Mid-Summer Wrenters

A pair of house wrens (Troglodytes aedon) have taken up residence in the dead trunk of one of my Japanese maples. There are four maples that surround my patio, and each has multiple trunks. I was tempted to cut down one of the recently deceased trunks last year, but refrained after learning that deadwood in trees benefits a host of animals and insects. Decaying and standing dead trees (or ‘snags’, as they are called) provide food and a habitat for a variety of creatures. Insects live in the dead wood, and in turn, feed birds and mammals. Decaying wood also contains many holes, which make a perfect home for nesting.

Sure enough, last October, I noticed a woodpecker drumming away on the old maple trunk. I found it strange that he was notching out a cavity in the wood, as it wasn’t nesting season. However, on one of the coldest days of the year, when I saw that he had taken refuge in his makeshift home, it all made sense. I was pleased thinking of Mr. Woodpecker nestling in his rustic quarters while I was indoors doing the same – cozied up fireside, with a warm cup of coffee and a sleeping dog curled up at my feet.

I first noticed “papa” wren earlier this summer as he was mid-flight from one maple to the next, singing intensely. His prolific tune was a sure sign that he was ready to take a mate and settle into domestic life. He began piling tiny sticks into the cavity that was once Mr. Woodpecker’s domicile; preparing his newfound haven for his chosen companion. When “mama” soon appeared, she took care to finish the nest with gentle layers of twigs and grass. Not long after, I began to hear the faint chirping of baby birds as both mama and papa would approach with juicy tidbits found in our garden. Both parents seemed to search tirelessly for food each day, foraging and making quick work of hundreds of pesky insects to feed their hatchlings.

Our outdoor dining table sits very near to the Japanese maple where the wrens had taken up their nest. In our attempts to enjoy late summer evenings on the patio, we were often scolded by mama and papa with a stern “click” “click” each time we got a little too close for comfort. On one occasion, papa flew down to the table right next to me and gave me quite a look! Even as a worm wriggled in his mouth, he was still able to make that clicking noise – and I understood the message perfectly! We tended to avoid that side of the table from then on to allow the space our formidable (feathered) guests commanded.

Early one morning, just as quickly as they had hatched, the baby wrens had flown the nest. I was looking forward to seeing the fledglings hopping about near our patio, but could only hear their demanding chirps from our neighbor’s yard. They were making quite a racket as they insisted upon continual feeding and care from their parents, even days after they had left the family home!

Alas, all is now quiet at the far end of our outdoor table, and I find myself missing our unexpected tenants residing in Mr. Woodpecker’s quaint retreat. I’ve heard that it’s not unusual for house wrens to nest twice during the breeding season. I wonder if we may soon find our patio evenings livened, once again, by the chirps, clicks and commands of a new brood of mid-summer wrenters…