My House Wrens Have Disappeared
After my house wren pair set up a nest, laid eggs and fledged their first brood, I mentioned that I saw the male cleaning out the nest. Then I saw the female putting new soft nesting materials back into the nest box. When I checked around I was told this is how they do it and all was well. Convinced that they were just getting ready to have another brood, I stopped thinking about it. After all, the bluebirds had put their nest together in the other box and already had laid eggs. The house wrens showed no interest in bothering them.
Time Passes And Poof
I saw the wrens around the yard for a little while after that. By my estimates I was looking at another month with them between incubation and fledging. After a little over a week I started noticing a definite scarcity of their visits. A little while after that they were complete no shows. Then, this week my old carolina wrens were making regular food runs again in my backyard. While I’m glad to see them back, I’m a little concerned what happened to the house wrens.
Leave Well Enough Alone
I had been told by Julie Zickefoose to tread lightly when it came to house wrens or I’d have trouble on my hands. I haven’t disturbed or even peeked in their nest like I do my bluebirds nests for this very reason. However, I think I’m going to have to take a look soon and make sure nothing bad hasn’t happened.
I have baffles on all my feeders and nestboxes so I really can’t imagine what may have happened other than just changing their minds and building elsewhere. After all, house wrens are notorious for setting up multiple nests before finishing one. I’m hoping this is the case here. From what I understand, just because they used a box one time that doesn’t mean it’s a lock for the next use. Maybe the female had buyer’s remorse after she got her eggs in that one-LOL!
I’ll make sure to report my findings back. Stay tuned and make sure to leave me any comments or questions you may have.
July 27th, 2009 at 5:21 am
[...] I had posted last week, it seemed like my house wrens had disappeared. They had built a nest, incubated eggs, fledged young and even rebuilt a nest for a second [...]