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Well would you look at that. I just checked again and there’s an egg in there. I guess it was laid about 9-10 this morning, although I thought they laid them in the early morning. Do I need to make a wren guard ASAP and get it up? I’m going to make one out of cardboard.
I hate triple posting but it won’t let me edit after a period of time.
I just made this wren guard out of a cereal box. Does this look ok? It’s 3 1/4″ out from the hole and 4″ tall.
Mom was in the box when I went out and I spooked her a bit, but hopefully she’s ok. Anything else I need to be doing? I have both HOSP and HOWR around. I’m not too thrilled about the babies of both being all over the place.
Nice egg, Brad! Not sure of your predator situation, but yes, a sparrow spooker and wren guard are both warranted. I deploy the sparrow spooker first, as the blues don’t really care about there presence. Once you document their acceptance, then move to the wren guard. Watch closely after you install it, to be certain that they will enter the box with it in place.
Randy
Bedford, New HampshireHow can I make an easy sparrow spooker? Is it just any hanging material like mylar that will touch the top of the box? I’m pretty sure I can make something easily that will do that. I just wasn’t sure if I needed one or not.
Yup. Easy. And yes, you need one. Here is the link: http://sialis.org/sparrowspooker.htm
Randy
Bedford, New HampshireKind of embarrassing but this is all I could put together with stuff in the garage. Hopefully it’ll work until I can make something better.
I haven’t seen the bluebirds around and I don’t look out over that part of the yard from any of my rooms. How can I make sure they are able to get in the box? I assume she will get her way in there no matter what.
Your set up looks okay – does the guard just come down enough to cover the hole? It looks a little long but can’t tell from pic. Too long down from the hole & they would have trouble maneuvering into the hole. Imagine the distance on the shrubs & tree are misguided by the picture, also. They look close. But looks like you have done a good job. And we all have to “tweak” along the way. You really need to be sure she can get in the box – make it a point to see her go inside early in the morning. They are usually very active about 1/2 to 1 hour after daybreak, and sporadically until about noon.
It’s an inch and a half from the bottom of the hole to the bottom of the guard. The guard is also 3 1/4 inches out from the hole. It seemed like you could see the hole fairly easily if it was any higher.
I ate lunch in the car watching and the female flew to the nearby tree, then the UPS truck beeping its horn scared her away. I haven’t seen her since but I’m not watching closely.
Nothing is jumping from those bushes to the box. It’s across the walkway. If anything, something would jump from the roof of the land rover, but that’s a pretty daring leap.
Brad, I believe your guard is a little too long – http://www.sialis.org said “L-shaped piece of wood that extends from the front edge of the roof to just below the entrance hole.” “Wrens tend to perch on the roof and then enter the box . . .” also from the sialis website. Check it out – you may be okay, but then again maybe this is why she is not going in????
Brad, I once made a guard that reached almost to the bottom of the box. I would watch the female swoop under that guard like nothing. It was a beautiful thing to watch.
She’s going to get in and might have already. You have left plenty of room and she is committed.
BTW, eggs can be laid at any hour of the day. Depends on the bird. Some even like a happy hour egg laying session.
Gin
Atlanta, GAI went out this morning and checked the box at 9:45. I always knock first, but when I opened it up there she was staring at me. So I gently closed the box and let her be. Glad to know she didn’t have any trouble with the box. I did not modify the wren guard or anything.
I’m pretty sure she was laying the egg when I opened the box as well. I’ll try to avoid that time window moving forward.
If these eggs hatch and fledge, how long do the young typically stay in the area? Should I expect them to stick around the yard, or will they venture off to find their own way as soon as they can?
Brad, sure glad your mama went in – yes, 9:45 am would be a little early to check – usually give them until noon. Sometimes they might fly out and drop the egg, which would not be good! That bottom egg has a strange color, but is probably the light & angle of the camera? Juveniles usually stay around the area with the parents, at least until the next batch hatch, but even then they usually stick around. Several people have even witnessed a sibling help feed the new babies. However, sometimes parents will not let the older ones eat worms, in order to have enough for the babies. But every family is different – just like us!
Thanks Carol. They are the same color, just a lighting effect with the camera. I’ll leave the box alone for the rest of the day and not check until later tomorrow. I am going to try to make a new sparrow spooker that’s a little better looking.
I am doing a much better job, myself, leaving my pair alone. I checked the nest box today, for the first time in 7 days, just as I was replacing the wren guard with a new one. My pair are extremely “chatty”, and they are always around, so it has been very easy to assess the situation each day without bothering them too much. They are fine with me being nearby, which is a good thing, since I live here, and all, but it was a treat to have both of them within a few feet of me, chattering away as I checked on the nest today. They are good tenants!
Randy
Bedford, New Hampshire
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