Pre-mature fledging,maybe

[mspatt]

The one adult bird in the nest was all bloody and, unfortunately,dead.I think I can mostly blame the HOSPs. There were two babies and four eggs that had hatched (fifteen days old by my calculations). There was all sorts of activity in our backyard this morning. BBs chasing all the other birds–the whole situation looks as though the mama or papa was trying to protect the babies and lost to the HOSPs.
We didn’t even consider we might be creating a problem by putting a small waterlily pond on our deck,but this afternoon I found two babies dead and floating in the pond. We immediately took the pond down, but it was a very,very hard lesson…I now have the entrance hole blocked–is it too late for BBs to try another nesting? mspatt,Ohio

[Sassy]

I am truly sorry Mspatt to read your news about your bad experience. What a heart breaking thing to happen. I am not sure they fledged too soon, 17 to 22 days is what I have read, and I know from previous experience one parent can finish the job, but with all gone they just might start a new nest. Maybe the HOSP forced them into the water as they flew out. Others probably know more about this than I do, but can you get rid of the HOSP just in case they do decide to start another family.
Connie (PA)

[mspatt]

Thanks, Connie. This is breaking my heart and I’m almost,almost ready to give up…but the mama and papa just keep plugging away, so I probably will,too.We tried so hard to keep them safe, but the HOSPs seem to win more than not. Sooooooooo sad!!Thanks again for your kind words… mspatt,ohio

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Connie said it – you need to get rid of the HOSP. DO NOT let them hatch any eggs – you need to trap and dispose of them before any eggs are hatched. It helps to have a 2nd box to keep them busy at building while your blues build in a different nest. You can keep taking the HOSP nesting material out and they will keep putting it back in. Don’t forget to put up a sparrow spooker – see sialis.org website if you are not familiar with this. In my 11 seasons I have not lost a nest to HOSP (although there are many around which I get rid of) – only lost 2 or 3 nests to house wrens. Sorry this happened to your blues.

[mspatt]

You’re right!! This is war!! We have a total of four boxes, two are HOSP nests. We will keep monitoring their nests and keep kicking them out!! There is even a directional thing on the sialis site about how to humanely euthanize them, but we won’t let them hatch any eggs!!! War!!!! mspatt,ohio

[Sassy]

That’s the spirit Mspatt. No nasty bird is going to get the best of you, or the Blues.
Go get-em Mspatt.
Connie (PA)

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