Outgrowing Its Boundaries

   The over abundance of rain and the warm temperatures have turned the Small Gardens into one massive "rain-forest"  With the few days that I actually get to work there, the gardens are getting out of control.  Everything is growing far faster than I can harvest.  This past week, visitors to the Little Bayou House were not allowed to leave without filling their baskets, bags or boxes with vegetables.  That is all good as they appreciated it and I was relieved to see stuff heading off to their houses.  

  One of the more worrisome things is the potted rose.  It is not my wishes to snip back those faded blooms as I may disturb Mama Wren who has just hatched her brood.  Five baby wrens sit nestled among the violets and wood sorrel that blanket the roots of the rose bush.  This fretting is probably for naught as Mama Wren did not budge when I went out with the drill to put more holes in the pot.  With 7 inches of rain pouring overnight, it was my fear that her nest would be flooded if the water did not drain fast enough.  Just before dark last night, I could be found on my hands and knees (in a drizzly rain) mangling a perfectly good flower pot to save my critter friends!  Also, she never minded me putting the "fence" around her home just in case the feral cat decided to attack.  It will be a few more weeks before the rose can be trimmed...either rose since Mama Cardinal should be hatching her eggs in about a week.  She is in Grandmother's rose just a few feet from Mama Wren.  

  It is no wonder that the Small Gardens have become a haven, not only for me, but also my sweet critter friends.  We help each other and try to avoid any disturbances.  Life is good.

The Family Is Growing

   It seems that word has gotten out that I will do my best to protect mama birds that are trying to hatch and raise their little ones.  After actually going out in the middle of hurricanes last year to secure nests made in hanging plant baskets and literally (hand) grabbing marauding snakes, I think birds are starting to trust me.  First the little wren made her nest in a potted rose bush that sits right next to my favorite chair and then a cardinal made hers in Grandmother's rose that is next to the garden gate.  I am within two feet of these birds any number of times each day.  Having the birds this trusting does the old heart a lot of good.  They understand.

  Mama Wren is incubating five eggs while, so far, Mama Cardinal has three.  A couple of days ago, I built a little fence to fit snugly around the potted rose which houses the wren.  Hopefully, this will keep the feral cat and wild raccoons from trying to get the eggs or baby birds.  The cardinal actually has a pretty good hedge of rose thorns around her which should deter any predators other than snakes.  It is my hopes that I can keep watch on both little families.  As self proclaimed Queen of the Small Gardens, I have become quite attached to my critter friends and prefer to have them safe and sound.

  

We Are Friends

   Living around the marshes and swamps, you become quite familiar with many of the critters that dwell there.  Some are best left to their own accord but others seem to crave attention...any attention that you give them.  The relationships that I share with the critters happen to be some of my favorites.  I have often said that I have more critter friends than people friends and that I prefer it that way.  Critters don't do unnecessary drama.  They are there merely to survive the best way they know how.  They do not have time to stir up unwarranted trouble.  I like that.  It is too bad that people are not more like that.

  Along about daybreak, if I am not on the pier, I am in the gardens.  Either place gives me the perfect opportunity to be with my friends.  This morning, the trek to the pier was only long enough to photograph the big, full moon.  The Corn Moon was still high in the sky at 5 am!  Once I photographed it, I headed back to the Small Gardens as I felt that I have been neglecting those critters.  After filling the bird feeders and putting out fresh water, I settled in the big wicker chair.  My quiet time was to be in the gardens this morning.  Quiet??  Nope, there were several frogs still serenading in the small Puddle Pond.  Their "music" was just loud enough to be heard at the other end of the garden plot.  I was, however, serenaded by another sweet friend.  Every morning, Mama Wren still calls to her young.  One by one, they come to her, converse a bit then head off to start their foraging.  It is almost like she is doing roll call!  

  Mama Wren took up the checking station on the dead black gum tree.  The tree is nothing more than a tall stump with a scraggly mess of limbs now but it is the perfect meeting spot for the wrens.  They are still close enough to their childhood home of the porch arbor to be familiar with their surroundings but the tangled limbs give them protection from the marauding hawks.  After checking in with four of her five "teenagers", she flew down to sit on the arm of the chair next to me.  Yes, I did talk with her.  I always do.  We are friends.   

