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Good news on your 1st egg, David (other post). By the way, would you like me to send you a few HOSP since you have not seen any for a couple years – be glad to help you out!
I guess white throats and white crowned are two different sparrows? Mine around here really do have white crowns, or white stripes on top of their head. Where do you all live?
Carol, you need to get that spooker up PTONTO! That is, is you have HOSP around. No, the parents do not care about you being around the box – I try to only look inside after noon to see if a new egg has been laid. I do not touch anything inside, just open up the lid (I have a hinge on it) and peek in. My papa blue has really been faithful about watching the box and keeping other birds away, but that doesn’t mean he is there 24-7 hr. a day. Since we make our own spookers, I can’t guide you through the installation – only thing I know for sure is you need to have the mylar or whatever ribbons flying just barely above the roof of the box, enough that they will swing easily.
The wrens will be back shortly, so I will then install a wren guard for them. Good luck with your nest.
Dana, my first egg laid was this morning, also. Several of us on almost the exact time table – good luck to everyone for a good season.
Hope you found you spooker, Carol. You can gently put your hand inside the cup in the nest to feel for an egg. Just be careful not to disturb the nest. I don’t do the pictures any more – but David here does – check with him. Good luck.
Me, too, David – completed nest but no eggs yet – will be on same cycle as Dana I believe. Thanks for the pics.
Yeah, Dana – I too have a full nest built within the past couple days – we will be on the same time cycle. Hoping for that first egg within a day or two and then IMMEDIATELY the sparrow spooker will go up. Yes, something good in our lives (been quite a while) to look forward to.
You just need to gently put your hand inside to see if you feel an egg – they will wait until the right time, especially if it is a little too cool. I, too, have a BB nest built within the past couple days. With the warmer day we had here in Mid Missouri (over 70 degrees), I thought there might be an egg laid, but nothing yet. They are smart and will do what is correct (usually!).
Judy, I believe the Michigan group gave you good advise – the one thing I learned is that you can close up the ventilation slots to keep some of the cold out – kind of late now but good advise maybe for the future. We had 29 degrees last night I believe and forecast for around 31 degrees for tonight. I am thankful I do not have any eggs yet. I’ll be hoping and praying for your blues’ eggs – sure hope they make it. Yes, Mother Nature can be cruel, but sometimes she can surprise us.
Wow, Connie, eggs already – that’s great, but I am jealous. Is this a norm for you there in PA? Seems very early – my blues are just starting to scout out a box – HOSP have two boxes claimed but no full nests yet – just waiting to set my VanErt for them. Anyway, congrats – hope they make it through any bad weather. LET THE FUN BEGIN . . . . .
Well, I am another “Carol” from Missouri – glad you are back on our forum. And glad you found your sparrow spooker – my DHubby makes mine so I wouldn’t know where to find them. They are a must in my opinion to keep the HOSP away and I think it does a good job. Right now I have a pair of HOSP trying to take over all four of my boxes – I DO NOT like them! My pair of bluebirds finally started scouting and they were looking inside one today. When I checked it out there was HOSP nest claims, as there was in one other of my nests. I removed it so maybe the blues will have a chance at a nest.
Let the games begin!!!Yes, Dana, finding my beautiful blues dead in a box was a bummer – I just have to remind myself that Mother Nature is here to stay – I have to accept it, BUT SURE DON’T LIKE IT.
My two blues which are left here are beginning to get active in scouting a box – I’m not sure yet if they are the “couple” from last year or not – there is one male and one female. This brings up a good question for those here – does anyone know for sure if a bluebird would mate with one of their offspring?
I may have this situation now since I don’t know which blues I found dead. Thank you Dana, and hope you have a good season, also.
Aren’t those Juncos cute, David? I love to watch them flit around BUT sure will be glad when they “go back home”. I got in a hurry about getting mealworms and they have been in my ref. over 2 weeks now without being able to put them out. I feed them every weekend, clean out their boxes and then put them back in. Hope they don’t start dying off before I get to feed them.
