Catch of the day

The shrill call of a Carolina Wren pierces the backyard quiet. How can this tiny bird produce such a huge sound? They scrabble in the loose mulch near the house until they find something worth singing about, usually a grub or small worm. In this case, the catch of the day is a two-course meal: a large spider with egg sac attached. The bird perches on the edge of a rusty grill and calls out like a ballpark vendor hawking beer and popcorn, turning to repeat the call until all bases are covered. And then suddenly it's gone, flying off with its take-out meal still impaled on its beak.