As Our Main Course, We Have SPIDER!

  Early this morning, I needed a break from gardening so the front steps offered a shady spot.  From there I could watch the clouds building over the Bay while I sipped my lemonade.  It is also from there that I could listen to the sweet sounds of the baby wrens peeping in the hanging basket just above my head.  The tiny birds get so excited when they hear the slightest noise as they think Mama and Papa are bringing food.  To me, there is nothing better that babes of any ilk.

  The parent wrens had no problem entering the nest while I was just an arm's reach from the nest.  They have grown accustomed to my presence and just disregard the idea that I might harm them.  I delighted in seeing the birds flit in, pop a morsel in a gaping mouth and dart out again.  The search for food  was never-ending!  As I watched, I became aware of just what the birds were proffering as foodstuffs.  A few caterpillars, a few odd bugs and a lot of spiders. SPIDERS!!!  It seems that wrens have a thing for spider meals.  After about the fifth spider serving, it occurred to me that perhaps spiders were easy to find and easy to obtain.  Every nook and cranny about the bayou has some sort of eight-legged critter lurking therein.  Wrens being the busy, little hunters they are, have no problem snatching up the tidbits.

  Obviously, spiders are nutritious.  Otherwise, those feisty baby birds would not be growing so fast.  Another week and they will be ready to fledge.  Learning to fly will be the next big step in their survival training.  With that comes the lessons on hunting...perhaps even hunting spiders.  For now, however, the birds are snug in their nest as the storms are building.  Mama Wren is a wise bird to build her nest by the front door!

Resting is not an option!

  Little Mama Wren is still sitting on her five eggs.  She made her nest in the hanging basket next to the front door.  As you know, I fretted over her during the recent storm and went out every hour to make sure her nest was still secure.  My extra wiring did the job and she was not wobbled too much.  All is well with her.  She rarely leaves the nest now and Papa Wren occasionally brings her a fine morsel.  He has been busy working the tomato plants and finds extra caterpillars for his ladylove.

  Today saw me digging out an old gutter drain/wannabe pond. Forty feet or so of a gravel drain ended in a small pond at one time but has been filled with dirt for a while now.  Years ago, the area was fitted with a pump making the drain resemble a running creek,  The water cycled from the pool back up to the gutter drain.  Birds loved the filtered running water causing this to be an ideal feature.  I missed the bubbling "creek" so decided to reinstall the whole works.  It was during a short break that my little Papa Wren took a notion to fuss at me.  I had sat on the steps with my lemonade and he thought I was entirely too close to his soon-to-be family.  For being such a tiny critter, he is quite feisty!  The little fellow started fussing far up in a nearby tree but kept getting closer and closer.  He wanted me gone...and now!  Soon, three other wrens joined Papa.  Each were chittering frantically at me to leave the area!

  Through all of this, Little Mama sat quiet as a church mouse on her nest within an arm's reach.  Not once did she give any sign that she was disturbed.  I figured that if she let me add wires to her basket while she was sitting on the nest, she was good with me resting a bit on the steps.  I assume that the others had no idea that she and I are quite friendly.  After a bit, I headed back to work with my shovel and left the birds in peace.  I am sure they will appreciate my efforts once the project is complete.

Good Little Mama!

  Son keeps after me to "let nature take its course" when it comes to the critters of the Bayou.  I admit that I find that difficult at times.  Take for example a few years back when I "rescued" about a dozen skink eggs from sure ruin in a tropical storm.  I had found the mother skink and her clutch of eggs the day before the storm hit and watched them closely as the tide edged nearer and nearer the nest.  As waves started sloshing around the nest site, I could not stand it and raced down the hill to rescue what remained of the nest.  With a dozen ready to hatch eggs in my shirt, I trudged back up the hill in the pouring rain to relocate them in the greenhouse.  On  the way up the hill, three little skinks hatched in my hands!  Over the years, I have saved a baby 'possum, a few squirrels, a couple of baby mockingbirds and a rat snake.  (The snake needed rescuing from several crows!)  With each rescue, Son reprimands me.  "Mom, you have to learn to let things occur as they are meant.  Let nature do its own thing."  I always agree and tell him I will try to do better. 

