There is a drama playing out in my backyard. Chickadee Mama was evicted from the nest by Mr. and Mrs. House Wren. This aggressive little wren is known for driving other birds from their nest boxes. Apparently the male chooses several prospective nesting cavities and places a small twig into each. The female then inspects each nesting cavity and chooses one.
She will then completely fill the nest cavity with uniformly small twigs and line a small depression at the back of the cavity with pine needles and grass. She often has trouble fitting long twigs through the nest cavity hole and will try several different directions and approaches until she is successful.
I wonder if the twig sticking out the front of the gourd was placed there by the male or the female. I see straw and chicken feathers from my coop inside this nest! 
Mrs. Wren lets out a loud scolding rattle when we get too close to her nest.
It was difficult to get a good picture of her with my little camera. She was quite restless...and not too happy with my being around. Unfortunately, she chose her nest next to a mulberry tree, and it's pickin' time!! 
Love, Bonnie Jo
