Return Visitors

photo: wikipedia

My little wrens are back!  While working in the garden this morning, a male was singing and flitting about, trying to tempt one of the many females to come over and set up housekeeping in the cabana-esque bird house on the back fence.  That particular birdhouse seems to be the favorite, and it always the first one to be used.  Once it is gone, they decide that the other two houses are "acceptable" and generally nest in those as well. 

When I would get too close to his chosen house, he would sit on the power line or on the roof of the Bunny Barn, and chatter at me for a bit.  He was sometimes joined on the line by a grackle, who seemed to more curious about what I was planting in the back garden.  Hopefully, they both will leave the seeds in the ground and not yank up my onion sets.  I don't mind them visiting, but I do draw the line at them un-planting my newly dug beds.