Birds Nests in my Flower Pots

[pinksand]

Watering my pots this morning I noticed a nest in the pot on the seat of my bicycle stand

Last year I had a wren nest in a large pot on my front deck. This location made a bit more sense because it was a larger pot and as the babies grew they could safely hop around in the flower pot and then on my deck. I haven't seen anyone in this new nest but I've slowly seen it form so I know someone has been working hard over the past few days, I assume it's a wren... probably the same family. I'm anxious for eggs and babies! It's kind of funny because my neighbors and I both have bird houses, but it's my flower pots that seem to be consistnely chosen for a nest site, while the houses remain empty. Is this typical? I'll have to be sure to keep my pots nicely planted every year to welcome my little wren friends back home.

[Lindsaylew82]

At my kid's daycare, they planted a large pot of pansies and placed it on top of a column. It was right smack in the middle of two VERY BUSY entryways. A robin made a nest in the pot! With trees and hedges, large bushes, all very close. At any given time there were children, 13 months - 3 years old, harassing the poor thing to death. It laid 5 eggs and raised them like a good mamma! Never was aggressive to the children. Just calmly flew to the nearest branch and watched! The teachers brought a few cans of earthworms for her, and she did oblige. My kid still talks about that.

I can't imagine she'd repeat that next year!

Your porch is gorgeous, btw!

[pinksand]

Poor Mama Robin! It's a great experience for the kids though! I hope our wrens keep coming back for generations so that when we have kids they'll be able to experience watching the babies hatch, grow, and take flight. I was thinking about it, and the pot that was nested in last year is now nose level for our puppy. It's probably a good thing that they chose a higher spot this year so he's not sticking his nose in their nest.

[applestar]

I think you would know it if it was house wren. The male wren would be proclaiming the nest and enticing lady wrens to come and see how wonderful it is. "Furnished!" "Garden view!" "Move in condition!"

If a lady wren has already approved, she would keep him busy as she completely renovates the nest to HER satisfaction. I've seen a male deliver a stick then fly to his favorite perch to sing a song or two, only to have the lady wren fly at him and scold him for loafing around.

Another small brown bird that often builds nests in flowerpots is house finch. A little bigger than wrens, tan and brown wings, male has a red-orange Mohawk cap (not raised crest).

[pinksand]

Last year's babies were definitely little Carolina Wrens. Mama had that very distinct white eyebrow stripe, longer/pointier beak than our house finches, and twitchy tail pointing upwards. As for this year's nest, I noticed a mess of twigs and debris in the pot a couple days ago and then this morning saw that it has been nicely shaped into a nest, but I haven't seen any birds hopping around the pot or yelling at me from nearby. I do have lots of Carolina Wrens and House Finches, among lots of various other birds frequenting my garden, so it isn't necessarily another wren, I just assumed. I'll have to keep an eye out!

Last year's location was more fun because it was outside our sliding glass door off of our living room so I had a great view. I often go out the garage or back door instead of the front where this new nest is, so I haven't been able to monitor it nearly as closely.

[applestar]

Oh yeah. Carolina wrens behave differently than House wrens. They are a little bigger and seem to be a little more shy. I've seen one hanging around a bluebird house I have set on a pole just outside the family room window in a corner of house and garage, but even though I see it sneaking back there every so often, there's no obvious sign of occupation. I don't dare open the birdhouse now.

Last year, it was like this until the babies started to make a racket and even peek out of the hole.

[pinksand]

Yeah, sorry I forgot to specify! It took me a while to ID them last year because I kept just finding information for House Wrens and they weren't quite a match. The Carolina's marking were right on though... that eyebrow! They look like very serious birds lol.

Hopefully you'll get a little Carolina Wren family in your bluebird house! The only creatures I get in my birdhouse (you noticed it in my thread about removing the locust) are squirrels. They like to perch on top of it while they eat their breakfast.