Not good in a fussy way, just practical and good.

    Hope baby wren takes flight sometime soon!

    Sending soothing energy to your cat, too.

    ReplyDelete
  11. You are so sweet, Ellen. A very big and wonderful heart.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh I would be SO tempted to just pluck the thing up & put it back in the nest. No Dana - don't do it!

    ReplyDelete
  13. So glad you noticed it and got the cat in the house. I wonder how long it will take to get the baby to fly.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love that you're helping the look out for their wee one. It'll probably need a couple of days still. Hopefully it will get airborne and to a safer spot. Thank you for this.

    ReplyDelete

I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.