I Just Laughed

This short story is not fiction, it happened to me a couple of days ago, during my photo shooting of birds in my backyard. It’s my habit to prepare my camera gear, my tripod, etc, etc, for my photo sessions. Once ready, I aim my zoom lens to the feeders and surrounding areas looking for birds, they usually concentrate there taking turns to feed, that’s an advantage point for me and I choose what I want to shoot. Sometimes I have to wait for birds to show up and I wait for the best opportunities to shoot or it depends of what species of birds are showing up. From listening at the birds calls and sounds so many times, I have learned to imitate some birds calls by whistling. It gets the attention of some birds. That day, few birds were in the deck area, then I saw a Carolina Wren hopping around on the floor of the deck, I began to whistle like i know when suddenly the C. Wren dropped flat to the floor and started to act like I’d never seen him do before. He kept going around in circle, displaying all feathers. he did that for a while. I shot a series of photos but I was totally intrigued because I didn’t see any other wren in the vicinity nor dust to dust bathe. I researched about this behavior which I suspected it was a ritual dance for mating but I had not heard it mentioned for this bird previously. “As soon as a female wren comes close enough the male wren starts courting the female bird by circling around the bird and continuing on hopping in a stiff pattern. While doing this it puffs out its feathers and fans its tail as it tries to impress the female Carolina wren. Although not that common a sight, it has been reported that some male wrens even fetch and bring female wrens an offering of food while courting the female bird. Once the female bird is attracted to the male wren, they mate and is then bonded for life.” In conclusion, seems like I triggered a sexual reaction with my whistling imitating call of a wren. Since there was no other wren present at that moment the male thought there was an opportunity to woo a mate when it heard my whistle.

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Tags: birds, Carolina Wren, Interesting information, nature, photography, photos of birds

42 thoughts on “I Just Laughed”

Beth on July 9, 2015 at 9:01 am said:

Wonderful happening HJ; I wish I were there to witness this…Thank you sharing these photos with us 🙂

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- avian101 on July 9, 2015 at 10:54 am said:
  
  I’m sure you would have laughed too! Thank you Beth! 🙂
  
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weisserwatercolours on July 9, 2015 at 9:03 am said:

…you’ve got that magic touch, HJ! how intriguing!

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- avian101 on July 9, 2015 at 10:54 am said:
  
  Thank you Lance! 🙂
  
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navery101 on July 9, 2015 at 9:23 am said:

Bird whisperer!

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- avian101 on July 9, 2015 at 10:57 am said:
  
  Ha,ha! 🙂 Thanks Nanette!
  
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jmgoyder on July 9, 2015 at 9:24 am said:

Fantastic photos – peacock behaviour!

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- avian101 on July 9, 2015 at 10:58 am said:
  
  Thank you Julie! 🙂
  
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Cynthia Reyes on July 9, 2015 at 9:44 am said:

Hmmm… what would you have done if C. Wren had come a-mating with you? Be careful how you whistle….

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- avian101 on July 9, 2015 at 11:01 am said:
  
  Now, now! That wasn’t a lap dance… 🙂 Thanks Cynthia!
  
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  - Cynthia Reyes on July 9, 2015 at 11:17 am said:
    
    Haha….
westerner54 on July 9, 2015 at 10:21 am said:

Love this! Be careful how you whistle, indeed!

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- avian101 on July 9, 2015 at 11:03 am said:
  
  Et tu Cindy? I guess this post really got me in trouble! 🙂 Thanks!
  
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mvschulze on July 9, 2015 at 10:49 am said:

Funny!

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- avian101 on July 9, 2015 at 11:06 am said:
  
  Thanks M.! You could have said something on my favor! 🙂
  
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susanpoozan on July 9, 2015 at 11:40 am said:

What a wonderful story and so well illustrated.

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- avian101 on July 9, 2015 at 11:52 am said:
  
  Thank you Susan! 🙂
  
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Julie Gomez on July 9, 2015 at 12:13 pm said:

Love this story and photos!

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- avian101 on July 9, 2015 at 1:39 pm said:
  
  Thank you Julie! 🙂
  
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Jet Eliot on July 9, 2015 at 1:37 pm said:

That is a really fun story HJ. Apparently your whistling is spot-on! 😀

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- avian101 on July 9, 2015 at 1:41 pm said:
  
  I got to keep myself very quiet from now on! Thanks Jet! 🙂
  
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hadorable on July 9, 2015 at 3:28 pm said:

Thank you for sharing this beautiful story and photo Hj!!

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- avian101 on July 9, 2015 at 3:31 pm said:
  
  Thank you Ha! 🙂
  
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Rolling Harbour on July 9, 2015 at 6:10 pm said:

Fascinating. Just be careful when and where you do your whistling, maybe!! RH

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- avian101 on July 9, 2015 at 8:20 pm said:
  
  I hear you! Thanks! 🙂
  
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bkpyett on July 10, 2015 at 3:20 am said:

Beautiful photos but sad that energy was spent just to have his picture taken!! 🙂

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- avian101 on July 10, 2015 at 10:51 am said:
  
  Could had been worse If he got the “Sorry honey, I got a headache” and no picture! Thanks Barb! 🙂
  
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45DegreesNorth on July 10, 2015 at 4:26 pm said:

Hilarious! You must sound like one sexy wren babe! 🙂 Great captures of his posturing display!

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- avian101 on July 10, 2015 at 4:51 pm said:
  
  Oh no! You too Amy? Yes, it was real funny! Thanks! 🙂
  
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aussiebirder on July 11, 2015 at 5:07 am said:

Wonderful observations, most interesting, thanks for sharing this:-)

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- avian101 on July 11, 2015 at 12:34 pm said:
  
  Thank you Ashley! 🙂
  
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Tiny on July 11, 2015 at 11:20 am said:

You’re too good 😀 and the photos are great!

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- avian101 on July 11, 2015 at 12:35 pm said:
  
  Good for what?… thanks Tiny! 🙂
  
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  - Tiny on July 11, 2015 at 12:43 pm said:
    
    …you can make birds think you’re one of them… poor me, I can never learn that skill 😀
  - avian101 on July 11, 2015 at 12:50 pm said:
    
    Perhaps you could dance like a Great Blue Heron? 😉 (Just joking Tiny) ❤
  - Tiny on July 11, 2015 at 1:25 pm said:
    
    I could try 🙂 But that might scare all the birds away from the salt marsh ❤
  - avian101 on July 11, 2015 at 1:55 pm said:
    
    HA, HA!! 🙂
clarepooley33 on July 11, 2015 at 7:50 pm said:

Glad to hear you can whistle like a girl HJ!

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- avian101 on July 11, 2015 at 10:34 pm said:
  
  Clare!!… Go ahead get a shot at me too! Thanks! 🙂
  
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  - clarepooley33 on July 12, 2015 at 4:34 pm said:
    
    😀
forgottenmeadows on July 12, 2015 at 11:29 am said:

haha wow! what a great story and capture! you must have mastered that whistle! 🙂

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- avian101 on July 12, 2015 at 1:10 pm said:
  
  Thank you Neha! 🙂
  
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