After yesterday's fierce storm I thought for sure there would be widespread damage in the fields and forests. I was wondering about the trees my bird boxes are attached to since they are in an exposed field habit, but when I went out at noon to check I was surprised to see that there wasn't even a single twig missing from any of the trees in the area. I was even more surprised when I looked inside the box a House Wren was bringing nest materials to the last time I came around. Looks like the male House Wren found a mate and at least got a nest going. Unfortunately, it appears that the nest has failed.
When I last checked these boxes on July 2 there were no eggs in this box. There is no way a House Wren could have laid eggs and had nestlings fledge in two weeks, so I figure this nest must have been destroyed, perhaps by a second male House Wren. After eggs hatch, birds carry away the egg shells or eat them to dispose of them, so that the egg shells were still in this nest has me thinking that the nest was destroyed, and since the lids to these boxes are secured shut, I am pointing my finger at a second male House Wren. A snake would have eaten the eggs whole and the entrance hole is too small for any bird but a songbird to enter. I am not sure how else to explain what happened here.
I didn't hear or see any signs of House Wrens in the area. I'll return to the area shortly when I have more time to follow up on this.
