Actually, skinny, that is an old wives' tale. Bird banders and ornithologists often handle chicks and eggs during research. The parent birds will return to the nest as soon as they can. (Assuming they aren't dive bombing the researchers.) With a very few exceptions (vultures and some sea birds), birds have no sense of smell at all, and have no idea anyone has touched the eggs or nest if they don't see it happen. The nest looks like it might belong to a wren, just based on general construction, and the egg is the right color, though it is hard to tell what the size is. Wrens will build nests in potted plants, in old shoes left outside, in clothespin bags on lines, in grills, on shelves, and in a variety of other manmade objects. That's my best guess on this one. And it is probably a Carolina wren, the one most likely to be nesting here and around people. Nice pics! Marcia

Slugs will be around anytime you provide a good, healthy soil that is well endowed with organic matter and is propely mulched since that creates the conditions that slugs really like to live in, a cool, moist environment with ample food nearby. If the slugs are outside of the bed the plants they like are growing in the copper strips could keep them out, but if they are already in the soil n the bed the copper strips will be an expensive, and useless, attempt at control. I find that I have less trouble with slugs when the mulch is quite heavy, apparently they have ample food in that mulch and leave the growing plants alone. Saucers of stale beer can be a less expensive method of control and encouraging toads and garter snakes to hang around the garden is another.

Indigo, I'd leave the partial nest for now and see what happens. I'd also keep a very close eye to make certain the house sparrow is gone--a spooker can't be installed until after the blues have an egg in the nest, so your breeding pair would be in danger at least until that point. It is unusual for house sparrows, especially the males, to leave simply because the box has been left open for a few days. You need to make sure he's not lurking somewhere . . . if he does come back, wait until he and his mate start to build a nest and trap him. That's the best way to insure the safety of your blues. Kathy

That's why I suggested the suet. It may not be a perfect solution, but it should get them through the cold spell. If you choose to try mealworms, you could place them out in an open dish. Or tie an empty cat food can sized container to a nearby branch? Other birds will eat them as well, so only as an emergency to keep the babies fed until the weather warms up enough for the parents to find insects. Of course, if it rains, they drown. My local feed store sells the dried mealworms. Blues won't usually take those, but in a situation where their young are starving I think they will.