This blog comes with an apology right up front, for the poor photography! Many of my photos were taken through the glass which (even though I did clean it!) made my images blurry – that was the only way to get ‘up close’ to the adult wrens. And I will admit, I need more practice without the auto focus too – I’ve managed to get the fern in focus instead of the real subject of the photo. *Sigh* Might do better next year!

Not sure exactly when we became aware of ‘activity’ in the potted hare’s foot fern near the door to our shedudio… a flash of blue and an indignant chirp each time we emerged from our living space.

Then almost at the same moment Richard and I commented that we thought a wren might be building a nest in the fern.

The first week or two it was just that – activity and movement – with no visible ‘nest’. But the male wren continued to get ‘caught out’ coming and going with bits and pieces in his beak. The female was doing the same, but she was not as easy to see – nature is clever like that.

Then in what seemed like just a few days a bundle of fine sticks and grasses appeared on the top of the fern. They didn’t try to hide their nest, they launched it high and proud on the top of the potted plant, in full view of us. We mused on why they would want to house their new family so close to human activity and to our dog! But perhaps they are so clever that they realised he was not a threat (being always behind the fence or on a lead) and that while we were nearby other predators such as the goanna, a snake or a fox would be less likely to come near. Either way, nest they did and home they built.

In just a few days three small white eggs were visible inside the dainty oval nest. Mrs wren is back and forth – darting off into the trees every time we open the door, then returning when we are out of sight. She must be exhausted.

And Mr wren is dancing and prancing at us, flashing his wings and hopping away and back. ‘Look at me, look at me, come away, follow me’ as he tries to draw us away from his family.

A couple of weeks later and we can see tiny pink ‘worms’ – three tiny hatchlings. Then the real activity begins. Both mother and father wren coming and going with all manner of insects and bugs to feed their hungry brood.

Even as we peer into the nest, our movement nearby is enough for the babies to spring open their beaks in anticipation.

They grow unbelievably fast. It is only a matter of days and the pink worms have transformed into tiny buddhas – feathers forming, beaks more distinct, eyes opening.

It seems only another day or two and our babies are out and trying to fly, watched closely by  mama and papa and so well camouflaged in my lemon myrtle pot plant that I have had to put a red circle around two of them and cannot see the third at all…

One thing I could not capture on the camera was the crazy injured bird dance that Mrs wren performed while I was poking around her young ones with the camera! Initially I really thought she was injured as she danced across in front of me with one wing dragging on the ground, but as soon as I looked away she was up and agile again, flitting after the babies without any problems at all. Incredibly clever!

Read more about our wildlife.

What a great day! Richard and Rob finally completed the timber work for the roof of the second pavilion. Our highest point was reached today, so of course Richard had to scale the structure to place a small bough at the apex – our topping out gesture.

I know traditionally (Scandinavian?) we are supposed to use an evergreen tree, but we used what we had to hand, a eucalypt branch, to acknowledge the achievement of getting all the structure in place, without mishap, and to pay tribute to the beautiful bush in which we are building our home.

So it is full steam ahead with the roof as soon as possible as we work towards getting both buildings water tight. For updates on our building progress, see Building in progress.

Topping out – final highest roof line