For the past few years, ever since my Mom’s friend Olivia died one January, a Carolina Wren has taken to visiting the apartment over the winter. The first visit, within days of Olivia’s death, felt like a spiritual visit from Olivia herself, to let us know that she was okay, and to say goodbye. When the wren (or a different wren) returned the next year, it seemed like Olivia was checking in on us, and letting us know that her spirit was flying free.
This year has been different. A Carolina Wren has come into the apartment four or five times already, usually on the coldest, snowiest days. She (I always assume she’s a she) sometimes stays overnight, flying from one room to another, sampling the kibble, taking a bath in the water bowls, singing a few songs, leaving poop on the curtains and then heading out.
The dogs never seem to mind the visits, even when the little bird is singing full out or flying over their heads.
On her third visit this winter, in the middle of a snowstorm, a second Carolina Wren came in with her. I don’t know if it was her mate (he was a little fatter than she was), or another bird, curious about where she kept escaping to when everyone else was freezing. Our Carolina Wren did not seem to appreciate the company. The bigger bird perched on the top of my bookcase while the little one did gymnastics on the curtain rod, and tried and failed to land on a bare lightbulb, and two-stepped her way down the curtain in my room. Finally the bigger bird decided to leave, but our little Wren stayed a while longer.
During her next visit, when I was practicing the alto part for a choir recording, she decided to sing with me. She didn’t sing the tune I was singing, she sang her own, but she sang it in answer to me and along with me, insistently; maybe trying to figure out why I was singing the wrong song. Her voice was much bigger than mine, despite her tiny size, and it filled the whole apartment. There wasn’t much harmony between her song and mine, but there was a magic to it anyway. There was communication and echoing and solidarity and questioning; and it was beautiful.
It reminded me of how my old black lab mix, Dina, would hear us singing at Friday Night dinner and add her howl to the song. I found out that if I hit certain notes, usually higher up in my register, it would set her off. And even if we weren’t singing the same song, we were singing together; and even if it didn’t sound right, it sounded like love.
I don’t know what it means that the Wren is visiting us more often, or even if it’s the same Wren each time. Maybe we’re listed on the Wren-airbnb site; maybe she’s looking for a nest, or for nesting materials (we have an enormous collection of fabric scraps); maybe she needs a respite from her mate and we seem friendly enough; or maybe there really is some communication between the spirit and bird worlds, and old friends are coming to visit in bird form. I’m not an expert on the afterlife, or on birds, but it’s nice to be visited, and it was nice to have someone to sing with in person, in this year of social distancing.
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rachelmankowitz 
What a sweet story! We had wrens that nested in the same potted plant year after year, but they never came inside. And our husky (who could always be counted on to sing along) also didn’t seem to mind, even though the plant hung over his ‘day bed’!
We get sparrow families by our windows, but the wren has never showed us her offspring. Harrumph.
O goodness, what a wonderful experience! Actually quite magical and special. Pretty sure it’s the same wren over the past 3 years 😊!
Thank you! It’s always exciting, though the singing can start way too early in the morning.
Rachel–I got goosebumps reading this! How wonderful that your apartment has been selected for the wrens. And Cricket is willing to share?! Wow. This bird has some magical/mystical powers.
Seriously! Anyone who can calm Cricket is powerful!
Love this Rachel!!!
Thank you!
This is so beautiful. What a gift. Enjoy your visitors. I so liked the Wren-airbnb reference.
Thank you!
Enjoyed, Rachel. Ironically, I just wrote a piece about the Carolina Wren, which includes a couple of recordings. Will include another recording in my next post. Here’s the link: http://birdpartner.com/2021/03/05/new-beginnings/.
On one of the wren’s visits my mom played a recording of a wren singing online: our wren was very confused!
Most birds respond to playback. FYI, only male Carolinas sing. Yours may have considered ‘the other’ a threat.
So cool. I’m sure it’s the same wren.
Maybe one day she’ll tell us her name!
Aww… Rachel, I love this post!
Thank you!
How delightful Rachel! I love how the littlest visitor brought back memories of singing with your Lab mix Dina. This wren’s desire to sing duets with you means you’ll definitely recognize her when she returns.
