Both of the tiny Carolina wrens stayed busy feeding this cowbird stow-away. I didn't see any baby wrens - I guess this one took up all the room.
Just look at the size difference.
More, more, more!!!
And to add insult to injury, he seems perfectly able to get his own food!
I thought Ollie had found a new mate......
This lovely young female was with him for a few days - but he sort of ignored her, and now I haven't seen her since last week.I have missed blogging, but just never seemed to have the time to sit down and do it. Today I looked at of my favorite blogs, and these are photos I've been planning to post. I'll probably only get to this every few weeks, but I'm still here!
27 comments:
Hello Helen!! Those wren shots are just adorable. I thoroughly enjoy watching the feeding ritual with birds. You have truly captured it well!! And yes, that baby is huge! I don't know how the parents keep up with them.
Ollie is just stunning! Maybe his new girl friend is playing hard to get for now. I really hope they surprise you and become bonded. I know you will be watching them and keep us updated! Hugs
Good to see you again! I've missed you. I've gotten to a point where my blog's posts are hit and miss. I just don't seem to have a lot to say lately, so I just keep posting pictures :)
Right there with you with the time thing. Ugh! The days need to be longer! Those wrens are such good parents! We have two wren nests - one in the front and one in the back. The back nest just keeps going and going...the front on that's in the Christmas cactus looks like it's been abandoned. Darn it!
I'm still rooting for Ollie!
Beautiful pictures Helen but sad! I've just fallen in love with my Carolina Wrens here. Much nicer than the House Wren. I guess I wouldn't feel so bad if the Cowbird used the House Wren nest...some of his own medicine almost...but so far the C. Wren has been just a great little bird to have around. I hope Ollie gets the perfect girl someday! Nice to see you back to say hi.
Nice to see you Helen! I think summers are very busy for a lot of people - hard to blog when there's all that nature to be enjoyed and family to spend time with! :-)
That poor little wren trying to feed that cowbird! I felt sorry for it. Hope Ollie finds a mate!
Great photos ... as usual. And yes, we can never rely on the rain, but we depend on it. Do you have a cistern for those birds (i.e., bird bath)?
Back with a great post Helen.
Great captures of the Wren feeding the Cowbird. They must work terribly hard to feed such a giant.
The Bluebird shots are beautiful.
How could Ollie resist such a lovely lady?
Hi Helen,
that Ollie, he is just playing hard to get.{:)
Well, hey there Helen! Welcome back! It's sad to see the little wrens struggling to feed a stowaway, isn't it?
Hope Ollie finds a new mate! Adorable wren photos!
Hi Helen, good to have you back with some great photos.
Sad for the poor little wrens but wonderful pictures.
We will look forward to seeing you again when you get some spare time.
Marnie
A very nice come-back post! I didn't realize that wrens (or any other bird) would raise a different species' chick!
What a unique picture of the wren feeding the cowbird. We had a number of cowbirds here this summer, but I haven't seen any lately. Of course, they could have just laid their eggs and left.
Fantastic photographs showing one of the most unfair components of the bird world. Such a shame to see the wrens working so hard to enhance someone else's gene pool at the expense of their own.
Perhaps Ollie just thinks it's too late in the season to pick the first beauty that comes along.
There has to be a moral to this cowbird business.
Helen: I saw a Sparrow and a Cowbird doing the same thing. Really neat Bluebird photos.
I agree with Birdgirl...You hear about the cowbird stowing away in the nest of other birds, but rarely do you get to SEE a smaller bird feeding the big cowbird baby. You want to say "Hey Wren can't you see this bird is not one of yours!" but I guess it's just nature to feed the bird that hatches.
Poor Ollie! I hope he finds a mate.
Glad to hear from you..I think we all find those busy times and I know I definitely am behind on keeping up with everyone's blogs. Such a shame about the cowbird baby hogging all the food and butting out the wren babies..just not fair.
Lovely photos of all the birds..sounds like Ollie has had enough of females!! lol. He just wants to be a single guy..
Wow....look at that cowbird!
Those darn Cowbirds eh !
Lovely recent set of photos though Helen :-)
Hi Helen, so nice to come here and see your post. I've missed you but I know you're so busy. I really will have to come up and visit you at your shop one of these days. Beautiful set of pictures even though I know that cowbird isn't too popular. The wren however is always valiant.
Hi,
Superb set of pictures... I guess it is gonna take for Oli to find a new mate! But eventually it will!
Hi Helen, I always enjoy seeing your bird pictures. That's cute about the Carolina wren feeding the cowbird... How sweet.
I posted some birds today on my blog.
Hugs,
Betsy
I've never seen one of the adopted cowbirds being fed by its "parents". What great shots! Poor wren trying to feed that big thing. I hope Ollie has a mate again soon. I'm sure he will.
Beautiful photos, Helen! It is fantastic that you captured the wrens feeding the cowbird.
What is the bird that you rescued?
And a question - why is a mockingbird chasing the bluebirds away from their feeder?
Last spring I watched a hooded oriole couple raising a cow-bird...both fascinating and sad at the same time.
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