In Viola’s next diary entry she encounters a wren with six fledglings. Wrens are one of our smallest and most distinctive native birds. They are very round in shape and have a short tail. Their most impressive trait, however, is their voice! There is a good chance you will hear a wren before you spot it.
The rest of Viola’s entry concerns her shooting a rabbit. We have already mentioned ina previous posts that Viola is curious about wildlife and why animals might react in certain ways. This is evident when she queries movement of the rabbit after it has been shot.
Transcript
Aug 8th Gartinstarry Wilderness 12.30 pm
Saw six young wrens sitting on a tree stump, being
fed at intervals by the parent bird. One by one
however they flew onto the ground and
hopped about looking for their own food.
Their hunger cry is a querulous chirp.
7.30 pm Shot & hit a rabbit crouching in the
field, but it did not move, I shot again
& it leapt up & ran a few paces & fell
dead. Why did it not do this the first time
it was hit.