I hope so!
I think this officially elevates you to Disney Princess status.
That would be awesome!!!!
This is absolutely delightful! Yes, you are definitely a Disney Princess. ❤❤
Thank you!!!!
I love this post. In equal parts humorous, mysterious, and touching. Thank you, Rachel.
Thank you so much!
I adore this story. No deeper meaning needed, it’s just a wonderful, unexpected interaction with nature. How fortunate to have these visitors trust you. I’m working on building trust with a pair of visiting ravens, but I don’t think I want to invite them inside!
Thank you! I think even Cricket would notice if a raven came into her home, especially if it tried to fit through the tiny wren-sized opening next to the air-conditioner.
Do you think there is a mysterious meaning to the visit?
I don’t know what to think.
What a wonderful thing to happen. You are blessed.
Thank you! It really did feel like the bird was giving us a gift!
That’s really special. Love it that the wrens will come in to visit, feeling safe there.
Thank you!
How amazing! Birds are usually frightened if they find themselves inside.
I have a picture of one of the visiting birds taking a nap, wing wrapped across the body so it just looks like a ball of feathers. It’s extraordinary.
That’s amazing Rachel you obviously have a way with our feathered and furred friends
Cricket doesn’t think so; her goal is to keep me grounded.
😎
Such a lovely story!
Thank you!
Gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you!!
A delightful visitor/s
Yes!
“And even if we weren’t singing the same song, we were singing together; and even if it didn’t sound right, it sounded like love.”
Absolutely beautiful ❤️
Thank you so much!
What a sweet experience! I think you must have a special home for the wrens to feel so comfortable. And to sing with you! How awesome. Like your Dina, we had a dog (a Yorkie) that sang with us. When he really got going, he’d throw his head back and yowl at full volume, entertaining us to no end. I really enjoyed reading this post.
Thank you so much!
My wife is a great believer in ‘bird spirits’. We have a relatively tame Robin in the back garden that comes close to the house, and doesn’t fly away when we go outside. She firmly believes it is her late father, checking on her.
(I think it’s just a bird, but her version makes her happy)
Best wishes, Pete.
I like her version much better!
The wren stories are touching and sweet. In the back of my mind, I can’t help wondering why Rachel doesn’t put new weatherstripping into the gaps for winter time.
Ha! The heating in our co-op is overly ambitious, so we don’t worry about blocking out the cold, or the birds; we welcome both.
That’s a beautiful story – I have also experienced the same and felt that the regularly visiting bird is somehow connected to the spirit that recently made its physical exit…
It’s a lovely feeling!
I love this story about the Carolina wren coming in to visit you and sing with you, and also about you and your dog singing together! What a nice way to connect with the animals!
Animals are such wonderful communicators!
What a beautiful experience! That’s a memory to cherish.
It is!!!
I think it is interesting that they come in, stay for a while, and then leave. How are they getting in and out? The ones I have that get in my garage seem to have a hard time finding their way out, even when the big door is open. They try to fly up to get out, not down. They are loud, so I can only imagine the duet you two make. You’ll have to record it next time.
I’ve noticed the bird staring at the screen on my window with consternation, but I’m not sure if she’s looking for a way out or just wondering how she can remove a piece of the screen to add to her nest.
Lovely. ❤
Thank you!
What a beautiful and resonating story! I enjoyed reading it and will share with some of my singing friends! Two parakeets have literally flown into my life from the wild and and I do agree that there’s some mysterious and magical communication between birds and bird loving people! I look forward to reading more of your work!
Thank you so much!
Hmmm. I’m missing a parakeet! Maybe she found your home! 😂
A friend in need is a friend indeed, right?
I agree with Anna. Lovely.
Thank you!
That’s the sweetest thing I’ve read for a long time! ❤ Surely it is your mother's friend, come to check in and probably to get warm. The bigger bird (which looked more like a lark than a wren, but I'm no bird expert) maybe wanted to find out what the fuss was about. I'm sure your day was brighter after the impromptu jam session too!
I’m pretty sure there’s an ad for our apartment on all of the nearby trees.
