Country Mouse, I Mean Wren

I was sitting near the apple tree by the entrance to the corridor. After harvesting most of the ripe apples, we hung “store bought” apples on the tree to attract birds, and it was working. I was able to take photos of Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Gray Catbirds and House Finches up-close-and-personal as they flew in for a snack.

Other birds were also visiting the tree, like the Palm Warblers, Indigo Buntings and I even filmed a Blue Grosbeak in the tree, although it didn’t partake in eating the apple at that time. Sitting in waiting, I couldn’t completely relax or I might miss out seeing a bird fly into the zone. But, it’s impossible for me to feel stress when I am outdoors, focused on the wildlife and feeling the autumn sun on my face. It is my happy place.

Now that the trees are losing their leaves and the neighbors have taken in their crops, other wildlife are also visible. I’ve see a rodent or two scamper across a path here and there and the few squirrels that we have are more apparent.

Robert said he saw a muskrat slithering into the pond water from a mound of dirt (perhaps the beginning of his winter home.) Any action is worthy of notice as it could be a bird – maybe even a species I have never seen or filmed before. At this time of year my peripheral vision catches blowing leaves, grasshoppers and even butterflies, too.

As I was poised to capture the next bird to arrive in the apple tree, I saw movement just below the tree, in the tall grass and weeds that comprise a sort of hedgerow of vegetation that is slowly turning brown and falling over. I focused on the little spot where the I saw what I thought was, perhaps, a mouse. It certainly moved like one.

Nothing happened for a couple of minutes and my attention was drawn elsewhere. Then, again, I saw the in-and-out movement of a little creature that clearly knew it was sitting quite low on the food chain based on its skittish nature. I’m not set on filming birds, exclusively. It’s just that they are all around and beautiful and interesting. But, that little rodent-like movement caused me to shift my focus and depress the shutter button half way. The white square in the view finder turned green. The next object to enter that zone would become a clear image – well, if I didn’t move the camera!

There it was! Snap, snap, snap. Got it! Then, it was gone. But, it wasn’t a rodent – not even if it moved like one. I knew it would return, and I was ready.

I’m fairly certain this little bird is a Winter Wren. But truly, it acted like a mouse that felt safe and comfortable in a den which it was required to leave in order to find food. Its behavior suggested that it spend about sixty percent of its energy poised and ready to retreat to safety, and the remain focus on getting the job done without being snatched up by some predator. He’d venture out, look all around, bravely nab something to eat, then race back to his little hole. A few minutes later, he’d repeat – always on alert, always as if he were holding onto a rope to pull himself back to the safety of his little hole. These photos don’t do it justice. But, if you can fill in the gaps, there are a couple of shots that tell the story of this little country mouse – err, wren.