May 1 through May 3, 2008:
We had quite an adventure with three recently fledged Carolina wrens late last week. On Thursday, I noticed a real commotion being made by our two pet birds. Our female senegal who is 21 years old had begun pulling up the liner on the bottom of her cage and shredding it into a bird bath bowl in her cage. She was agitated and very intent on building what appeared to be a nest. Our cockatiel who is all boy was yelling and making a new call.
I noticed several young Carolina wrens in our front porch area. They were making "feed me" baby bird noises as they hunted for insects. They flew onto our front porch and stayed there actually tapping on our front doors. We have leaded glass inserts so I could see them as they approached the door. There is a very small opening where the double doors' weather stripping doesn't quite meet. They tried to get through the opening. I don't know if they heard Pogo and Henry, but they tried for a while and then flew off.
This little wren is very lively and very vocal. I thought that everything was fine, until Friday.
I was in the studio painting (or trying to paint). The parrot was being even noisier and the cockatiel was singing to beat the band. I came out to see what was going on and heard the song of the Carolina wren up close. When I approached one of our sliders leading to our covered lanai, I thought I heard the song much louder. So I opened the slider and saw the three little wrens! One was literally inches from me as I stepped out. He was on the back of one of our chairs. Another was on the bistro table and the third was on an outdoor lamp we have near the table. The just looked at me and made a heck of a racket.
Then, they took off. We have a pool cage enclosure without a pool. It is one of the big high topped screened enclosures common in this part of Florida surrounding a large concrete patio. At the end of this patio parallel but most distant to the house and covered lanai. we have in ground planters with shrubs and flowers. The area is lush and dense. We have a trellis to hold other plants and a medium sized spa with cover also. Some potted plants complete the fauna.
The little wrens flew to the top of the screen which is very high thinking they could fly off into the sky. They flew back and around all over for a long time. I had opened both doors in the hopes they would eventually fly down and walk or fly out. Instead a Velvet ant (aka Cow Killer) which is a form of a flightless wasp with a horrible sting walked in. I managed to get this nasty critter out without killing it. One of the wrens chased the one of the many porch lizards until both lizard and wren were at my feet. Both looked up and fled quickly. I felt as if I was part of some TV program focused on stupid human tricks or funny animals. I did not have the time or luxury of getting a camera to capture the event, but spent the better part of the afternoon flushing out these very cute, very nimble little birds. One apparently was the smartest bird as he/she took off for the open door within the first 10 minutes. Another took its time, but eventually flew out the same door shortly after abut an hour. However the third bird was panicking and I was at a total loss. I went inside, I came back out. I got my trusty Audubon bird call and did my level best to sound like another wren outside the screened area. All efforts to get him to follow were to no avail. I then thought water might direct the little bird who had become increasingly adept in hiding in the plumbago and shrubs. I used a gentle stream from outside the screen and moved him out to the trellis. He took a bird bath in the stream and proceeded to get a drink from the water remaining on the leaves of a golden dewberry shrub.
I gave up. I watched him from inside He wasn't going to starve as we do have lots of harmless insects traversing the patio. I am happy to have the small native and semi-native anoles (lizards) to provide excellent pest control. The remaining wren ate his fill and then flew back into the shrubbery apparently to nap. I went back to the studio saying a little prayer that his siblings would return to lure him out. When I checked back later, I thought he had gone. No distinctive calling, no scolding, no movement in the shrubs to confirm occupancy. I decided to use the bird call once again to see if he was still there. Well he was. Not only that, but one of his siblings returned as well. At that point I called for help. The best suggestion was to try to use a pool net to scoop them up, or wait until they were on the ground and toss a lightweight towel over them. Now, that sounded good but these little guys were like bird versions of Tomcat fighter plane; fast and very maneuverable.
Suddenly the returning bird took off for the open door and called the entire way. So I was now back with only one bird to go. It appeared that the other two siblings of the trapped bird were out in the yard near the edge of the wooded area calling. I decided to finish a painting. Later I went out and the other wrens were gone and all was quiet. I was so relieved thinking all was well.
I decided the way they got in was because the weather stripping on one of the screen doors left a gap. Normally I have an outside doormat blocking the gap. Ants have no problem getting in, but most larger creatures would be blocked. Luck would have it that the mat had not been put back after we pressure washed the lanai and patio recently. I put the mat back to prevent further intrusions.
Saturday AM my husband and I usually sleep in and enjoy a leisurely breakfast. We then adjourn to our living room to read the paper. It was pretty late morning when we heard the first peeps and "feed me" call of a wren. Sure enough, despite the mat being there, the last wren had not left, but was still visiting in a place he wanted to leave. This time, my spouse was there to help. He quickly saw how frustrating my Friday had been. We opened the doors again. Immediately a wasp joined us followed quickly by a yellow jacket. Two butterflies came in next. I was getting very concerned. I give some birds and squirrels peanuts and was worried they might want to join the crowd.
The happy ending came after several hours of other wrens calling to the trapped one. We did not see him leave, but our porch lizards were no longer in deep hiding and were happily looking for any insect which dared to venture inside the enclosure. Spiderwebs were back. Even the bird call did not get a rise out of any wrens outside and none inside. Sunday: no birds, except for those using the many birdbaths in the yard. The best news, I spotted three little wrens in their normal hunting and playground near the edge of the woods.
The butterflies will have to do with the flowering plants until they figure out how to fly down and out instead of flying up. A butterfly net would have to have a 20 ft. handle to catch the two. I am sad to report they are still trying to fly up, but they do have food and a potted plants in which to "puddle" or gain water. Just hope the spiders catch the wasp and yellow jacket!
I will never look at a Carolina wren the same way again. New wider weather stripping is planned. Our parrot is back playing with her toys and not trying to nest. The cockatiel is singing peaceful ditties and talking to himself.
Beware when little birds come knocking, you may have some house guests who have a difficult time leaving, and they may bring other uninvited guests.
