Nope

 

The boss is off to the races in NH this morning, so I got up early to make sure he got away all right and to drive Becky to work. There was a tumultuous racket emanating from the sitting porch so I took a look.

A House Wren nestling was peeking out of the nest box, wide-eyed. As I watched it fledged, flying off into the brush near the driveway.

Another soon popped its head out.

To my surprise the parents were trying to tempt the babies to join them in the big world. They would fly up near the box, chattering madly, bug in beak, but refuse to feed the gaping mouth poking out of the entrance hole. Instead they would fly away encouragingly "Hey, follow me! I've got food!", and then return to repeat the game.

The second baby was stubborn and somewhat stuck in the door way. It wiggled and jiggled, (although I saw no tickling), but it couldn't seem to get a wing past a stick in the door. (Said stick has stuck out the doorway for at least three years now.)

Suddenly it came loose, popped out with a flutter, took one look at the big world and scooted back inside like its tail was on fire.

I was there with the camera. There is a video of the whole deal right here. (Watch to the end. It took the reluctant guy a while to come out).

As I write this, hours later, the show is still going on. I don't know how many babies were crammed into that box, but it was a bunch.

On one hand I will miss the ongoing wren show. They are always busy and pretty funny. On the other hand for the past week the parents have been agitated and noisy all day from maybe 430 AM until 9 at night, and the kids were worse, squabbling and squalling all day.

 Be nice to have the porch to myself for a while.