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Understand the anxiety. With the blues finding the feeder, they should return when the NH fledge. Do you have room for another nestbox away from this house?
David
Stafford, VALisa, I am so glad the Blues returned. I know how happy this has made you.
The mishap with the nut hatches was an honest mistake. Do not be so hard on yourself, all in all things are working out.
Connie (PA)Well, the nuthatches had enough of the bluebirds and moved out. The blue nest is complete looking. I have a nice Duncroft house that I never used because I am not fond of the front opening that I received the pole for today and will put up as a peace offering to the poor nuthatches.
Lisa, your post was quite a lesson for me. I never realized nuthatches would nest in a BB box – never heard this before. SO, when I discovered a nest with 1 egg in it, which sure looked like a HOSP nest, I studied for about an hour, looking at pictures and information on the nuthatch nests, to be sure before I set my VanErt trap. Well, I was convinced it was HOSP and this morning I caught the HOSP, which unfortunately was the female. But like I say, it takes two to tango!
I do have one box which I am pretty sure has a bluebird nest in it. I’m glad they are waiting a while to lay 1st egg, as we had a cold spell the past two days, but supposed to warm up all this week here in Mid-central Missouri. Something good to do while we are stuck at home.
Carol, I could have sworn it looked just like a hosp nest and egg but after studying sails the nuthatch egg is smaller than a dime with pinkish spots.
As a weird FYI the blues nest is almost to the ceiling of the box and no eggs yet. I’ve never seen a bluebird nest so elaborate.Gee, it seems like we are hearing of a lot of firsts this year. Black Capped Chickadees ruining Bluebird eggs, Nuthatches building nests in Bluebird boxes, and Bluebird houses to the ceiling. Is the Caronavirus affecting the bird population too??
ConnieConnie, I just don’t get it! The hugest bluebird nest I have ever seen and still no egg this morning. I feel even worse for losing the nuthatches because I fear there will be no birds this year. I have literally never seen the pine straw up to the roof like this pair has done. I check every morning for an egg and nothing….
Lisa, your tall BB nest is very interesting – in all these years I have never seen one over 3 inches. It will be hard to see eggs if she does lay. Is the cup of the nest high, also? I would think it must be or she would have nothing to sit on. ??
We did have a hard freeze last night – was 30 degrees at 7:00 am this morning. I’m sure worried about my 3 BB eggs – I did cover one of the vents but not sure how much that helped. Nature will take its course. My blues are pretty faithful to me & their boxes here, so I have faith they will remain and try again if need be.
Carol, I hope things went Okay over night, but it’s too early to know how the eggs held up. We ended up down in the mid 20’s with 2 to 2 1/2” of snow. Cold and windy here today, temps at 37 degrees as of 1:27 PM, and cool temps through next week, so I guess all worked out for the best, or at least that is what I want to believe. Hope all went well for you.
ConnieBlues are back with 5 eggs.Yay! I still feel a bit guilty about the nuthatches but I hear them everywhere so I know they are well.
We had terrible weather and tornadoes over Easter weekend and I was terrified but the house is standing strong and all of the eggs unharmed. I have started with the mealworms because it is 50 degrees in the morning here and I worry about the lack of bugs. What can I say? I love my blues!
Lisa, I’m so glad both the blues and nuthatches are okay! I have chickadees in one box here, 1-2 bluebird nests and tree swallows. I’ve had some house sparrow activity at the chickadee & swallow box, but use the Van Ert later in day, when male sparrow is chirping his heart out on the swallow box. I’ve dispatched 2 this way. Hopefully we’re done. Chickadee nest was stacked so high in the box (like your bluebird nest!) that I couldn’t use a Van Ert, so I added lots of fishing line to the top of the box and hanging down. The sparrow is officially off the box, but occasionally dive bombs the chickadees flying in and out. It’s nuts. Hopefully I’ll get him with the DRST.
I know you had a nuthatch mishap, but wanted to reinforce Carol’s idea of 2 boxes to help with sparrows. This system works well for me. I start using Van Ert in late Feb. getting some male sparrows out of the way early. In spring, I’ll often have blues nesting in one while I’m catching sparrows in the other. It works.
Where we live in PA, in 2018 they cleared older trees out in a nearby glen/public park. This has created a huge vacuum for cavity nesters, which is why I put up more boxes. Maybe something similar happ’d near you to send those nuthatches looking for a home!
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