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Hi all,
Hope everyone is doing well and had a nice Winter. To my surprise a pair of bluebirds had begun nest building earlier this week (March 11th). The nest now looks complete. Hopefully they will hold off on egg laying. It’s suppose to turn cold again this coming week. This is the earliest they have ever nested in my box. I’m excited as I’m hoping for 3 broods again this year like the past 2 years…providing all goes well. (Here in Pennsylvania the norm is 2 broods).Dana in Lancaster, PA
Dana, congrats on your early bluebird nest. I have seen my pair of blues the past few weeks but they have no nests started yet. But those sparrows have been trying to build nests, which I keep pulling out all their straw when I see it. I believe the pair of blues will be building a new nest within the next few weeks, but I hope they wait a while for the warmer weather.
My BB nests last year were all with white eggs (not blue) and this was a really nice change. The white eggs hatched the blue babies just like normal. Come on spring!!Carol,
That’s really neat about the white BB eggs! Regarding the house sparrows, have you tried using the Van Ert Trap to get rid of them? Last year in the Spring I trapped a male house sparrow and discarded him. He was trying to usurp the box from the bluebirds. Once I got rid of him the bluebirds moved right in and they had 3 successful nestings after that.Dana,
Lancaster, PADana. I have used the VamErt trap to get rid of the house sparrows for lots of years, can’t really remember when I bought them. They are absolutely a must to get rid of the sparrows – my thoughts are if you are not “able” to get rid of the sparrows, you probably should not put up any boxes at all – they will just keep making nests & generate more of those vicious birds. Sure hope I have good look this year ridding those sparrows as I have had in the past..
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