Advise please on jenny wren nest in windchime

jaxxy00

jaxxy00

As you can see from the above pic they are so small, almost the size of some of the bits of gravel. They are quite camaflagued to so im hoping that will help them stay safe a bit, although i know animals can smell them.

I would just love to see them all tomorrow though so i know they are safe.

Hubby has said he is moving the nest once they have gone as he doesnt want all this again next year. I have to say, i have loved the whole experience but not this part of it. Too many tears and stress.

jaxxy00

Final update. Hubby woke me this morning to say the other two had left the nest and it was empty. So i was relieved about that.

Was out the back this morning though and heard a baby calling so looked in the nest (from distance as usual) and thought i saw beak and eyes!! So i got the camera set up again and watched to see if mother was feeding it/them but no sign of her. I rang round what to do if there was one left abandoned in the nest, as i was worried about it going without food since 6pm ish last night and was told to get it out and put it in a box with a towel and try handfeeding with the mini meal worms.

I got the box ready with the towel, got a net curtain layed out in case it tried escaping, got my gloves on, all the time having a smoke or cup of tea to put off doing it as i dreaded the thought of finding one dead in there.

Finally unhooked the chime from the wall and placed it in the box and slowly started to release the nest from the windchime. Eventually it came free and i was so relieved to find an empty nest.:) So they have all gone and now it is down to nature and the mum to look out for them. Will post one last pic of empty nest.

jaxxy00

the_gorgeous_one

Thanks for that I just found this thread today and was able to read the whole tale with bated breath, glad I didn't have to wait the three months that you did it was stressful reading it in the short time. It was a lovely story and Im glad I got chance to read it, Thankyou

foreign_correspondent

This has been a lovely thread with a sucessful outcome for all the youngsters, which I think is quite unusual. Thanks for posting the pictures

jaxxy00 wrote: »

Hubby has said he is moving the nest once they have gone as he doesnt want all this again next year. I have to say, i have loved the whole experience but not this part of it. Too many tears and stress.

I think wrens build a new nest every year - and if the wren finds your windchime a sucessful and comfortable place to nest, it would be a shame to disourage it.

I actually leave a pile of old crates in the greenhouse, as although it would look tidier without them, blackbirds and stormcocks have both nested in there, so I leave it where it is for them.

For many of our native birds, safe places to nest are becoming fewer - if a bird nests near your home, I think its an honour and a pleasure, not a cause for tears and stress... I can understand you being on tenterhooks for the little fledgelings but realistically they would be at risk from predators etc wherever they were - at least you have been able to offer them some protection.

jaxxy00

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

I think wrens build a new nest every year - and if the wren finds your windchime a sucessful and comfortable place to nest, it would be a shame to disourage it.

For many of our native birds, safe places to nest are becoming fewer - if a bird nests near your home, I think its an honour and a pleasure, not a cause for tears and stress... I can understand you being on tenterhooks for the little fledgelings but realistically they would be at risk from predators etc wherever they were - at least you have been able to offer them some protection.

Well we have decided to leave the windchime where it is (minus the nest) which will allow them the chance again next year. Yes it has been stressful but as you say, it has been an honour to have been chosen and i think it would be easier next time as we would know what to expect etc.

Hubby said to me this morning when we stood out the back smoking, 'you know what, it would make my day to see mum fly on the fence and have all four babies follow and sit beside her', i thought that was so cute coming from a man but share his feelings entirely.

After having brought the mini mealworms and not having much use for them (although put them out for the other birds) i now have a new found interest (takes my mind off missing the little wrens!!) and looked up breeding them. So i now have worms in a tub that im feeding bran, lettuce etc and cleaning out. What success i will have when they start turning into beetles i dont know lol.

Strange how you get so used to having had the birds about. I still find myself walking wide around the corner to avoid the nest. Also miss hearing their calls etc. Oh well, she has four babies and we never know they may return to have their own.