The chickadees laid their eggs and are very quiet now. The cats are checking on the birdhouse periodically. In a few days the feeding will begin and will provide excitement for the kitties. 
Our first baby robins fledged about 2 weeks ago, two birds from the three eggs laid. She is already back on the nest with two new eggs this time. She is a very dedicated mama, and daddy is always nearby keeping an eye on things.
Oh! I thought they didnāt reuse the same nest. We were going to take our empty nest down.
Our chickadees have 2 little chicks! Both parents have been busy feeding the growing babies. I noticed that the parents are very cautious; they hang from the metal wire on the patio heater and check the surroundings carefully before diving into the birdhouse.
Today I watched the chickadee parents fly back and forthā¦ they head straight for my garden in their search for baby food! Perfect. I can live with the limited use of my deck if my garden pests are taken care of.
One thing not to do is lay those sharp spikes near bird nests because itās extremely cruel and inefficient. My high school was guilty of doing this to the nests on our windows.
UGH! I took a nest down too soon. I was getting rid of some hedges in the front yard and discovered a mockingbirdās nest inside one of the hedges with three new hatchlings. I backed off. I checked the nest three weeks later and it was empty so I figured it was okay to remove the nest and get on with the landscaping. But the nest was so pretty, I kept it on the front porch thinking to use it in some craft project. Almost immediately, mockingbirds started visiting my front porch, seeming distressed. What appears to be a juvenile mockingbird has started perching in a bunch of mammoth sunflowers Iām growing in a pot near the nest. I feel so guilty. Apparently, I couldnāt have taken down the nest just because it was empty. Iām thinking the baby birds must still come back home even after they have hatched. UGH!!! Stupid human. I doubt if I can secure the nest properly again inside the hedge, but if anyone has another suggestion, please let me know.
Wow. Who would have thought?!
My chickadees are such little troopers. The birdhouse is exposed to the scorching sun all day long - it is amazing how the little ones have not fried inside of it. We have been reluctant to tinker with any shade additions because it might spook the parents. The birds have been pretty fun to watch, and they donāt mind us using the grill. The only thing I do not like is the racket that the parents start at 5 am when the cats get too close to the slider. Well, only the boy cat freaks the birds; they ignore the little tortie. Little do they know who the lethal threat really is. 
She only looks tiny - she can leap like a pole vaulter!
How about using some wire to secure the nest back in the hedge? That should help keep it secured up there and not as likely to be blown down in a stong gust of wind. Use gloves when moving it, to minimize the human scent on the nest.
Oh youāre right! Maybe if I make a support with chicken wire to nestles the nest in, I can suspend it inside the hedge well enough. Thanks, @Himom. Hopefully the birds will go back to the nest and I can go back to not feeling guilty.
I read that you should put the nest in or on a plastic container (yogurt, cottage cheese, etc) and wire the container to the branch. Birds can get caught in chicken wire and injured.
Great link with good info. Thanks, @Madison85. So then, Iāll place the nest inside a yogurt container and jerry-rig it to the hedge with plastic ties. Iāll get to it first thing tomorrow. This bird perched in my sunflowers is breaking my heart.
Update: Nest is back in the hedge, inside a container that is suspended between two branches. Saw a mockingbird fly out of the hedge this afternoon so I hope all is fine. I havenāt seen the perching juvenile since this morning. Thanks for your input @Himom and @Madison85!
Keep us posted. Glad they donāt seem to be hovering around so anxiously any more.