[pct-l] How many wrens can fit into a swallow box?

[goforth@cio.net (Joanne Lennox)]

I had to tell somebody about this

We live in concrete, WA.  Have been seeing our little winter wrens flitting
around the picture windows about dusk.

Yesterday, I decided to watch them.  They were going in and out of the
swallow box which we have nailed up under our eaves.  The hole is on the
bottom of the box and is used by tree swallows every year.  There was a
short period where they were going in and out, and then they started to
just go in.  Counted 10 going into the box last night.  I think I should
have stayed watching longer because....

Tonight I counted 21 wrens.  I kept watching longer when I saw another wren
in one of the other windows. ( One simply lays ones head on the back of the
couch and watches the box).

When you see these tiny wrens with the short upright sassy tail on the
PCT(and incredible song), flitting through brush piles, they are almost
always solitary.  But here they are all in a single box, which they are
using as a home not as a nest.  We have about 12 inches of snow on the
ground and tonight will probably be our coldest night so far.   The full
moon has just risen over the eastern ridge behind our house.

It is good.
Joanne Lennox