We were lucky enough to have chickadees use the nest box in our yard, and from as far as we can tell the babies have successfully fledged (we didn't see it, but I saw a parent bring food one morrning and they were gone by evening). We didn't take the nest box down yet and have seen a chickadee sticking its head near the opening. How likely is it another set of chickadees would use the box? If it's possible is it better to remove the old nest? Thanks. -- Lori

Hey Zach, I posted that pic on another forum once and one guy said "where's the bird??" haha I absolutely hated eventually pulling most of the volunteer milkweed out of the garden because it shaded some other things too much and got so tall it would fall over. I couldn't believe how big it got.......about 9'! We have about 35 acres that are woods and field, but we're letting the field do whatever it wants. We have tons of milkweed. Unfortunately, in the past couple of years, we hardly have any butterflies. :( Hopefully that's just a temporary thing. But the milkweed is popping up everywhere now, so our fingers are crossed that the monarchs and others will see them and come visit. tmc.....do you have Carolina wrens too? They can pick some of the funniest places to build their nests. I posted a pic on here of one this spring that built it's nest in a pot that I had made long ago and left it on the porch. They can sure belt out their song.

It is fun to watch the activity of wrens. They always make me laugh when they try to drag forked, or very long branches, through the hole. Although they frequently make it work somehow, even if the end sticks out of the hole afterwards! The individuals in my garden don't like those larger bluebird boxes, favoring smaller cavities. And I believe some house wrens successfully chased the Bewick's from their active nest in our hollowed out birch branch box, much to my disappointment. Thanks for sharing your wren video. Not many cheerier voices than a wren singing.