We have some ivy at the back of our garden clinging to the side of a
neighbour's garage.
It is already starting to creep into the flat roofing and, being the
sterling fellow what I am, I am inclined to top this off before it causes
real damage.
I noticed this morning that there is a wren starting to build a nest in the
ivy about 2/3 of the way up the garage wall.

The question is: will the wren be frightened off if I cut the top foot or so
off the ivy "carefully".


TIA

Phil

My limited experience is that birds will readily abandon a part built nest
but once they've started sitting, are remarkably tolerant of disturbance.
Providing they don't feel physically threatened (so do be gentle and
careful, especially where those cut off branches are falling) they will sit
tight until the disturbance passes.

Even if you frighten her off, work fast, go away and she will probably
return and continue sitting. Obviously if you leave the eggs too long, they
will cool and die. Wrens eggs are also small so they'll cool fast so you
may prefer to stop for a while to allow her to return and settle again.

Paul DS.

Thanks Paul
We have recently moved to a suburb and it is refreshing to see the wildlife.
The last thing I want is to displace the existing residents

Phil

The message
from "TheScullster" contains these words:

We have some ivy at the back of our garden clinging to the side of a
neighbour's garage.
It is already starting to creep into the flat roofing and, being the
sterling fellow what I am, I am inclined to top this off before it causes
real damage.
I noticed this morning that there is a wren starting to build a nest in the
ivy about 2/3 of the way up the garage wall.

The question is: will the wren be frightened off if I cut the top foot or so
off the ivy "carefully".

ISTR, that male wrens build (or start) several nests at a time, so
that the hen can select whichever she prefers. Consequently lots of wren
nests are never laid in anyway; though they may later be used for winter
roosts.

Wrens (like robins) become very bold when they are used to people
around the garden. (We have one at the moment who is always underfoot
when I'm digging, and has no qualms about exploring inside all sorts of
containers and restricted spaces; even underground ).

Janet

On Thu, 27 Mar 2003 17:53:50 GMT, Janet Baraclough
wrote:


Wrens (like robins) become very bold when they are used to people
around the garden. (We have one at the moment who is always underfoot
when I'm digging, and has no qualms about exploring inside all sorts of
containers and restricted spaces; even underground ).


I was hand weeding about 2 feet from a wrens nest this afternoon, the
occupant/builder stood on a twig next to the nest and shouted at me
the whole time but otherwise seemed totally unafraid:-)

--
Pete The Gardener
A room without books is like a body without a soul.

"Janet Baraclough" wrote
Wrens (like robins) become very bold when they are used to people
around the garden. (We have one at the moment who is always
underfoot
when I'm digging, and has no qualms about exploring inside all sorts
of
containers and restricted spaces; even underground ).

Janet

When are we going to see some pictures of the 'new' garden Janet ?

Jenny :~)

The message
from "JennyC" contains these words:


"Janet Baraclough" wrote
Wrens (like robins) become very bold when they are used to people
around the garden. (We have one at the moment who is always
underfoot
when I'm digging, and has no qualms about exploring inside all sorts
of
containers and restricted spaces; even underground ).

Janet

When are we going to see some pictures of the 'new' garden Janet ?

When it looks less like a very badly run building site and has
something growing in it to show for all the slogging we've been doing
:-)

I've just started planting the first shrubs/herbaceous in the first new
bed today, and John has started filling in some of his drain trenches.
We have had such a long dry sunny spell of weather, I had to water the
waiting pots of plants this afternoon; what luxury to use a hosepipe
with mains water pressure ! Compost heaps are built and the first is
nearly full.

Janet.