Awe! you’ve warmed my heart with that lovely experience of yours. I feel like I should make another textile bird for you, I don’t think that I could make it sing though 🙂 Thank you for sharing.
I have a picture of the visiting bird with my Canadian bird, looking very confused.
I was always told to believe that when a wild bird visited your house, it was lucky. How wonderful that she keeps coming back.
We just have to keep an eye on where she poops. She is prodigious.
What a great story! Ever since my mother passed away, we’ve been visited by cardinals. My mom loved cardinals, so I always think the birds are her. Sometimes she is very loud, when she tries to get my attention. I have no hopes for her coming inside our house though. You are a kind soul to let wild birds inside your nest. ❤️
We have cardinals and blue jays and mourning doves outside, but never inside. They probably can’t fit through the hole next to the air conditioner, but they definitely visit the buffet table set up on my mother’s windowsill.
I love wrens, too! I once left out a bag of mulch and a female made her nest inside—so fun to see the baby birds hatching and leaving the nest. Their singing is glorious! So grateful you had this visitor, Rachel! Thank you for sharing your story! 💕🐝
Bird babies are so magical!
Love your story. I had a hummingbird start visiting after one of my good friends died and thought l was imagining things. Your story is definitely comforting. That we are linked with the afterlife by nature.
Thank you! I’ve always wanted to meet a hummingbird!
Hummingbirds (male) have such magnificent colors and tones. Out here in California🙂
How unusual and lovely! I have had birds come into the house (years ago) but they seemed like they knew something was wrong and had a hard time finding the way out. This is delightful!
Thank you!
This is a very special visitor. I think you have been specially chosen for these visits. Seriously I do.
Thank you! I hope so!
Just yesterday I watched a wren bath in the melted ice in our bird bath. They are so precise in their little movements. We have not had any try to come in our house. Our biggest problem with the air conditioners is having sparrows nest in one. It took us a long time a couple of summers ago to figure out where the incessant chirping was coming from!
My mom is always excited when a new sparrow family chooses her air conditioner as their nest, and then she complains bitterly when the baby birds start waking her up first thing in the morning.
Exactly! Right next to my side of the bed, too.
Shavuah Tov, Rachel:
That is a really nice thought, that she was
“checking in on us, and letting us know that her spirit was flying free”
May her memory be for a blessing,
ZL’B,
-Shira
Thank you!
You are welcome, Rachel!
Stay safe,
-Shira
Rachel, here in Charlotte, we get many a Wren at the birdfeeders. It is nice that you have a frequent guest. Keith
It is!
This is an amazing story! I love your wren visitor!
Thank you!
Love this! So magical.
Thank you!
“Maybe we’re listed on the Wren-airbnb site;” Oh my gosh, how that made me laugh. This entire thing is thought-provoking. It’s almost like this was a tame bird once, but that can’t be. Or your spirit guide…nah, not possible, right? Or another soul..getting deep here. Perhaps one or all of these things are all possible. Pretty miraculous, huh?
It’s fun to think of all the possibilities!
Dear madam, in this wonderful day dedicated to all the women, I want to compliment and wish you to be happy and loved by all of your dears! ❤️🌷❤️
Thank you!
Nice story Rachel!
Thank you!
My very favorite bird 💚 What a sweet visitation.
Thank you!
I love this story! So sweet, and such a lovely visit.
Thank you!
I was interested to know the symbolic meaning behind these visitations Rachel?
Btw,how does it get inside your house?
“In so doing, Celtic meanings of this little bird begin with observations in raising their young. Both male and female wrens take part in caring for their young. This is symbolic of sharing tasks within the home. It’s also a reminder to not getting stuck in gender roles, and approach the “traditional” from a fresh, innovative angle.
The wren is an active little bird, and so its symbolic Celtic meanings include activity, vibrancy, alertness and efficiency. The wren is rarely seen resting on her laurels. The Celts honored that fastidiousness, and took the lesson of making progress each day to heart in their own lives. Further, the wren is quite sociable. She reminds us to keep a happy heart and be kind to others.”
Interesting! Thank you!