Sparrow spooker plan & info.

[blue diamonds]

That’s terrific news……a sparrow spooker is one of the best tools to detour sparrows. Yay‼️

Judy – Michigan

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Oh, how wonderful – so glad mama blue accepted the spooker (I really believed she would) and wonderful the babies hatched. Now the long wait for fledging.

[phillyblues]

Thanks for all the advice Carol. If this works I will be thrilled. Lost my babies to a sparrow last year the day they were fledging! One made it out but the rest perished…in my hands. We don’t have a lot of bluebirds around here yet but I aim to change that.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by phillyblues.

[blue diamonds]

Nice picture….looks like all 5 hatched. Congratulations‼️

Judy – Michigan

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Philly blues – can’t imagine what you went through when those birds perished in your hands – you are brave. PLEASE, PLEASE EVERYONE – PUT UP A SPARROW SPOOKER WHEN YOU HAVE A NEST YOU WANT TO HATCH SUCCESSFULLY.

P.S. Another item to remember – do not leave the spooker up after a nest has fledged. The theory is that the HOSP will get too used to that spooker, like it is an actual part of the box and then he will not avoid it. It must be put up AFTER the 1st egg is laid – parents are committed and it will be new & scary to the HOSP and others.

[phillyblues]

Yeah Carol it was heartbreaking getting that close and bam! Here’s the latest. Would this be a young couple if they only have 4?

• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by phillyblues.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Four is probably what most parents have in my opinion. Lot depends of weather, competition, etc. but four is really the best number I think. I have had more problems with 5 eggs than with 4 – but that is just my experience. Come to think of it most 5 eggs nests seem to be in the spring – later when it is real hot it is harder on the babies.

P.S. Nice picture but remember about using a flash on newborn birds – not proven but could possibly be hard on their young eyes – something to think about and maybe explore.

[tamsea]

Sorry that I’m never on. I wish we could get notificiations from this group but they don’t seem to work for me. I’m busy with Grandkids most days.
But I love the Sparrow Spooker plans from Fred, who used to frequent this group, years ago.
Scroll down a bit to get to it and click on the PDF link. I use the one that has a quick mount/dismount. http://nestboxbuilder.com/nestbox-predator-controls.html

• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by tamsea.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by tamsea.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by tamsea.

Tammy

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Hi, Tammy – have missed you and glad you have not forgot us. Yes, Fred has some good plans for predator controls – everybody has their favorite and the main thing is that we put the necessary controls on the box instead of waiting to find a nestbox that has been raided and babies killed.
This year I believe I have a new pair of blues, especially the papa – he’s just doing a few things differently from last year. I’m not sure about the female but am concerned – she laid the 1st egg on Wednesday and when I went to check in the afternoon today (Thursday) there was still only one egg. But we had a terrible rain/wind storm today early in the morning and am thinking maybe this deterred her from laying the 2nd egg, but this does not usually happen. Hopefully I’ll find a 2nd egg tomorrow. Have fun with those grandchildren.

Just got a new shipment of 10,000 mealworms – they will go quickly with the 6 or 7 I’m feeding now and with a 2nd nest of babies coming up soon. Fun, Fun . . .

[Chris]

Here is my sparrow spooker its the one i bought from sparrowtraps.net i think. The parents accepted it.

I know i should have a wren guard on there also, but i was out of town 7 days, im pretty sure Mom was incubating when i got back. I would have felt alot more comfortable installing one if they were still in the egg laying process.

Last year installed a spooker on a box with eggs after i discovered a red shouldered hawk perching on the birdhouse. I think that helped, and also working from home allowed me to chase it off when it came around.

Chris

[Chris]

This is what i don’t want to see. I think the same hawk this spring killed the male during the first nesting attempt.

Chris

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Chris, your sparrow spooker & baffle looks just great – ought to keep those HOSP & crawling varmints away. I have the same problem as you do regarding the wren guard – I’m not sure if my mama blue this year is the same one from last year and don’t know if she will accept the guard and we will be out of town over the weekend. I will not put it up until we get back on Sunday so I can monitor it.

[tamsea]

Chris, there’s a good chance this is not the same hawk. This is a Buteo instead of an Accipter and buteos don’t normally hunt birds. It occasionally happens but not at all the norm. They aren’t fast enough. They mainly look for critters on the ground. This one is probably just perching on your housing. The culprit was probably a sharp shinned or a coopers.
I know the frustration though. Years ago I had a coopers gouge my daddy bluebird right after his babies fledged.

Tammy

[phillyblues]

I had to chase off a blue jay waiting for heads to pop out I assume.
Here’s my makeshift spooker.

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Good job – I love to watch my blues perch on top of the spooker – just like he is saying “you better not try to come here”! P.S. Are your ribbons shiny – those shiny and bright red work the best.

[Author]

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