Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

he thrust his head out of the opening merely to warble a few notes, when he would disappear again; and again, even while flying with a heavy twig in his bill, he would attempt to sing. Sometimes he would get the twig in the box with remarkable ease + dexterity, and again he would get it crosswise to the hole, and in such instances, when it fell to the ground I supposed he had grown discouraged and dropped it, until one time, when such a difficulty pretended itself, he flew to the top of the box and seized the twig nearer the end. The occasions when I thought he dropped it must have been that he lost his hold.(HT)I could see no mate around all day. I wonder if he is doing like the Harvester, in the charming book of Mrs. Gene Stratton Porter, by that name who built and furnished a house, before he had ever seen the lady of his dreams. Birds usually choose a nesting site together, but this wren must be willing to run chances on his mate liking the place.