Wrens on the Porch

by martin
(williamsburg)

Our family has frequently kept the door to the enclosed back porch propped open in good weather so dogs can come and go at will. Wrens have built many nests in various places on the porch in years past.

They built one in a corner of the ceiling this year, but it had virtually no support and fell. Shortly, another was noted in a plastic bag hanging on a wall. One egg has been seen and the mom appears to be on the nest as much as possible.

She may have been kept out one+? nights when the back door is closed, but since the egg was seen the door has been left open all the time.

One year the nest and egg was not noticed until the door had been kept shut a good bit due to a cold snap. When it was opened, the bird came back in and started sitting on the egg, but it was too late. This may be the case now.

I tried to prevent the wrens coming on the porch this year by hanging a wind chime outside next to the door. Obviously, not a good idea.

If anyone has a better suggestion on what I can do to keep the wrens from coming in my open door I would appreciate it. I felt really bad when the door was accidentally shut during the cold snap and the baby did not survive.

I have been terrified of birds since blue jays attacked me and a cousin when I was a small child. My granny's chicken chasing me didn't help either.

The wrens are beautiful little birds, but they scare me to death.