Wednesday 9th Dec.
This is Red Wing. He that rules the roost in the garden at the present time.
I wasn’t exactly sure that the Fairy-Wrens visiting the garden were Red-winged wrens, as Blue-breasted Fairy-Wrens are also found in the locality and the Red-wings are more commonly found in forested areas.
The weather today was overcast with light rain, but not enough to turn me away from the garden for the morning. So I was out in the elements and listening intently to the calls of the Fairy-Wrens to better determine which species we actually have in the garden. This is important because . . .
It’s our garden.
And to have such a beautiful little wren with a really rich song spending so much time in the garden is a thrill. From time to time I caught glimpses of the male and I’m pretty certain I’ve picked them as Red-winged Fairy-Wrens. The call has a few notes that trip at the beginning like they’re cranking up, before they break into their warble.
You can hear some of their calls from this Fairy Wren Project Link.
With the wrens spending so much time around here I am certain they are nesting somewhere close. It is after all the tail end of their nesting season.
Thursday 10th December
The wrens were about, but pretty shy and with cyclonic weather as a result of the weather situation in the north of the state, things were a bit gusty and overcast. After a brief spell in the garden myself I determined the day was better spent doing stuff inside.
Friday 11th December
A 4am wakeup call. For some reason our smoke alarm was sounding. It’s ok though, no fire. The batteries are new, but then also Grans medic alarm was doing weird stuff later also.
So I was awake early and as I lay in bed I could hear the wrens starting to call in the garden. They must be roosting close, like in the beast of an ivy bush that corners our block and the neighbours. They have spent a fair bit of time around that area and I’m thinking that if there was a nest, that would be a potential spot. After seeing the cuckoo hanging around there also, I am suspicious.
Petit Paradis 