Saw my first HOSP today

[Lisa]

I’ve dealt with everything but HOSP. Saw one in my birdbath today and papa blue chased him away. I have a completed nest with no eggs. How wrong would it be to deploy the sparrow spooker since this is their 4th nest and not likely to be afraid of it?

[nhhawk6]

Lisa, personally, I would not hesitate to deploy it. I simply don’t think experienced blues care. Besides, do you want your baby blues raised by some parents who are afraid of a little red mylar? They make balloons out of it… BALLOONS! :)

Randy
Bedford, New Hampshire

[Lisa]

Thanks! That was my gut! The blues are so used to it I would be shocked if they rejected it!

[Cardon]

You just don’t want it up too early because the HOSP will get used to it.

[Lisa]

That was my dilemna…

[Maybelle]

You would probably be okay putting it up early, but I am always reluctant to do that. I would probably gamble that putting it up right after that first egg would still beat any HOSP attack.

If, however, the HOSP is showing interest in the box like sitting on top and yelling for a mate to “come see”, I have found the fastest and simplest way to tell him “No” is with a Van Ert Universal Sparrow Trap. This is faster and addresses the specific offending HOSP better than my revolving door trap. The male is known to find a site and call for a female. But while he waits he goes in and out. That’s when the door goes shut and his story is over.

Cari
Willamette Valley, Oregon

[Lisa]

First egg today so only a day early. First HOSP I have ever seen in my yard and he fled from papa blue quickly.
Now I have a wren guard dilemma…see post above…

[Author]

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