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Chris, sounds like you are getting the hang of the VanErt – good for you on keeping an eye on it. Unless it is real hot I don’t worry about being gone for a short time (1 hr or less) and NEVER leave it set all night. I have set the trap during a prime time and after watching and nothing caught by nighttime, I stuff the hole with something for the evening and very early in the morning before it turns real light, I will go out and take out the stuffing. Just caught a male HOSP a few days doing this. P.S. I do remove most of the nesting material in before setting the trap, but do leave some so they will know it is their claim.
I have been feeding my 5 newly fledged blues, plus the parents for some time now and have three eggs in the new nest. I will go broke guying worms – however I do not give them all they want as I am a firm believer they need to hunt for their main diet. Will be gone this weekend so they will have to fend for themselves (another reason not to overfeed those worms).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.
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 . . .
Judy, also got to view your photo. Like your heat shields with the nice size space between house and shield for ventilation. Curious, you mentioned your “Western Special” with a larger floor, larger hole, and thermal shields. (The south shield is not on.” I’m curious how large is the new floor and what size hole you have. You need to keep the 1/2 inch hole for sure to keep out predators – you will have heartbreak if not. I have used Gilwood style boxes for at least six or seven years now, changing from another style I began with in 2008. My first Gilwood floor size was a little small, not even 16 square inches, so decided to make more with a little more floor space, almost at 16″ square now and having good luck. P.S. Bluebirds do not like a “large” floor size as a rule – found out that the 16 square inch floor is just what they like. But, then again this is just a guideline – there are always variances. Hope you have luck. P.S. Did you move to a highly populated area in Los Angeles – blues like open areas as a rule.
Parents will usually begin another nest after about 10 days or so – they are kept busy feeding the new fledglings and teaching them to hunt. My second nest was completely built in about 10 days and I’m expecting an egg today, as I saw them on the new box again. Trapped another HOSP this morning and another one will get it soon, as he is on a different box (I have 4 boxes).
Carol, the reason the spooker did not deter the HOSP was because they were already committed to that box and partial nest – just like a bluebird would be. That is the reason a bluebird mama will usually not be afraid to go in the box after her egg is in there – just like being pregnant – she is committed. I would keep taking out most of the nesting material until your trap arrives, hopefully soon. At least this is keeping the HOSP busy and away from your blues.
Do you have more than one box up – this is really a good way to trap HOSP – keep them busy at one box while the blues have a chance for the other GOOD LUCK!
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.
Isn’t that a beautiful sight – Congrats Chris – Have an idea when mama started incubating so you will know hatch date? Do you have a sparrow spooker up – also wren guard if you have wrens in your area? The sparrow spooker is a must – check out some of the posts on this forum. Stovepipe baffle is a good thing – glad you have it for the crawling critters. Hope everything goes smoothly.
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.
Glad your mama blue is on target – My pair are just now (just 7 days after fledging) staking claim to their box again, which is about on target for me in Mid-Missouri. I have only seen one fledgling come to the worm bowl – but parents are still feeding them in the trees. I hadn’t seen mama blue for about 2 or 3 days and I was getting extremely worried – but she showed up, WHENW !! Glad you took off the blue from the box – really, if a person thinks about it, out in nature the birds nest in trees and anything natural colored.
P.S. Is the “family” eating you out of house and home on the worms? I bet they are.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.
Judy, I believe that is correct that they do not start rotating the eggs until she begins incubating, which would be after the last egg is laid. Will be an interesting nest – keep us informed. Sure believe David is right about not trying to move the one egg – let them take care of it if needed.
Yeah David – isn’t that a relief when they fledge, knowing you have done all you could and the rest now (except for little extra feeding) is up to parents & fledglings. Mine have been gone about 5 days now – see parents taking worms up to the trees but have not actually seen the babies much – too many tree limbs and leaves. Can’t wait to see them come to the worm bowl!
