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I am so angry. A pair of wrens had built a nest in my storage shed. I have been watching them for weeks. First the nest, then the eggs, then the little birds (four of them). They were growing quickly and I watched the male and female searching the area for tasty insects for the little ones. I hadn't been in to check on the babies for a few days and I wanted my daughter to see them. I have tried to not go into the area too much, although I have several times and no problems resulted.
Well, we went in and three were dead on the floor and one was dead in the nest with its head hanging out! Grotesque horror! I can speculate that no cat or other predator bothered the babies because they were "fresh" and not nibbled on. I have two theories:
One, that my neighbors recent spraying in his yard was a pesticide that resulted in some tainted insects that the parent wrens ingested and fed to their young. The young then died and the mother threw them out, one at a time, until the last one died and the parents left.
Two, the parents ate tainted food and died leaving the little ones to starve to death.
Either way, this stinks. I could be totally wrong but we all need to consider the effects when we spray for anything. It might seem that no harm is done but birds will come along and scarf up our insect victims--innocent or otherwise. Beware and remember the wrens.
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