Kelly McAllister asked
> How common are house wrens as breeders west of the Cascades Mountains in
> Washington? I have seen House Wrens nesting east of the Cascades but not
> in the Olympia area where I spend most of my time.

House Wrens nest in clearcuts outside of Olympia (Fort Lewis and Yelm
vicinity), both in nest boxes and natural cavities. As to "how" common, beats
me.

When reading Michael Price's post about House Wrens' proclivity for disrupting
successful nesting by neighboring species, I recalled opening a "bluebird" nest
box one spring to find a House Wren wedged into a far corner, dead, with its
head bloodied and lacking feathers. I imagined a bluebird had gotten even.
--
Scott Richardson
northeast Seattle
salix at halcyon.com