Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions on clearing up this surprise nest egg.  After much help from the birding community, the mystery nest and egg has been solved.

Mr. Atwood from Va. was first on the case with suggesting that the nest and egg was that of a House Finch.  Many others suggested the same and narrowed down the nest and egg.  Thanks to Dan Haas, the time of egg laying and nest building was narrowed down to sometime after mid-December.  The date of egg laying had to be after December since our wreath went up middle of December.

I am certain on the kinglet sighting.  I had a positive identification on the bird that flew from the wreath when I grabbed it to take it down and it was a Ruby-crowned kinglet.  It appears that encounter was purely coincidental.  Maybe he was in there looking for bugs or flew there when I opened the door.  

I have seen both the kinglet and a pair of house finches on the porch today.  A male house finch has been perched just a few feet away from the nest and I saw a female house finch fly up to the wreath today.

So it looks like it is a pair of early nesting House Finches with a Ruby-crowned kinglet who visits on occasion.

P.S.  Yes, we still have our Christmas tree up!  No nest found in there yet but when we take it down in March I will look!

Thanks again everyone.

I'll let you know how this early attempt makes out.


Terry


 
Terry Crowe 
Birding Brothers 
Shady Side, Maryland