Wrens Nesting in Carport Grill, Treadmill, Bottled Water

by Chrystal Buster
(Clarksdale,Ms. )

Wrens Love our Carport

Our Wrens nest right near and under our carport each year. Once in our new grill before we put the cover on.

Once in a little tiny bucket we had hanging under the carport.

Then one day after I had missed a few days on my treadmill the two deep holders on each side for drinks phones etc. there they were two nests. One in each pocket.

But this year is the funniest.

We bought a very large bundle of fresh bottled water. We opened it in the middle. Left the rest of the plastic on.

A few days later we went out to get some more bottles and there it was, their new little home.

Smack in the middle of the package of water.

Now momma and daddy have one new baby and 3 eggs yet to hatch.

We love our wrens and they love every object under our carport for their homes.

Wrens in our carport

by Elizabeth Ayala
(San Mateo, CA USA)

Our Carport Wrens

We live in the San Francisco Bay Area. In the front of our home we were thrilled to find a family of Black Phoebe's building a mud nest in the corner of our porch.

At the same time my husband asked me to come to the back carport to see some bird activity.

After seeing the birds behavior and where they were nesting I began to research on the internet.

I don't know a lot about birds so I went searching to find out what kind of bird it was. I used the nest as my first clue...cavity nest.

I searched images of cavity nesters and finally found them- Bewick Wren.

The images were spot on and the behavior was exactly what was described.

This little family had moved into a roll of twine up on a shelf in our carport.

They had hallowed out the roll of twine and stuffed it with twigs, leaves, hair and such.

The roll of twine extended back on the shelf about 12 inches!

Quite roomy, flexible for a growing family and warm.

The twine would be warm and it was on a shelf in between other stored items. And safe above the ground.

It was an ideal wren home.

Daily we would set up chairs on the other side of the carport and watch the papa wren go back and forth practicing his insect delivery when his brood hatched.

Mom and Papa wrens were very active, energetic little birds.

They were bold and unafraid of our presence.

My husband would work on his motorcycle and the Papa wren would swoop in and hop along the floor very near to him to get to the shelf where they had set up house.

My husband would always roll out into the driveway to start the motorcycle and when returning would cut the engine and coast in so as not to upset the wren family.

They would tirelessly forage around the ground and near by flower pots for insects and come back to deliver it.

A few times when we were too close to the nest we would get scolded with a distinct voice and get swooped on to teach us a lesson.

We had a pretty harmonious co-existence. They were a joy to watch.

But so fast it was hard to get a clear picture of them.

I got home one afternoon and found that the babies had left the nest and were all over the carport trying out their wings.

After weeks of watching the nest the babies left and disappeared very fast into the near by foliage.

It all happened so fast...six babies took flight and they were gone....it felt so lonely without them...it was exciting to watch them the excitement was done in an instant with their departure.

We hoped they would return.

Its been a year later...today when we saw a Papa wren house shopping again...we can only hope they move in again. We continue to watch...