Variations on a Theme

Wish I knew what determines, for a Carolina Wren, its choice of song when perched on an open branch in that meandering way it has. Last night it was an intentional call & response between two---pretty bird-pretty-bird-pretty-bird-preet, answered from away with a softer variation of same song and a slightly different lilt. More often I notice chee-boogie-chee-boogie-chee-boogie-chee---like the old Saturday Night Live schtick. This morning it began with an idle but repeated chirp, not unlike a rocking chair with a squeak in just one place in its tread, but more musical. From its perch in the sun on an open branch at the edge of the woods, the wren faced first one direction, then another, so to chirp in every position---like a first greeting to the day. Soon it moved to the top post of the nuthatch house and carried on with a pleasing cheeri-oh, cheeri-oh, cheeri-oh---with arched emphasis on the oh. And just now to an interior twig of the flowering quince for pretty-birdie-pretty-birdie-pretty-birdie-pretty-birdie. I could have mistaken it for a cardinal had I not been watching it heave its little buff wren throat. dkm