...Commando Wren

I was enjoying my tea on the deck this morning, watching the blue jays cram suet in their beaks when I caught a bit of motion under the grill and spied the wee Carolina Wren darting around. I haven't seen them much the last week or so, so think they are probably actively tending a nest. This little guy/gal was scurrying around under the grill grabbling little bits of suet that was being flung about by the jays (and the crows who'd been by to visit earlier). The wrens always make me smile - such busy little things.

Speaking of wrens, the House Wren is still working on the nest box outside my window. And, today, I believe I saw the Mrs go in with some nesting material. If that is the case, then she has probably accepted the nest site! So, I told the hubs (mine, not the wren's) that we will need to delay putting mulch down under that tree for awhile... he rolled his eyes and dutifully said "yes, dear."

I woke up feeling like I had a giant fur ball lodged in my throat - a pretty sure sign that I am, indeed, coming down with a spring cold. Feeling tired and achy and just the teeniest bit whiny... However, that did not stop me from heading over to Swartswood Lake this morning with hubs to see if we could get a look at the eagles who are nesting there. We did indeed get to see both parents which was cool. Way too far away to get a decent shot, even with Big Daddy, but still fun to see. Their nestlings must be getting close to fledging.

The bonus treat while we were at Swartswood was seeing my first Bufflehead (duck) AND my first muskrat! At first I thought it was a beaver, but when I was able to get the shots blown up a bit on the camera monitor, the long slender tail told me it was a muskrat. Very cool! We also saw tree swallows doing their mating displays and hunting insects in an open field near the lake. If I am feeling better this week, I'll go back to the field and see if I can get some decent shots - just wasn't feeling up to it today.

So, almost before you can say "blip", the weekend is over... Sorry I've been a bit sporatic on commenting on journals - plan to spend some time browsing tonight. It's always such fun to see what is going on in the world of blip. I enjoy all the wonderful stories and photos so much!