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Well, as I mentioned in another thread I caught a pair of HOSP a few days ago – 1st got her and then got him. HOWEVER, this smart male (after getting trapped) had hunkered down in a corner of the box when I went out to remove him. I had my sack around the box and shook and shook the box and nothing happened – he did not fly up into the sack as usual. I shook it hard several times and then thought to myself that it had somehow tripped on its own. Well, I put my hand over the sack and went down into the box, and sure enough he began to fly up and out. It is just a miracle that he didn’t escape. LESSON LEARNED – they don’t always fly into the sack so you might have to down inside box with the sack in your hand.
I have had to do that before also. Mine didn’t get away either though. Glad you got them both.
Donna in WI
Grr…this has happened to me several times and I’ve even felt around in the box through the plastic bag and then thought that the wind must have tripped the trap but when I took the bag off the darn HOSP flew away.
Tammy
thats funny,
i finally caught the first one with the van ert
and his girl too.has anyone tried drilling an extra hole for the trap box
covering it up with a slide door
then put the bag around the extra hole
wonder if that method would work?Something really strange happened this morning – had my VanErt set this morning early, noticed that it had been tripped. Went out with my sack to get it (had seen HOSP at this box and it had HOSP nest beginnings in it) – well low & behold when I opened door of this Gilwood box and the bird flew into sack I thought it was really large – I never got hold of the bird correctly and it flew out of the sack – wasn’t a small HOSP at all – I really believe it was a starling. It flew away so fast that I wasn’t really sure. Has anyone had a starling squeeze into a 1 1/2″ hole before? I have witnessed one doing this on my 1 1/2″ square cage feeder before. Of course, the Gilwood box has a 2″ opening from side to side, and a bar across the top of hole to make it 1 1/2″ oval type.
Carol, small EUST can enter a 1.5″ hole. Too bad that one got away!
Cosmo, try that! It sounds like an interesting idea and it might help some people avoid the escaping bird problem.
Gin
Atlanta, GAInteresting idea on the extra hole, Cosmo – but I really don’t think this could help too much – you would still have a chance of it escaping – but anything is worth a try! I have lost very few, especially after one gets away and you learn what to do and NOT to do. This bird was big enough that I couldn’t get it in my hand with the sack like you can do with a small HOSP, and this is the reason it got away. Gin, I’m glad to hear your response about starling getting in – have NEVER had this happen with my other boxes, and I’m beginning to wonder about the Gilwood opening – wouldn’t be too hard to put a 1 1/2″ hole reducer on it. I’ll play it by ear for this year.
You could make your own plastic/cardboard reducer but adding one of those to a Gilwood kind of negates the appeal of the larger opening. It admits more light when a bird is in the entrance and I think that feature is part of the appeal for the birds.
Gin
Atlanta, GACarol,
Would not surprise me that a European Starling (EUST) could make it through Gilwood entrance. I have had them squeeze in 1 1/2″ round holes (actually may have been 1 9/16″). They can get in Peterson box oval holes no problem. Gilwood has that larger dimension at the top so could probably squeeze their shoulders right through. Did it have yellow bill – or partial yellow transition to breeding bill color? They are non-native and worse than HOSP for Purple Martins and woodpeckers…Tammy is right and Gilwood is wonderful entrance – probably favorite of Eastern Bluebirds in my experience. Don’t let Starling go next time if it happens again. They are persistent with nestbox like HOSP are and just as deadly.
Thanks, all – yes, I thought about the entrance feature of the Gilwood – decided this was just a “once in a lifetime” experience with this starling – Madamewingn – no I did not let this starling go on purpose – I just could not grab it with the sack like a smaller bird and it got away.
P.S. On the Gilwood box, DH and I did modify this plan somewhat, as I believed it needed some additional ventilation, even with the bigger entrance opening. This also gives some additional light in the event I need to put hole reducer on it. We also made it a top opened, as well, so I could take pictures better. Notice the hinge in the back and hasp on sides to keep it down securely – I really love these extra features, since I am only 5′ tall I had to stand on a step stool to see inside my top opener boxes. This way I monitor & clean out from the front opening and can take pictures from the top when needed.
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