Roger,
I agree that is strange. Not being very familiar with house wren behavior,
but having my memory jogged by your report, I will mention the following.
Three or four years ago, in early spring, after our Carolina wrens had
already set up shop, house wrens showed up. Territorial disputes resulted
in the Carolina wrens vanishing, and the house wrens dominating for the
entire season. I expected this would be a repeat the next year and so on,
but we have only occasional heard the house wrens since, and the C wrens
are fully re-established. I wonder about elevation and competition for
specific food interests, but have done no research.
Meanwhile, at my parent's house not 6 miles away, in town, house wrens
thrive, and C wrens sing from the edges.
Scott
On Fri, May 4, 2012 at 8:47 PM, Roger Mayhorn <rmayhorn@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
This morning I heard something unusual and went outside to investigate. A
House Wren was singing from the top of one of the apple trees in the yard.
In the 40 years we have lived here this is only the second time a House
Wren has been found singing here in the spring. The last one was in 2008
when a pair of House Wrens showed up and the male started building a nest
in one of the bluebird boxes. The female soon disapeared, but the male
continued to build and sing. After about 2 weeks he finally gave up and
moved on.
As strange as it may seem to many of you, we have only 5 records of House
Wrens nesting or attempting to nest here in Buchanan County.
Roger Mayhorn
Compton Mt
Buchanan County
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