Su Brass
Acme, WA, United States
Was surprised to find these birds nested on top of a robin’s nest–not so much because of this, but because this was in early January and it was freezing cold! Temperature was in the teens, and I have never seen any birds nest around here other than in the spring. What are they? From my research, looking in my books, I think they might be winter wrens? These were ALMOST ready to fly…the mother flew off when I came out (this was right on our porch), and the babies hopped out of the nest to the very edge, but went no further. Next morning they were gone!
Tag:
They do look like Winter Wrens. I wonder if this could have been a group roosting in the old nest to keep warm? Birds do that regularly. Or did you have repeated observations of babies in the nest for a few weeks? If so, that would be very odd.
No, it’s true that I only saw them this one night and they were gone by morning…but why didn’t they fly away while we stood on the porch with them and took pictures? I assumed they had not flown yet…
And I have never noticed any birds occupying the many nests around here other than to lay their eggs and hatch them in the spring! A mystery…
Winter Wrens will sometimes use an old nest in the winter for a roosting site, and may even refurbish it for the breeding season. Whole families might be found roosting together on a cold day. I’m not sure why they didn’t fly away…maybe you surprised them? Or they’re not shy. 🙂