In the spring of 2013 and 2014, we had a family of Carolina Wrens built their first nest of the season on our front porch. Last year, their nest was pressed between something we have hanging on the porch, and the wall; we could look in with our faces pressed to the porch wall, but we could not get a camera in there.
This year, they built their nest in a hanging basket. By standing on a step-stool, we were able to watch, and photograph, their growth.
Eggs
Day Five
We found the nest on Day One. The five eggs seemed nestled in there, and we would watch the mother wren sit on the eggs all day long, as the father wren went out to forage or stayed close to home, guarding the nest. He also brought back more materials for the nest with each day. I can only assume that all of that soft-looking material is cat hair from our yard.
Day Seven
See how the eggs are being rotated around -- they are oriented differently, and, in different positions in the nest.
Day Nine
Eggs continue to be rotated.
Day Eleven
They have now added some snakeskin to the nest (upper left).
Birds
Day One
On the first day, only three of the five eggs hatched.
Notice how their wings are actually arms at this point. You could see them using their wings as arms to leverage themelves as they pushed themselves around the nest.
Day Two
All five eggs have now hatched. All five shells are completely removed from the nest, as waste is promptly removed by the parents.
Cries for food started on this day.
Day Three
Arms are already turning more into wings by this point.
Day Four
Wings are definitely forming.
Day Five
Individual feathers are separating on the wings.
All of the birds are hungry all of the time. The parents do nothing except forage for food, and, protect the nest.
Actual eyeslits are starting to show up (instead of those huge round balls they'd had for eyes.)
The first day of sight for one of them.
Day Six
Notice the individual feathers forming on their heads. Also, the dark dots outlining where their ears are.
Here, you can see four of the five beaks. The fifth bird is that lump in the bottom right.
Day Seven
Feathers along their backs are really prominent here.
As are individual feather forming along their chin and breast.
Day Eight
The nest is starting to get very crowded. Success rate is still at 100% -- all five birds are alive and doing well.
Day Nine
Birds are less demanding, and really piled up on each other.
Day Ten
Day Eleven
Day Twelve
The birds finally pick up their primary color - quite quickly, they've moved from black to brown.
Day Thirteen
The characteristic stripe Carolina Wrens have along their eyes is now evident.
As are their offwhite breast feathers.
Day Fourteen
Nest is very crowded, and kind of quiet. The birds look like juvenile versions of their species -- all the characteristic markings are there, just in a smaller form (feathers are still a little furry). It doesn't seem like the nest can hold them much longer.
Day Fifteen
The
nest is gone. Fledging happened sometime in the late morning on this
day. I heard it happen -- usually, there is a large increase in noise
and calls as they leave the nest for the first time. But, I was on a
conference call at the time and did not see it.
Last
year, I was actually on the porch at the moment they fledged. I had just
opened the front door as all five birds left their nest -- one of them
actually flew into our front room!
The Carolina Wrens do visit us frequently in our back yard. I know you wonder how I know they are the same ones. But, these birds are smart. Early in the nesting process, I was clearly bothering the father with my picture-taking. He screamed and screamed at me. Eventually, I went back inside to sit at my computer, which is underneath a window. The moment I got there, I saw the father wren fly from over the house, and land on the windowsill, just looking at me. Then, he took off.
They know.
Carolina Wren families tend to stay in the same area, and will re-build their nests in the same area each year. And, since wrens particularly enjoy building nests near humans, I am hoping they will be back next spring.
I will certainly be putting more hanging baskets up next year to encourage them back.
