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Glad to hear your worms from Grubco were nice, as I may be ordering from them in about a month. I was not able to get my usual 10,000 from Nature’s Way so may try Grubco again next time. But that is a way off yet. I know my family of blues are devouring what I put out (which is quite a few) in less than 5 minutes.
Great news, Rich – yes 2nd nesting is in full swing here, also. 5 eggs are being incubated and I actually put the heat shield on the box yesterday, as heat index was supposed to be 100 degrees today.
Well, I had a date wrong, she began incubating yesterday, Wednesday, June 3. She accepted this new decoration to her box and went right in about 5 minutes after she had her worms and we got out of the way!
Thanks for the info on Lantern flies – hope they do not come to my area. We do have Japanese beetles here, which are quite a pest, also. Last 2 years have been bad – don’t know what June or July will bring here. At least they do not kill a plant – they just chew on the foliage – when they get through a leaf looks like a skeleton, all the green middle of a leaf is gone.
My blues stay around all year and definitely do nest in my yard each year. I know their habits and behavior (come to my whistle for worms), which places are their favorite to scout for bugs, etc. Don’t have much experience with those that migrate – but I would assume when they find a place they like and works for them, they would return. Hope you get some nesters this year.
Never heard of lantern fly – what is it? Yes, HOSP definitely around this year, although I don’t notice much difference – they are always a pest. I’ve disposed of about 6 pairs since the season began and have one right now been on a box for about 2 weeks, just waiting for a mate and doesn’t even have a nest built, just a few pieces of grass – Dumb thing!
Judy, they did not choose my new box, it is a different one from lst nesting, but along the very back of my yard on opposite side as the 1st. I ALMOST MESSED THIS ONE UP – this nest has been built quite a while, but I never saw any action at it – just a nice nest but after almost two weeks I thought the blues (maybe a different pair) had abandoned it. Lesson learned – don’t get in any hurry and let things alone until absolutely sure! Yes, I will probably have 3 broods this year. And yes, the wrens are back – I hear them all the time and have taken out a few sticks from one particular box (the new one we just put up)! HOSP are still around, also – sure glad I have 4 boxes up – sure works as a decoy to keep them away from my blues’ nest. Glad things are going well for you.
David, great action shots – not everyone can get these. Sure glad you were there to witness them leaving. