Lovely Birds, But Stupid As Rocks

There’s an ornamental birdhouse under my patio roof and near the back door that I would have thought too busy and too noisy an area to attract any nesting birds. Yet there’s a pair of Carolina wrens, one of my favorite birds, building a nest out there while I watch through the glass storm door. I guess they’re not too smart (what birds are?) or else just wildly determined. Sometimes they pause at other spots on the patio and look around like they think they’re being careful, then move to a second and maybe a third spot before flying into the birdhouse. Maybe they get in there and they’re breathing hard and thinking, “Boy, did I fool them, nobody saw me, pant-pant!” Lord, they’re lovely birds, but they’re stupid as rocks about some things. I hope they don’t give up (a pair started, but quit after only 2 days last year). I hope they increase the number of wrens. I hope they sing their hearts out and I get to hear it all for weeks to come. My pocket notebook says the young birds take 14 days to incubate, 14 days to fledge (get wings enough to fly away). Since the nest isn’t finished, yet I should have a month of them hanging around if they don’t turn chickenshit and leave. I saw the bluebirds do that last year—build an excellent nest, then desert it. And who knows why. But this is a good thing so far.