Konrad, the wren will either take over the nest box, fill it with twigs so the NH can't get in or poke holes in the huthatches eggs. How sad....I would love to have red breasted NH in one of my bird boxes.

I would look in the box to see what is going on. I hope the NH still have an active nest.

Let us know.

Karen

Thank you Karen!
OK, I will look,.. when the weather improves, it's raining here and I have to use a ladder.
Konrad

Probably... the house wrens are killers on the chickadee nests (they are all cavity nesters) if the chickadees can't get a good start before the wrens show up in the spring. This year... the chickadees won!!!!

I've had good success using a wren guard. You can see about how to make and use one. Mine isn't even that fancy, just a bent piece of cardboard duct taped to the front of the box. I have very vocal and active house wrens in my yard every summer, but so far, no disturbance to my chickadee nests.

Thank you all!
I have opened up today and yes, a house wren nest all the way up the box with 7 eggs, I didn't want to lift it to see what happened with the nuthatch nest on the bottom of the box, I will see after they fledged.

This is the Red breasted Nuthatch nest before.

This is the House Wren nest now.

Gymwell
I will keep the wren guard in mind, can you put it in place after the nuthatch has chosen the box?
Konrad

Oh Konrad, how sad. I love RBNH. What a pretty little nest they make. I don't know for sure, but it would really be horrible if the RBNH eggs hatched under the wren nest. I don't know if they have to be incubated by the mom directly or if they might hatch from the warmth of the wren incubating. I would try and put some of the RBNH eggs in the wren nest and see if they will hatch. There is a possibility that the wren poked holes in the NH eggs and if they did, it will get really smelly in the box.

I would be thrilled to have RBNH nest with me. They are my favorite bird next to the bluebird. This is very sad.

Konrad,

Put the wren guard up after the bird (nuthatch, chickadee, etc.) has laid its first egg. It's bonded with the box at that point and shouldn't have a problem getting around the guard, though at first it may require a few attempts. If you put the guard up before an egg is laid, the bird may abandon the nest. The wren guard isn't 100% foolproof, but it's really the best protection you can offer. Also another thing to possibly try is to have a second box that the wrens can use. I know they build dummy nests all over the place, but in my yard I do have a second box also and the wrens use that, so it may be somewhat helpful. I don't know for sure, but I do know that the three chickadee nests I've had in my yard thus far have been successful.

Liz

Thank you both!
I checked the date on the two pictures and they are 4 weeks apart, I'm pretty sure it's too late now
for the eggs to be any good, thanks for your suggestion, Karen.
Initially, I had two boxes with RB Nuthatch, I'm glad, the other box is doing fine.
Thanks Liz for your input!
Konrad

House wrens do try to take all the boxes I put up or at least many of them. However I still have the less aggressive chickadees and allies here in equal numbers. Actually I have more chickadees and titmice etc than wrens so they are finding someplace to nest just not my houses. I am sure the competition goes on in the big trees too but somehow the nonwrens are finding a way to successfully compete. They have been fighting this competition for a long time and apparently they have each found their niche. I have wondered if it is mainly the boxes (rather than the tree cavities) where the wrens have the advantage. I don't know. I have never tried to bring a species into the yard though.

I put up boxes like I do feeders not to create or preserve the birds (they are already here) but to bring them into my view. I like watching the wrens as well as the other birds so I am ok with that. THe other birds are still nesting here, I just don't get a close up view of them (except the robin who nests in front of my living room window! I couldn't have arranged that better with a camera!)

Conclusion..
I did clean out the box and no eggs to be found, so they must have been taken out by the H.W.

Did any of you seen them in the act?

Konrad

Here is a link that might be useful: Wrens are murderers..observed in 1927

Hi Konrad,

Kinda sad to lose your RBNH nest... but this is nature at work I guess.

Yes, we lost 1 bluebird egg to a HOWR 2 seasons ago. We saw him fly to and into the nest box, and come out with the pierced egg still impaled on his beak! We were waving our arms and shouting at him, as he dropped it on the ground and flew off. It all happened in 30 seconds or less.

We discouraged him with a squirt gun for days and the parent blues dived bombed him mercilessly whenever he came near. He finally stopped coming around, and I'm happy to say the other 3 eggs hatched and fledged successfully.

Hope your Nuthatches try again for you,

Kenn

Here is a link that might be useful: Latest Slideshow

Hope this year will be more successful for you and the red breasteds.

I've had the wrens nest somewhere here too but not in the yard boxes. Luckily. But then I am in rural area with wetlands and many downed trees on my property. So usually it is the blues and swallows in the yard. Turkeys in grass field. etc

Have yet to find the tree with Pileated nest hole. But he is here in big way. Fought me for my wild elderberries this year as did the partridges.

Good luck this next year and great photos.

Thanks Kenn & Compost Hugger!

I never had a Pileated...next on the list.

I will try a wren guard this spring.
Kenn, thanks for telling me this, .. my gosh.. .....good job for helping out the BB!

Konrad

The Nuthatches are nesting and wrens haven't shown up yet, is this the time to put
guard up or is it too late?

Konrad

I wish I knew for sure. I would HATE for u to lose another NH nest. I think I would put the wren guard up and watch to see if the NH accept the guard.

U r so lucky to have them nesting with u. I didn't even have them here last winter. Hopefully they will come this winter.

Wishing u luck with the little cuties!!!
Karen

Thank you Karen, yes I will test this, perhaps in a few day's from now to make sure that they are serious
in their nesting business. These little fighters kept some
H.sparrows away from trying to get in. I think with 3 successful batches
over the years so far it's going to look better from year to year, they stay here all winter.
I hope it will be your strike soon, Karen!

Konrad

OK...it's good that I was reading the above again, [I'm getting older!]
Liz advised to put guard in place when first egg is laid....makes sense, although I have to watch this carefully with the wrens too.

Konrad

Konrad, I know I probably shouldn't say this on this forum, but if u have a hosp (house sparrow) that wants the box the NH are in, they will take it and kill the NH to get it. U need to get rid of the hosp. or see if the NH will accept a sparrow spooker. Boy, u got your work cut out for u... wrens and hosp. I sure hope all goes well for u.

Karen

Thanks Karen for your concern!...the sparrows are trying but can't get in because the hole is too
small for them, this seems to be not a problem.

Konrad