House Wrenovation

A home of one's own 

In the morning, the babies fledged from the cavity in the dead tree. The father bluebird looked in one last time. 

Yep, all clear. He flew off. 

Within an hour a House Wren approached the hole cautiously. Before, the bluebirds chased him away with fury. Now, nobody objected. So he started tearing out the old furniture and drapes.

Cavity nesters  

House Wrens and Eastern Bluebirds both depend on woodpeckers to excavate hollow nest sites in trees. The tree has to have a heart softened by age and decay, so that it's possible to remove enough wood to make a deep compartment. But woodpeckers usually dig out a new nest for the next year. That leaves the old hollow open for another species.  

Good cavities are always in demand. This one was empty for less than half a morning before the House Wrens took it over.    

Diane Porter, Fairfield, Iowa. May 31, 2022

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