With A Mind Of Their Own

By far the most energetic and restless bird here is the Carolina Wren. They are year round residents of the Piedmont and actively maintain territories in all seasons. They are very easy to capture on the Birdcam mainly because they are everywhere: they ceaselessly work every sort of feeder, bird bath, nook and cranny on the property. They are easy to love and I am entertained even during the many, many times the Wrens scold me as I trespass on their turf (i.e. everywhere on the property). As you would expect, these feisty individualists only do things their way. One case in point is in nest selection. I simply cannot attract them to anything I put up, be that a nest box or a hanging flower pot. For a few years Wren pairs tried to nest on a shelf in my garage, which I discouraged. In turn they turned up their little beaks at any structure I put out mainly for their use. But at the end of the day they seem to find the property a good place to be and do provide constant entertainment as an unavoidable side benefit for us.