hello,
Why not ask the local Constabulary & the Warden if they do catch the little tinkers who have done such damage have them repair such out of their own time & pocket (the latter I doubt) but never the less they might think twice about vandalism the next time being educated at the same time. We have a similar problem here, bolting the door just encourages them to force an entry. Glad to see the rebuilds under way at least. Be safe & I'm sure we don't want to read you have had a unsavoury encounter with the local little tinkers.
Regards
David
"Take only photographs..leave only footprints."
Glad to report, the Wrens didn't use the follow up nest. But a pair nested in another hide, a smaller hide. They hatched their eggs and the young fledged sucessfully.
On an even brighter note, just below the destroyed Wrens nest, literally 2 feet below, in a split in the logs structure of the hide, but on the outside. A pair of Tree Creepers reared 2 chicks sucessfully. You can just make out the chicks.
Here's the parent feeding the young.
Not the best photo, but light conditions were not favourable. The Wrens vandlised nest was about 2 feet directly above on the inside. Shown in the next photo, Highlighted by the red arrow. You could actually see the chicks if you pushed your face up against the side of the hide. Brilliant.
A happy ending for us all.
If it's not outdoors it's not worth watching.
Glad to hear there was a happy endings for your wrens, and what a bonus seeing the tree creepers - great photos.