Home › Forums › Bluebird Chatter › Season 2016 over – First dead bluebird ever
- This topic has 15 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 7 months ago by Love my blues!.
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April 11, 2016 at 2:13 pm #1361
Went to the trail today and to my horror recovered a dead bluebird with the start of a HOSP nest on top of it. I can’t even tell if it’s the male or female it is pecked apart so bad. This was a box with an extra escape hole – but not a “mansion” box. I just want to take every single box down at this point. So awful. This pair started the nest in late February and now it’s over.
- This topic was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by phillyblues.
April 11, 2016 at 7:23 pm #1363So sad. I hope you get the HOSP.
Gin
Atlanta, GAApril 11, 2016 at 7:39 pm #1364That’s awful – I just can’t imagine how these “birds” can be so vicious – if it were for food I might understand, but this is just plain mean. I am angry with my blues at this point because they won’t decide to go ahead with the nest they have completed – want to keep jumping around checking out other boxes. BUT, I love them to pieces, just like children we love all the time and don’t like at other times. Hang in there – you can’t win if you don’t try. But I can understand your frustration.
April 11, 2016 at 8:29 pm #1365Can anyone tell from this if it’s the mom or dad? I assumed more blue if it was the male.
April 11, 2016 at 8:36 pm #1366I wish I could get them. But it’s a public park and I can’t be there much other than to check every other day or so. Maybe I’ll get working on making a mansion two-holed box. The swallows are back now too, so I worry about them, but also that the bluebirds will be done with the location now. Frustrating!!!
April 11, 2016 at 8:40 pm #1367I’m sorry for your loss. I lost 7 day old Tree Swallow babies last year to Sparrows. You can’t give up, just take precautions.
My guess would be that was the female, but I,m not an expert.
Hang in there.April 11, 2016 at 10:07 pm #1368Don’t you just hate those rats birds. Looks like a female to me because of the lighter blue on the back.
When the new wears off the old shines through
When The New Wears Off The Old Shines Through.
April 12, 2016 at 7:53 am #1370That’s very frustrating. But it was a dead bluebird that first drew me to becoming the Bluebird Nut I am today. Don’t give up. You might be able to get the little devil using a VanErt trap in the box, and just hanging out for a little while near the box – parked in your car or something. Disposing of the culprit would be the best thing you could do for that poor dead mama bird.
Central NY
TMB StudiosApril 12, 2016 at 12:39 pm #1371Hmmm that’s a thought. Is it worth hiding a repeating cage trap in the bushes or something?
April 12, 2016 at 10:15 pm #1377I was going to say it was a male. I trap with a Van Ert on a walking trail. I just put the trap in and either wait in my car for awhile or go home and come back later to check it. I wait until the trail is pretty empty before removing it from the box. I’m not convinced that the two holed is better. In my line of thinking it also gives the HOSP more ways to enter. And one bluebird can’t protect both holes. Just my opinion, but I’ve never owned one.
Tammy
April 13, 2016 at 2:25 am #1380How devastating! That angers me to no end! Would definitely use the Van Ert to capture that nasty bully. So so sorry! That’s just awful.
Nicole
April 13, 2016 at 6:12 pm #1390OMG a new(?) pair was there when I checked after work today! Now I am super paranoid though! I just know those little devils are somewhere. Now I wonder if that dead one was part of a pair or not?
April 13, 2016 at 11:08 pm #1394I know you’re an experienced bluebirder, so I apologize for asking this, but did you have a sparrow spooker up? Not sure if you had eggs yet? Just trying to learn more myself. It’s got to be more difficult staying on top of these things when you have a trail.
I know that you must be really nervous for that new pair. Glad they’re there, but wish you could’ve trapped those HOSP. Praying that it all works out!
Nicole
April 14, 2016 at 8:39 am #1401Don’t apologize! I really am a rookie. My first bluebirds ever fledged last year. I have fledged a lot of swallows before though. I didn’t put up spookers but maybe I should? I always thought those were for once the eggs were laid. I was thinking of making a two hole mansion and putting that up in place once I know which box they choose.Wish I could sit there with a bb gun and take care of the problem one by one!
- This reply was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by phillyblues.
April 14, 2016 at 8:27 pm #1413You are right about the timing of the spooker. Not until that first egg.
Gin
Atlanta, GA -
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