Eastern Phoebe (March 13, 2009)
It happens every year! The Eastern Phoebe, a common flycatcher bird, returns to our yard in late February.
Carolina Wren (June, 2007)
A few weeks later, he harasses the Carolina Wrens from the front porch where they have been sleeping peacefully at night in a clay birdhouse. The wrens leave the birdhouse in the morning. When they come back to check out all 3 birdhouses on the porch for a possible nest, the phoebe chases them away. I start hearing his constant "fee-bee" call over and over ad nauseum.
Here he is, looking at me taking the photo, saying "You can't stop me." It's really no contest because the 7" long phoebe with a 11" wingspan is much larger than the small 5-1/2" wren.
So, the Carolina Wren's first nest is usually elsewhere. This year, I had propped up a bluebird house in the shed but didn't get around to putting it up back on our pasture. The wrens made a nest behind it so I will leave it until they leave the nest. It's too late to put up the bluebird house anyway.
The Eastern Phoebe has staked out the area in front of the porch where he perches on a branch, flipping his tail up and down and then diving for insects which he catches on the fly (hence the term flycatcher). Funny thing he has never made a nest on the front porch, usually it's under the second story eave on the south side of the house (the north side being taken by the bathouse).
By June, the wrens usually return to our porch to raise their young, the phoebe having calmed down by then. I guess you figured out which bird I prefer on my front porch!
I think they are both pretty birds. I have a Carolina Wren outside right now...eating away at some suet. They almost look like they have a plaid suit on :)
ReplyDeleteKerri--funny about plaid suit! I love the wrens--can't get enough of hearing them now.
ReplyDeleteI love phoebes, but I don't like anyone harrassing my wrens. How great to have the wrens in your forgotten bluebird house.
ReplyDeletePhoebes in February! Just goes to show how much further north we are - they aren't here yet, and much as I like them to eat my mosquitoes, I know what you mean about the insistence of their "fee-bees".
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about the salmonella - I can only think that I never really noticed the siskins before because there weren't as many in other years. Also, though I've had birdfeeders as long as I can remember, I've only really started working on IDing the visitors in the past several years. And I can't do them all at once!
Interesting birdie battle...maybe your Wren will toughin up and take over the front porch..tee hee
ReplyDeleteNCmountainwoman--actually they are behind the bluebird house on a ledge. I will keep a watch on the babies in case the rat snake tries to get them.
ReplyDeletea m dohan--yeah, phoebes come back in late February. I thought for awhile they were going to stay all winter but they disappear when the weather turns very cold (20s).
ReplyDeletedAwN--the wrens are pretty docile although they have a pretty good alarm call when predators are around.
ReplyDeleteAwww. I think the Wren's are the sweetest and I love their temper! I have not had the pleasure of having Phoebe here... Lucky you!
ReplyDeleteI had a pair of Carolina Wrens using a clay pot on the porch all winter. They've been replaced by house finches now. This happens every year. Darn.
How nice, I am still waiting for my Phoebes to return this year!
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