Well…shortly after I shared that there was a nest of four little Carolina Wrens residing on my back deck, Mama moved them out of their overcrowded accommodations and resettled them in a brush pile at the edge of the yard. She spent several days doing her best impression of door-dash – flying back and forth, delivering mealworms from the feeding station to the demanding youngsters.

Then, just this week, she started letting them follow her to where the food is. Her pattern was to lead them to a leafy bush near the feeders, where they would have shelter, and then leave them there while she went to go and grab some food.

But how many of ya’ll know that toddlers don’t always do what they’re told!
So, while Mom was gathering a meal, one of them took off to investigate the birdbath…

…and another quickly hopped into the fountain and then drip dried on the rocks that line the edge.

A third flew out and waited by the edge of the seed stump.

Clearly this one was the hungry one because he got several helpings of food.

You can tell the difference between the youngsters and the adults because the little ones (besides being oh-so-demanding) have blunter beaks and shorter tails and scruffier, fluffier chest feathers. They’re cute little buggers!

Eventually, when the sunlight started to fade, Mama flew up to an overhead perch and loudly called her inquisitive toddlers in for the night.

It’s so much fun to sit and watch the antics of baby birds!