Yesterday, while doing yard work I saw a Carolina Wren shot out from a hole in the cover of my propane tank. I carefully lifted the cover (that rounded knob on the top of the tank that covers the valves) and sure enough, she had a nest with five eggs. The nest was a bulky tangle of dry vegetation with a nicely formed deep cup holding the eggs. Although it was secure for the time being, we never know when the propane delivery truck might come by to top off the tank, which would destroy the nest. I felt the best thing to do was to relocate the nest, and thought of just the thing to use. Two years ago, Carolina Wrens started to build a nest in an old watering can that was on its side. Unfortunately, a heavy rain caused water to puddle around the can. The partially built nest was flooded and the wrens abandoned it. This watering can offered a good solution. I carefully removed the nest from the propane tank and gently set the eggs on a warm spot on the ground. I was able to squeeze the nest into to the watering can and replace the eggs. I then set the can atop the propane tank and used a wad of newspaper to block the hole in the cover that she had been using as an entrance to the nest. I left the area for about ten minutes. When I returned, mom flushed from the relocated nest! Later in the day, I moved the can away from the valve and used string to tie it securely to the tank. As an added bonus, now I can look out a window and see mom on the nest. I share this story because it demonstrates the fallacy that touching a bird's nest or eggs will cause the mother to abandon it. When necessary, people can intervene to move a nest, or return an egg or nestling to a nest. The mother's instinct is too strong to abandon her young. Sheryl Young Sandusky ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]