I love Carolina Wrens, and while the pair who call my place home were nesting in my greenhouse by my back door, I bought two thick, lush spider plants to hang on my front porch in the hope they would nest there after they were through tending to their first clutch.
Right on time, a little over two weeks after those babies fledged, a nest appeared in one of the spider plants, and four eggs were laid. Now, just before these eggs hatched, another nest appeared in the other spider plant!
The day the babies hatched (all four eggs hatched), there was an egg in the second nest. Two days later, there are three eggs. My guess is the mother is planning to go straight to sitting on these new eggs as soon as she is through brooding the chicks in the first nest. She probably has two more nights to sit on these chicks, then she'll have laid another egg or two and be ready to sit on the new eggs.
I have heard of starting a new nest as soon as a set of chicks fledges, but I have never heard of it happening with young nestlings barely hatched. Does anyone have any thoughts or experiences to share related to this?
Right on time, a little over two weeks after those babies fledged, a nest appeared in one of the spider plants, and four eggs were laid. Now, just before these eggs hatched, another nest appeared in the other spider plant!
The day the babies hatched (all four eggs hatched), there was an egg in the second nest. Two days later, there are three eggs. My guess is the mother is planning to go straight to sitting on these new eggs as soon as she is through brooding the chicks in the first nest. She probably has two more nights to sit on these chicks, then she'll have laid another egg or two and be ready to sit on the new eggs.
I have heard of starting a new nest as soon as a set of chicks fledges, but I have never heard of it happening with young nestlings barely hatched. Does anyone have any thoughts or experiences to share related to this?
