Well Dirtgirl, I just couldn't stand seeing your post not get answered anymore! I didn't respond earlier, because I've never seen foil in my carolina wrens' nests. It's very interesting though! Those birds find the strangest/funniest places to build their nests! One year, we had our table saw on our big, covered front porch, with a tarp over it (yes, we're pretty fancy here), and those little guys built a nest right under the tarp! Fortunately, we didn't need to use the saw for awhile. I have tarps for an awning in front of my chicken coop, that I keep drawn up in summer, and pulled down in winter, to keep the wind out. Well, there's a nest inside that drawn-up tarp now. In the winter they sleep on a ledge right outside the chicken coop. As part of my nightly ritual in the winter, of closing up the chickens, I shine my flashlight up there, and make sure there's several pairs of feet. They are cute little guys!

sharpgirl, I can only share my experience w/ BB. For several years I put up houses built (I thought) to BB specs. No takers. And because I had seen BB on my farm I knew they were around, but I didn't know where they were nesting. Until one day I noticed that the 'fake' hollow owl I had attached to the roof peak of my small barn, had BB's coming and going around it. BB's had pecked a hole in the chest of owl and apparently built a nest inside. This is now the 2nd year that they're nesting there. Their nest is about 15-18 ft. off ground, 100 ft. from a feeder but hidden by a bldg., hole faces South, slightly southeast. BB's perch on barn roof before they enter the hole. Both male and female feed the babies. Area of nest is surrounded by either mowed pasture or lawn. No close trees for 50-60 ft. I overflow a large watering trough (for horse) several times a day and the BB's show up to bathe and frolic in the water, if it's warm outside. So my bluebirds outsmarted me and made their own personalized nest and they must like it cause they've returned this year. Good Luck with attracting your own BB's. PS/I'm in zone 9B Central Fl.

It was raccoons that got the first failed Bluebird nest, because they were good sized nestlings and one morning they were gone. So something got them overnight. I then baffled the snag using sheet metal flashing, and that DOES work for all climbing critters, but that didn't stop the House Wrens who got the final nesting. I knew it was wrens because I found an eggshell on the ground that had a tiny hole in the shell, and the Wrens were flocking around the nest hole later in the day (poor Blues). Dante, I can't speak for Lisa, but I don't "eradicate" House Wrens as they are native birds, just don't encourage them. They like brushy, shrubby areas (as do many birds, such as Cardinals and all Sparrows), and I've removed most of that. Also you can remove their sticks from a nestbox where they start to build a nest. Goldfinch, when the Blues were nesting, I did do a little House Sparrow control. I had a nest box installed on the side of the house that had a Van Ert trap in it. There are not a lot of House Sparrows here, but that did remove a couple of males that were trying to nest in the yard and may have posed a threat to the Blues.

bedeilia congrats on your chickadee nest. I would advise putting a wren guard on the chickadee box until they are 9-10 days old. I am glad you do not let the wrens nest. I would like to invite you to share your story and join the blue bird nut cafe forum. It is similar to this website but much more active and if you post your question there, you will get more help and answers. Hope to see you there. http://bluebirdnutcafe.yuku.com/ -Tyler This post was edited by tmann05 on Thu, Jun 27, 13 at 9:41