  Recently, this rescuing came into action again but I just did not tell Son!  A pair of wrens made their nest in the oddest of places and were prime targets for a snake invasion.  Sure enough, a rat snake (probably the one I rescued) was found winding its way up to the nest of baby birds.  Oh, no you don't!!!  In one swift movement, I grabbed the snake and pulled it free from the board covering the nest.  The snake was bewildered which gave me plenty of time to relocate it before it thought much about why it was suddenly not having breakfast.  The parent wrens were in an understandable frenzy about this whole ordeal but soon went on about raising their brood.  That nest was near the shed and happily all five little ones survived.  Mama Wrens are not above reusing an old nest for their second brood of the season but this little mama decided against it.  She has relocated.

  This afternoon, I noticed something strange about the hanging fern that I was rooting.  The basket hangs right next to the steps that I use about two dozen times a day.  It is within easy reach since I want to keep it well watered while the fern roots.  As I looked at my basket, I had to smile.  Mama Wren decided to move her nest near the person that helped her earlier this spring.  The neatest little nest is being made in the hanging basket. I guess she  knew that I would help her if needed and decided to make it easier for me to watch over her brood.  At least this nest is not an easy target for a snake since hopefully, I will be able to see it much quicker than back by the shed.  Smart bird!  Good Mama!

The Debut!

  While the ospreys are just now choosing nesting sites, Mama Wren is busy hunting bugs.  Her five eggs have hatched and the young'uns are hungry!  Of course, she has the good sense of nesting in the greenhouse where it is nice and warm and where she can relax while setting.  The greenhouse is virtually free of predators.  Probably the only predator that can raid her nest would be a snake and since I am in the greenhouse daily, I try to make sure none are lurking nearby.

  Mama Wren has no qualms about me working near her nest.  This year, she built the nest about six inches from the front door.  This is the door that I use dozens of times each day.  Had she been frightened of me, she had ample opportunities to rebuild in a different spot before she nested.  Once she started setting, my entering never caused her to take flight.  She stayed put and I puttered about the place.  This morning, I had the opportunity to check the nest and found five hungry, little birds!  Exciting!

  This bring back memories of Pop's shed and a wren that nested on his work bench.  If he needed to use the work space, he would merely pick up the nest and move it to one side....with Mama Wren inside!  That little wren never worried about Pop being nearby just like my Mama Wren in the greenhouse.  These little birds are some of the most trusting in the avian world!  

  In a few weeks, the little ones will learn to fly in the safety of the greenhouse.  By the time they make their exit, they will be well on their way to having perfected the skill.  In the evening, however, the entire family will come back home to spend the night.  Smart birds!  I love sharing my space with them.

Making Herself At Home

  Ever since Son built my greenhouse, a small wren has been making her nest there.  She has chosen one spot or another to build her compact, neat nest and then lay her eggs.  Most years, she lays five eggs.  She sets on the nest come night and day until her brood is hatched then she and Daddy Wren work themselves to a frazzle to feed the hungry rascals.  After all this time, the little wren has come quite used to my presence in the greenhouse and has no qualms to having me work near her while she is on the nest.  This year, she built her nest about six inches from the door.  I am in and out of the greenhouse probably a dozen times each day but it does not seem to phase her in the least.

  This morning, as the sun warmed the greenhouse, Mama Wren slipped out to get a bite to eat and some water.  I took advantage of her absence to check the nest.  Sure enough, her usual five eggs were there!   In a couple of weeks, the eggs will hatch and my greenhouse will be a nursery for the little ones.  They will be fed there, grow there and even take their first flight lessons there.  The first part of their lives will take place in the relative safety that the greenhouse provides.  While I could be seen as a threat, Mama Wren knows that within those walls, she has nothing to fear...not even me.

  Even after the little ones are on their own, for the rest of this year, they will return to the greenhouse often to seek refuge.  During storms, the hanging baskets and crossbeams will see the wee birds taking advantage of the building.  It makes me happy to know that they trust me enough to continue using the greenhouse as their safe house.  Hopefully, the birds will continue to do so for years to come.  They are always welcome.