A house wren has appeared.  Last year they were happy to the north east of the fume kiln.  They are so small compared to those residents, the Carolina Wrens.  The house wren reminds me of the little European wren.  Which is even smaller, I think, and more mouse-like in habit.

    The smaller wrens can always be heard about their spring territory, and occasionally seen.  They are busy and private, like mathematicians.  

    The big wren, the Carolina Wren, will look you in the eye and criticize you for leaving the yellow electric-saw too close to the practice nest.  Then when the eggs are laid, 'She' will fly away to a safer perch and 'He' will appear puffed up and furious, with enough noise in him to make you quit early.     

    The house wren and the little European wren are "Troglodytes" in their classification.  The Carolina Wren has been given the wonderful name "Thryothorus Ludovicianus", which makes him sound like a dinosaur on a comedy tour.  Troglodytes make as much noise as each other.  If you hear a noisiness from the dinosaur, more likely he's a boy.

     Today we saw a Barn Swallow and reckoned to have heard one.  They recently have nested above that spot in the barn where we keep wood to dry for the fume kiln.  The barn swallows are less confrontational, but they are visitors in that sense of returning sons and daughters. Prodigal is their treatment, I suppose.

    Soon now, it will be a matter of tiptoeing through the barn to get to the other side, which some might think defeats the usefulness of barns.

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