Many years ago I sort of inherited an old wren house.  It was broken and weathered severely but it had promise to become a home for tiny birds.  After cobbling the wooden birdhouse together I had another problem; where to put it.  

     As you may, or may not know, House Wrens are more than a little opinionated as to where a birdhouse for them is located, and of course what it is made of, and the size of the entrance; and the inside better be nice and clean!  The hole must be one and a quarter, no more, no less.  Natural wood is preferred, but the right wren house is the right birdhouse.  It's really about location, location, location; which is all any real estate agent needs to know.

     You cannot have two Wren houses any where near one another----period!  They are very territorial and will fight, and dispose of the competitions eggs and young on occasion----photos below are testament.

The Egg & I-#1House Wren tossing an egg out of another birdhouse! The Egg & I-#2House Wren watching the egg fall that she threw out of another nest!

     Very early one morning, at a time when we dream, I awoke knowing the perfect place to put the birdhouse; it had to be mounted under the eve within sight of my bedroom window.  Every year before spring arrives I unscrew the bottom panel and clean out the mess.  For many years now I have two families reared in this wren-house each season.  The male House Wren sings his lyrical song every morning in the Wind River Canyon while I dream to his music. 

House Wren Singing Video-Wind River Canyon, WyomingVideo of a House Wren singing his song in the quiet Wind River Canyon, Wyoming.      I have photographs of baby wrens and even their parents feeding them.  I have photographs of the female lining her nest with feathers she found nearby....and every year I try for an image that has plagued me for ages:  a photograph of a female wren with a spider!!

House Wren-"Feeding Junior"-Wind River Canyon, WYHouse Wren Mother feeding her Baby Wren @ Wind River Canyon, Wyoming. House Wren Babies-Wind River Canyon, WyomingHouse Wren Babies in the Wind River Canyon, Wyoming.      House Wren, "Building the Nest"-Wind River Canyon, WyomingHouse Wren Building Her Nest in The Wind River Canyon, Wyoming.

     This spring I was determined to fulfill my yukky desire to photograph a wren with a spider that will make some people cringe.  I'd shot images every year but hated each and every picture, but this year I had an edge....a longer lens, oh, and more determination!  I hate spiders so this was not a labor of love; not at all.  The photograph below is the result of years of shooting hundreds of photos....and I still absolutely hate spiders!

The Spider and the WrenHouse Wren with a Spider she has for her babies photographed in the Wind River Canyon in Wyoming.

My caption for this photograph would be----"Oh, Mom....spiders again!"

     The baby House Wrens that were raised with the help of this big spider have already left the nest, and the male has another girlfriend already; all within the span of several weeks!  And every morning his brilliant songs continue.

     Thank you for reading my Wind River Canyon Blog.  All wildlife stories and photographs on my website HogbatsPhotography.com are hopefully protected under copyright laws that are routinely ignored throughout the galaxy.  

Michael John Balog- wildlife photographer/writer

"Keep your camera ready!"