Tuesday, September 25, 2007

An unexpected visitor came by today


                        Cactus Wren  (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus)


While our back door was open a Cactus Wren came hopping in.


 


Here's a site where you can hear Arizona's state bird as well as learn more about our visitor.  This is a great website for all sorts of wildlife in Arizona as well.


Cactus Wren
By Byrd Baylor





      On the hottest
      summer afternoons
      when desert creatures
      look for shade
      and stay close to the earth
      and keep their voices
      low

      I sit high on a cactus
      and fling
      my loud ringing trill
      out to the sun . . .

      over and over
      again.

      My home is
      in a cholla cactus.
      I won't live
      where cactus doesn't grow
      because I know
      the only safe place
      for a nest
      is a stickery branch
      in a cactus thicket.

      I like thorns
      in all directions.

      At the entrance
      of my nest
      I pile more cactus.
      I peck off the spines
      where I go
      in and out.

      It is so good a nest
      that when we leave it
      other creatures
      will move in - -
      a family of crickets
      or a cactus-climbing mouse.

      But now
      it holds
      six small brown birds

      and me.




 

1 comment:

MichelleL said...

What a great picture of it too!