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I think it’s best not to remove a nest and eggs until the female quits. You can dot the eggs with a sharpie and when they don’t shift for 24 hours you can remove everything if you want. It’s really sad.
Gin
Atlanta, GAYes, 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, GAGet a plastic spoon and remove them one at a time. Put them in a paper towel lined bowl. Add dry BROWN grass or dry straw. Replace eggs. That’s all there is to it and beats having a chick get caught.
Gin
Atlanta, GAYou can’t do anything right now and with them 5 days from fledging it would not be advisable to disturb them. After they are gone, you need to better weather proof the box. A bigger roof or maybe some calking could be in order. Is the floor recessed? That would probably help also.
Gin
Atlanta, GAIf you’re going to use grass it should be totally dry and brown. Normally a female would gather that to line the cup. I wonder why this one didn’t.
Gin
Atlanta, GAI did wonder about the chippie and the missing eggs…there’s stovepipe baffles on both boxes, but I suppose…
I don’t think a chippie could defeat a stovepipe. They don’t climb all that well.
Gin
Atlanta, GABZ, Gin reminded us of a good point about bright light on/in babies’ eyes. It has also been mentioned that it is best not to use a flash camera on young babies – Gin, is this before their eyes are open or after?
From what I have read, it’s both. Eyelids are thin and don’t protect eyes from extremely bright light.
Gin
Atlanta, GALots of us have Van Ert traps. I have two and they are one of the best purchases I have ever made. People with more than a couple of HOSP need repeating traps too.
Gin
Atlanta, GAMy box has all of the OSHA requirements!
That’s pretty funny right there.Be careful with the flashlight. Some birds are born in dim places to protect developing eyes.
Gin
Atlanta, GAHouse Wrens build dummy nests exclusively with small diameter twigs. When a male is trying to attract a mate he fills all the cavities he can find with twigs. If a female accepts one of them, he’s a lucky guy. The acquisition of a mate doesn’t mean the end of his attacks on all the other nests in his territory. He continues with this behavior in an effort to protect the food supply. I never, ever let them succeed here because that would just mean more wrens.
And, no, you can’t control nature. All you can do is offer your best protection.
Gin
Atlanta, GACarol, it’s perfect to do it now, especially since this is not a new pair. I have even given a wren guard to a couple already familiar with it before the first egg.
Gin
Atlanta, GAThe only thing I have to add is 7 feet is too close to the fence. The distance really should be 15 feet because predators like cats and raccoons can jump.
Gin
Atlanta, GAI don’t know if wrens ever give up during nesting season. If you want to leave the boxes up, you should turn or relocate them to make finding the entrance harder.
Do you know for sure what they sound like? https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/House_Wren/sounds
Gin
Atlanta, GA
