Friend of mine is the proud new landlord of a wren, who’s made a nest in one of my friend’s plants.
I had one nesting in a spider plant hanging right by my front door, years ago. I even got to see the fledglings get their 1st (and only) flight lesson one afternoon! Poor momma looked exhausted by the time they flew off - I wanted to offer her a margarita or something.
I know wrens often nest right near humans, since we scare away other predators, and sometimes in odd little spots and nooks. I’ve heard stories of them starting nests in the pockets of laundry that’s hanging out to dry … is there any truth to that?
What’s the weirdest place you’ve ever seen a bird build their nest? Any other birdie landlords out there, with eggs/babies nesting in their belongings?
I have lights on 2 rail posts at the stair on my deck. Think short height lantern on a post. Every year a Wren builds a nest in it. I don’t turn it on again til the babies leave the nest.
My wife hung a wreath on the wall on our covered porch this spring. I arrived home a couple of hours after she hung it and noticed a nest being built in it. Knowing that the wreath was a new addition, I asked my wife when she put it up… For a couple of hours of work, they had done a lot of work! So far, they have hatched two batches out of the nest. Thankfully, they have gotten used to us sitting out on the porch, (maybe 8 to 10 feet away) and don’t sit on the railing and ‘yell’ at us.
Re odd places for wrens to nest – I can’t resist calling on Edward Lear:
There was an old man with a beard
Who said, “It is just as I feared –
Four owls and a hen,
Two larks and a wren,
Have all made their nests in my beard.”
I’ve had wrens build nests in many unusual places in my garage (used to leave the door open when I was at home during the day and working outside) as well as in my storage sheds. Fishing boots, motorcycle helmets, a gap in the insulation where it was sagging above the garage door opener, hard hat on a shelf, lamp post beside the sidewalk steps that had a broken glass panel on one side, etc., etc. I have always been amazed at just how quickly a pair of wrens can build a nest and lay a clutch of eggs when you aren’t paying attention.
And then there’s Sir Christopher Wren, whose remains reside in St. Paul’s Cathedral, which he designed.