Baby Wrens (Days 8-14)

I am finally getting around to posting the rest of the pictures of our wren family.  The babies outgrew their nest and have now made their way into the big wide world! 

 

Day 8

 

 

Day 9

Notice a foot visible in this photo.
Adult wrens can hold onto almost anything! 
When these grow up,
they’ll be able to cling to the side of a brick wall or column while looking for bugs.

 

 

Day 10

 

The parents wouldn’t come near the nest if we were outside. 
I had to take these pictures through the glass door from quite some distance
and without good lighting, so they’re not very clear. 
If you look inside the yellow circles,
you’ll see bugs they’re bringing home for lunch!

 

 

Day 11

 

 

Day 12

The nest got really crowded, and probably rather stuffy, too,
since the temp was in the high 90′s. 
They moved outside to their “front yard,”
but at first they still snuggled up close together,
in the same position they had been in their nest.

 

Looking more grown-up every day!

 

Some down still visible when their feathers are ”fluffed up.”

 

 

Day 13

“Ready…….Set…….”

 

 

Day 14

“…….GONE !!!”

We miss the lil’ birds, but are happy they all survived the elements
(and the neighborhood cats!) 
and grew up to fly away on their own!
Maybe they’ll come back next year and build more little nests for us to observe.

For now, we can go back to watering and fertilizing our begonias –
and pinching them back, so they’ll fill up the pot!

In thirteen days, the wrens went from pink, “naked” little birdie bodies
to feathered friends who could hop and chirp and fly.
Who could ever believe their development was an accident
and not the work of a Creator!?!

 

Some of my friends have asked permission to copy these pictures for their school students.
I’d be more than happy for anyone to download and share them for your personal use.

 

Baby Wrens (Days 3-7)

With all of the problems that people are facing today, it’s helpful every once in a while for us to step back and take a look at God’s creation — read His Word — and remember that we are ultimately in His care. 

This Scripture verse reminds us that we are even more important to God than these little birds are – and He will meet our needs.

  

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.

Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

Matthew 6:25-27

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 

 

 Day 3

 

 

Day 4

 

 

Day 4

 

 

Day 4

 

 

Day 5

 

 

Day 5

 

 

Day 5

 

 

Day 6

 

 

Day 6 

 

 

Day 7

 

 

Day 7

 

 

These little birds have made lots of progress in the past few days and are now taking on more recognizable bird-like features.  It’s obvious that they are growing larger, because the little nest is becoming crowded! 

I haven’t heard them making any noises yet. 

I like to catch them napping, because I can get up close and photograph their bodies.  As soon as they wake up, their beaks pop open and they’re “all mouth” — Nothing else is visible!!  Ha!!

They will probably fledge (leave the nest) in about another week.  Then they’ll hop around on the ground for another few days while their parents continue to feed them bugs, until their wings are strong enough to fly.

Some of my friends have asked permission to copy these pictures for their school students.
I’d be more than happy for anyone to download and share them for your personal use.
 :)

They Have Hatched! Baby Wrens – Days 1 and 2

 

This is the last picture I took of Mama Wren sitting on her eggs before they hatched.

 

 

Day 1 – Soon after hatching, I think!

 

 

Day 1 — I actually wasn’t sure if they were alive or not! They looked like little pieces of raw chicken! I haven’t had a chance before to see baby wrens in an enlarged digital image like this.

 

 

Day 1 – After researching online, I learned that the dark spot on top of the body, toward the right end, is an eye!

 

 

Day 2 – You can see formation of an eye on the left side of the body above.

 

 

Day 2

 

 

Day 2

 

 

Day 2

 

 

Day 2

 

 

Day 2 – This time, later in the day when I went out to take pics, I could see they were moving around in the nest. YEA! They ARE alive! You can see formation of wings on bird at top. At the bottom right, look for eye and part of open mouth! =)

 

 

Day 2 – Different angle, looking more from above. Better view of the bird at top of other pictures. See right wing, both eyes, and beginning of beak. This one seems to be the most active so far; my husband says it will probably get fed first and grow fastest!!

 

 

Day 2 – This one is blurry, but I am including it anyway, because it shows all four babies, eye and mouth of one at bottom center, and wing of bird at top.

 

 

Day 2 – Last shot of the day. It’s almost like these babies changed today in between the pictures that I took! Maybe it was just the various angles and the way they were all scrunched down in the nest together that made them look different at different times. I hope to get more pics tomorrow. I wonder when they will start chirping!

Some of my friends have asked permission to copy these pictures for their school students.
I’d be more than happy for anyone to download and share them for your personal use.

Return of the Wrens

We have a wrens’ nest in a flower pot on our front porch — same location as photos from last year.  (I just noticed that those pictures were also posted on July 7th!)

Do you think this is the same Mama Wren who made her home here in 2009?  I have read that their average life span is 2 to 3 years, but that some live longer.  You can see her inside the circle in third picture.  She’s very skiddish — usually flies away as soon as I get near her nest. This is the only closeup photo I have been able to get of her!

I think she’s giving me a dirty look!! When I go out to take pictures and she flies away, she sits nearby on a crepe myrtle branch and fusses at me VERY loudly(!)  She’s a protective mama!

 

 

Some of my friends have asked permission to copy these pictures for their school students.
I’d be more than happy for anyone to download and share them for your personal use.

Wrens

 

begonias on front porch

 

birds’ nest in begonia — 4 eggs!

 

can you see Mama Wren sitting on the nest? 

 

 

take a closer look!

 Some of my friends have asked permission to copy these pictures for their school students.
I’d be more than happy for anyone to download and share them for your personal use.