This robin sat in the birdbath for the longest time before he actually took a bath. It reminded me of sitting in the shallow end of the pool – or a lake – just to feel the coolness of the water. I was fascinated by him, so I got the camera with the long range lens. I thought he might just stay there for a while and he did.
Eventually, he took a brief bath.
The lazy bird’s preferred method of bathing.
I can’t blame him/her. After a season of scouting nest locations, laying eggs, raising babies, constantly supplying them with food while in the nest, chasing off potential predators, and helping them fledge, birds deserve a rest. A reward for a job well done.
Speaking of birds, we have a little Carolina wren who has chosen his nighttime perch. It’s our porch light, which is right next to the front door. It took me some time to figure out what was happening out there. Sometimes I would open the front door and go out on the porch to put something in the recycling bin and a bird would quickly fly away. I wasn’t sure where the bird had been because it was dark. And I wasn’t sure of his size. After this happened a few times, I realized the little bird was perching on the porch light. So I tried to refrain from going out on the porch after dusk. But I did see a Carolina wren fly from the perch when I was sitting in the den, drinking a cup of coffee. He flew to the maple tree. Mystery solved.
If I get up early and open the inside door, I can eventually hear the sounds of the little Carolina wren waking up. He makes sleepy little chirps. It’s the most adorable sound. Yesterday, I got up at 5:30 am and deliberately didn’t open the door because it was still dark outside. I sat in the den and as the morning light began to show itself, I heard him waking up.
I don’t know why Carolina wrens are so drawn to our porch but they always have been. It’s relatively safe, I know that, but this particular breed of bird loves it here. They often hang out during the day as well.
I’ve also seen a small bird fly out of the hanging plant a couple of times which makes me wonder if his/her mate is bunking down here as well. Just now, I heard him on the porch and eventually discovered him standing on the railing, chirping repeatedly. It was a relentless call, so I’m wondering if he was looking for his mate.
I am endlessly fascinated by birds, especially the delightful, smart, and full-of-personality Carolina wrens.
It rained overnight and was raining when I woke up today. I checked in with Mere yesterday. She wasn’t all that concerned about the hurricane. They were due to get lots of rain and winds. After so many years of living in Florida, she doesn’t get alarmed too easily, whereas, Don and I are immediately texting her, worried about the whole family.
Stay safe.
Happy Wednesday.
