I could have filmed a nature documentary here today.

First, my three friendly new deer visitors came looking for a late lunch and I gave them some water. This spring we have a Mama doe and two yearling bucks visiting regularly.

I went in the garage to get another saucer for some corn. Just as I was reaching for a tray, a Carolina wren flew out of the shelf, not more than a few inches from my hand!

I screamed (not uncommon for me here in critter-land), and realized she had just flown out of a nest right above my hand.

The wrens have been in and out of the garage lately, so I’ve been keeping it 1/2 closed, thinking I had deterred them before they started a nest.

HA!

(Remember, I am NOT in charge!)

There it was — a sweet little nest inside a blue and white pot, with 7 tiny speckled eggs in it.

I waited a while and checked again, and found the Mama burrowed deep down in the nest, covering her eggs and guarding them with her life.
It you look carefully, you can see her head at the bottom. I was trying not to disturb her too much, but I did get a better shot on my second try.
She’s really giving me the evil eye here!

I high-tailed it out of there, but not before putting a saucer with birdseed and water close by her when she has to be in the garage and can’t get out.

I’m going to leave the doors open when I am home, opened the windows for air, and will leave the doors cracked when I can, trying to make sure she is IN and not OUT, when the doors have to be closed for a long time.

I thought about slowly moving it outside the garage, a few feet at a time, but there are two very predatory cats next door, so I couldn’t get them to a safe enough height.
Here are our little deer friends. This little buck is quite plucky – he gets really close to me and once even acted like he was coming to me. He’s clearly young!

This is their Mama, who’s always with them and keeping an eye out while they much. They have eaten on a few of my smaller or newly blooming plants, normally left alone. I think they are really hungry and too young to have a very sophisticated palate yet. Oh, heck, who knows why!

Oh, yes, and while I was taking pictures of the birds and moved on to the deer, a Texas horny toad lizard shot out between my feet!

I should be charging rent! Or filming for some reality show!