Cactus Wren

Collin and Max took me for a morning walk to one of the many "pocket parks" in their neighborhood.  This one is arranged along both sides of a wild area filled with scrubby brush and several types of trees.  It looks to be at least 20 acres total.

At the entrance stands this saguaro (Cereus giganteus).  They don't grow "branches" until they are like 50 years old or so.
There were pieces of long grass sticking out a hole near the top - a number of different birds and animals claim these big cacti as natural "apartments" - when a hole is deserted, another critter moves in!

After a few patient minutes of observing....

Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) is the largest wren.  A pair of Cactus wrens will maintain several nests at one time and may raise three broods a year, changing the nest at the beginning of each cycle.  After the young have left, the adults continue to make repairs, since the nests are used as winter roosts.

I was surprised to see this pair actually in the cactus hole.  Usually their conspicuous nests are a domed affair woven of plant fibers, leaves, twigs, etc, with a tunnel entrance 5 or 6 inches long.  It is typically placed in the arms of a big cactus or on a branch of a thorny bush or mesquite tree.

The birds were foraging in the dry wash below the cactus, where I watched them for quite awhile. 

This was a new addition to my Life List - it's so fun to find a new bird, especially to be able to watch it long enough to be sure of recognizing it again!