Sparrow Spooker question

[David in Stafford,VA]

I made a Sparrow Spooler from dowels and Mylar tap and installed It on the Bluebird nestbox. I have lived here almost 35 years and never noticed the almost constant northwesterly breeze that blows through my back yard – to the extent that the streamers flutter towards the right and back of the box..

1. Is this okay, or should I try to add a little weight to the ends of the streamers to keep them more vertical. I see the female bird going in and out of the nest to sit on the 4 eggs.

2. How do you deal with tangled streamers?

David
Stafford, VA

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

David, most spookers will get tangled to some extent if you get any wind at all. If mine get wet and stick together I will sometimes go out and separate them which works for a while, but they will get tangled. I don’t believe this hurts their purpose as long as they are moving somehow. Hope yours works – I still am not seeing many HOSP – in fact I have had none for quite a while now – don’t know what is going on but I LOVE it! My 5 bluebirds in 2nd nest are due to hatch any day now – could have today but I did not get a chance to check the box – parents are still around and going in & out so I am not going to bother them for a day or so.
P.S. If you want to try it I suppose some light weights on the streamers might help some.

[David in Stafford,VA]

Thanks Carol, I have been away for a week in Texas (hot – 107+ each day and had not checked te box for a while. I have 4 eggs probably started to incubate around July 7 or 8. No sparrows in sight so hopefully the spooker is helping I hav untangled the streamers twice so far and will watch for a while to see how the do.

David
Stafford, VA

[tamsea]

I’m in the same boat as you. I have a windy property so the mylar steps are always blowing off the box, rarely brushing the top.
The ideal scenario is for them to rest on the box to discourage the house sparrow from perching on the box. So I don’t think it’s as affective for us. But….I don’t think I’ve ever had a spooker box breached so it must still work.
I’ve never had my mylar strips stick together or get tangled. Are you using shiny mylar strips? I don’t think mine can tangle or stick together.

Tammy

[David in Stafford,VA]

Thanks Tammy. I am using the shiny Mylar tape – about 3/4″ wide. I cut it in half to use. The strips seem to flutter in the breeze and hang okay. I do find them stuck together in the morning if we have a heavy dew which has been almost every morning since I returned from Texas. I just use a straight twig to move them apart when I go out to do the morning mealworm feeding.

David
Stafford, VA

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