It's been a while, but here is an update! Wrens did appear the day our chickadee nest was emptied, so we are guessing they were responsible. The mother chickadee spent one more night on her empty nest before abandoning it. We ended up putting duct tape over the hole so the wrens couldn't use it and boy did that make them mad! I've learned that we may have played a role in the chickadees demise. Three years ago chickadees nested in our yard, but the next year wrens did. We kept removing the sticks, but they promptly replaced them. The wrens are hard workers, I'll give them that. Finally we left the wrens alone and they completed a nest, etc. From what I've read, once you let wrens nest in your yard, they become very territorial of it and it is almost impossible for chickadees to have a successful nest there. Last year we put up two very low bluebird boxes and the wrens built dummy nests in them. Also we had put a few wood chips in our nest box. I think the reason chickadees like a box with wood chips is that it mimics an old woodpecker's nest. If woodpeckers successfully nested in a spot, there is probably a higher chance it will be successful for chickadees. So maybe we gave them a false sense of security. Well, we live and learn. Every once in a while now I will be outside and I'll hear two chickadees calling and they will fly close to me and flit all around and it makes me really happy. We now have flickers nesting in an old woodpecker hole in our birch tree. Starlings recently fledged from that hole, and there have been a few brawls, but I've got my fingers crossed. A few times I have gone out and banged pans to frighten the starlings away and it seems to work! Good luck with your nest boxes Donna! Thanks for the pep talk, it was nice to talk with someone who could relate! Annie

A few things to keep in mind: Don't advertise that you're gone. Sounds simple, doesn't it? But how many people turn off all the lights and turn on the front door light ONLY when they're gone? Screams that you're not home. It's often said, but often overlooked, don't let papers and mail pile up. A trusted neighbor should take it in on a regular basis. If applicable, garbage cans should go to the curb (even if empty) and be returned. A spare car parked in the driveway? First, don't leave a garage door remote in there and secondly have it moved, even if rolled back a few feet. What else? Oh, be alert. Watch for strange cars. My house was broken into twice in the time I've lived here. One time my neighbors saw a car cruising up and down the street and saw it in my driveway. They didn't think anything of it until after the fact. Then they told me gee the one even mentioned to the other it looks like they're casing the neighborhood... SHEESH! A word about deadbolts. Yes they're good, BUT, don't get overconfident. I had a deadbolt on my door and I had the recommended 3" screws into the framework. I also had a "deadbolt" on the storm door. Guess where they broke in? They grabbed the handle on the storm door and yanked it open, then kicked the door in. There was a nice footprint on the door. The door didn't break, but the frame gave way and they just kicked until the screws finally broke out the frame. Sooooooooo, if you have a wood framed door, don't get overconfident. If they want to get in, they're coming in. The spare key issue is open to debate. One idea that I like is if you have a trusted friend a block or two away that would let you (perhaps in a reciprocal agreement) hide a key outside at their place, you could walk to their place, get the key even if they're gone. That way, if someone finds the key, they don't (or shouldn't) know which house it fits. Another method is if you have an outdoor shed, the outside key could be for the shed, then hide the key in the shed. Be creative. Now if you have multiple sheds, or the neighbors would agree, go from place to place. If someone finds one, they're not too likely to keep looking for the right key. Course, they'd probably just get frustrated and find another way in, like with their foot. For self defense, your car keys can be your friend. Always have them ready, carry them so they're pointing out and if the ring fits on your finger, all the better. If you MUST fight, go for the eyes. It's always best to not try to physically overpower an assailant, but when you have to, use any weapon you can. Dogs can help, but don't get overconfident. They can act as a delay to give you time to call police. Most burglers don't like dealing with dogs, but throwing some meat to the side to distract them, or killing the dog isn't unheard of either. When you pull into a garage, look around. Look around before you even open the door, check as you're pulling in. It's really best to have better than normal lighting in there, but no matter what, be alert. Eliminate hiding spots if possible. Close the door before getting out of the vehicle and again, look around in case someone came in with you. If you're alone, keep your land phone and cell phone handy. if you hear something, you can take cover and call the police. It's always best to use the landline so they can identify the location but a cell is a backup. My aunt lived in Houston and she always kept a can of hairspray on the car seat next to her. When a guy jumped in her car the one day, she sprayed him in the eyes. He jumped out quickly. But these days they can be armed. Again, keep your mind working, and use what you have to protect yourself. There's tons more, but these popped to mind. Stay safe everyone.

There is a wheelchair sitting on my front porch. I wonder if he saw that and felt like we would be an easy mark. Of course, he couldn't see that until he got up to the house though. I had my other house broken in. I came home to the doors open, all the drawers in the house pulled out, and cupboards all open. I thought he had stolen my wedding rings, and I was very upset, but I found them 18 months later. I had broken my wrist and put them in a baggy in my china cabinet, in a candy jar. In the jar was about $5 in change. He took the change and I thought, my rings, but several months later, I moved a covered dish in the cabinet and found the baggy, where he had shoved it out of the way in the far back corner of the cabinet. He didn't realize the rings were in there because he couldn't find the light switch and the only light he had was from opening the refrigerator door.

I've been having lots of fun watching the starlings who have a nest in the tree right off my deck. They are wonderful mimics. One sits there and does a perfect robin. I thought I WAS hearing a robin till I really started watching him closely. He has such a wide range of sounds! Also went to the post office today and there is a nest with big fat baby robins outside the front door. They are so darn cute.