Those sneaky, blasted wrens!! Been a hard season . . .

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

My mama has been incubating 4 eggs on 2nd nesting for about a week or more. Have seen her go in the box regularly, but had not been to the box to look in for about 2 days. Found all four eggs on the ground pierced by wren, and you could actually see small fetus in each. This box had spooker, wren guard and heat shield all on it, so this is just nature at work, but DARN – those birds work so hard and this happens. It is about 2nd or 3rd time in my 9 years that they have done this. My boxes are NOT in wren territory at all, but I still see them, but guess this is not too bad for all these years. I knew there was a wren around because I was worried about it when we went on vacation and she was due to lay 1st egg. But she did lay 2 before I got home and immediately I put up spooker & wren guard. But they are determined, because I say them at another box this morning, going in and out (which prompted me to check other box) and they have a nest about 1/2 way built there. Getting kind of late . . . . . Come to think of it, I believe this box (where they have partial nest now) is where the wren had been keeping busy with sticks – Oh No! This means the wren may get them again……

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Here is my sad picture – working on the picture

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Here it is – not good but the egg in upper right corner is one could see fetus good. How do you get picture larger? In photobucket it shows the whole egg in corner well.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 5 months ago by Carol - Mid-Mo..

[Donna in WI]

Ugh, so sorry!!

I use Flickr and on there you can pick the size you want your photo to show up as.

Donna in WI

[The Original Bluebird Nut]

How annoying! Seems like it’s a bad year for a lot of us. Carol, I think you’re using the link for the thumbnail, not the full photo. You’ve got to pull up the full size photo and grab the link for that.

Central NY
TMB Studios

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Cher, thank for the photo tip. Trying it again, since the full picture really shows what’s inside the egg.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Cher, thank for the photo tip. Trying it again, since the full picture really shows what’s inside the egg. I’m trying again but I just pulled up full size photo & got link & it was small again. Another try – can’t get it to work at all now. Oh well, you get the idea – sneaky, little brats!

• This reply was modified 8 years, 5 months ago by Carol - Mid-Mo..

[dogsandbirds]

Yes, we get the idea. You know I feel your pain. One time years ago, a wren got all of the CACH eggs. I was screaming in the front yard that day.

Gin
Atlanta, GA

[tamsea]

Bummer, Carol. So sorry!

Tammy

[The Original Bluebird Nut]

Central NY
TMB Studios

[The Original Bluebird Nut]

Carol, you have to go to this page in your Photobucket album –

That’s the page where the full-size photo is. Then on the right side – see the “Direct” link. Copy that, then once you’re here, click the img button above the message composition box, and drop that direct link into the box that pops up.

Central NY
TMB Studios

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Thanks, Cher – forgive me I am trying again.
I DID IT! Do you all see that egg in the upper right corner – like seeing a fetus – really made me sick. I won’t post any more pics of this, but at least I finally got it. I have posted other pics but always got small ones. On the upside & downside note for this pair, they have built a new nest in the past 2-3 days, no egg yet. BUT it is in the box where this stupid wren had been claiming while the blues were in the box across the yard. So, I’m afraid the same thing will happen. All I can do is try to protect it with wren guard and my evil eye and fast legs to chase it off! And at 70+ years of age, mind you, this would not be easy!

• This reply was modified 8 years, 5 months ago by Carol - Mid-Mo..

[Love my blues!]

I hate that for you & them, Carol! Yes, you can clearly see full development in that top egg. So sad!

Nicole

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Thanks, Nicole – my update is that the pair did build a 3rd nest and she is incubating 4 eggs right now. Keeping my toes & fingers crossed that the wren is gone – I have not heard it lately.

[Rich K]

I had a pair of HOWR that were attacked by a male HOSP. Took the house down and all 5 HOWR eggs were smashed and the mother killed on the nest. I trapped the HOSP next morning and executed him. The HOWR moved on thankfully. No more box on trees!

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