Donna, thanks for letting her finish with her babies. How big is the entrance hole, if it is a very small one (less than 1&1/2") it is a Wren of some sort. You can go to www.whatbird.com to get an ID. It's hard to tell how long she will take unless you have a good idea of what day they hatch. You will notice a lot more coming and going while she is feeding them. As they get older and are nearing time to leave you will really hear them chirping when Mom comes with food. They should not take longer than 14 days once they hatch (not really sure of Wren timetable). Are your screens removable? if they are it may be a good time to take them down for a good cleaning. I think it will be a challenge for the babies to find the hole, is there any other opening for them to get out? Mom will eventually guide them out but it would be much easier on them if there was a bigger traget.

Lisa, thanks for the response.

There's no easy way to remove screens without scaffolding and long ladders - our lot drops off in the back so the screened porch is at second story level to the ground even though it's on the house first floor.

I haven't seen her in a couple of days so I'm wondering if the increased activity here has scared her off, even tho we've limited trips onto the screened porch and kept (very bad)ddogs away.

I'll just keep the trips out there down and see if I see her again - I thought once before she had moved away and then was surprised.

Thanks again for your caring response.

OH my house does the same thing so I know what you mean. I have a deck and a sun porch that feel like they are in the trees even though you enter the front door from street level and they are on that level. If she has eggs in there she most likley wont abandon them, just get sneakier about her trips in and out. She may be in the box incubating while you are on the porch. You can get a mechanics mirror to look in the hole to see if there are eggs. Tap on the box lightly before you stick the mirror in so you don't scare yourself and the bird to death if she happens to be in there. TIP: stand to the side of the box when you tap so you don't have a bird fly right into your face! LOL! If there are no eggs and you have not seen her in a bit I would seal the hole in the screen so she will go elsewhere to nest........that is if you dont want her there!

there are 4 possibilities depending on the hole size:

House or English Sparrow (most likely culprit)

Starling (insect eater)

House Wren (insect eater)

Phoebe. However, Phoebes like to nest in the open. About 5 years ago, a pair of phoebes made a nest on top of my rear flood lamps. These lamps are on the wall of my house and under a 3 ft overhang. These were neat to have since they are insect eaters and they do plenty of that when there are young in the nest to feed. Mine stayed around about 2 mo and then were gone.