Top Photo: Prefab wren alternate nest house in vicinity of Vapor Rings exhibit in Catch the Wind.

Each year at this time we check the air canons at the Vapor Rings Exhibit to see if they have Carolina wren nests in them. There usually is at least some nest material in one or more of the canons. If there is, it’s removed. If we catch it before there’re eggs in the nest we consider it a job well done.

We occasionally miss and a wren builds a nest, managing to lay a full clutch within before it’s noticed. But even then, it’s better to remove the nest than let the wrens raise their brood with guests pounding on the air canons (which is what guests are supposed to do) for the duration. We moved one nest last spring that had eggs.

This year, in mid March, all of the canons had nest material in them. One canon had a well-along nest inside. The wrens, though, apparently thought it wise to build and use a nest in the “alternate” air canon fabricated last year by Exhibits Tech Cory and Ranger Brooke just for that purpose. The prefab housing is within a dozen feet of the air canons.

As of March 16, this nest contained one egg.

Out of caution, I won’t check on this nest again as my scent may attract mammal predators. The wrens deserve a chance.

Good luck to the wrens!