Empty Nest

I have some avian drama unfolding at my place.  To be specific, there is a nesting war between ‘Lil Ms. Wren and Mr.& Mrs. House Finch…. and it’s getting ugly.  There is a sweet spot on my back porch which makes a charming place to build a nest & set-up household.  The thing is there is only room for one nest back there.

A few days ago a darling little Carolina wren began work on a nest.  I can’t be sure, but. I think maybe she is the same one who built a nest inside the box of garbage bags on a shelf in my studio last year.  Which meant that I had to leave the door open at all times, rain or shine.  It was super awesome having her as my studio mate, until, her babies fledged.  They were just the cutest thing at first, flying around the studio because they didn’t know how to get out.  Ya, it was all “that is so adorable” until they started pooing all over everything.  Sure they were tiny little baby wren poos, but still.

But I digress, now she is back, I’m certain that it’s her. Her nest was a lovely green from the moss she used to build it.  There was also a noticeable amount grey cat hair artfully woven in there, if only Jack & Johnnie knew. Those cats hate the furminator & I hate it when my husband leaves the big balls of cat hair in the front lawn after using it.  Yes, that nest was looking so cozy, WAS, past tense.

After a full day of building she must have felt very satisfied with all that she was able to accomplish.  I am sure that she returned the next day to admire her nest full of pride, but wait, what’s this? THAT is not her nest, who’s nest is it? Where is ‘Lil Ms.Wren’s nest? Oh no!  There it is on the ground!  Someone tore it down & threw it on the ground! Who could have done such a rotten thing?

And then they showed up, the both of them, guilty as the day is long.  Mr. & Mrs. House Finch working as a team.  Little wren is out numbered. Their nest is made of twigs and grass with a trailing tail of blue nylon from a shredded old tarpaulin.  It has none of the panache of it’s predecessor.  The two of them!  Acting as if they had done nothing wrong.  Poor ‘Lil Ms.Wren!  Those shameless home wreckers have destroyed her pretty green nest.  She was in such distress that she continued to visit her nesting site throughout the day only to be run out of Dodge by those demon Finches.

She wasn’t about to give up that easy. NO, not her, she’s a little fighter. Sometime during the course of day three “Lil Ms.Wren started building a new nest, better than the first.   What a trooper!  Such spunk!  So brave! And where did she build it? Right ON TOP of those bully finches nest!  True, that wasn’t very neighborly, but fair is fair & they started it. Now their nest is a super deluxe high-rise and the Finches abode is the basement.  Can’t we all just get along? Give peace a chance?  All you need is love?

Time will tell if the feuding holds off long enough for someone to put some eggs in that nest.

Our hero, “Lil Ms. Wren”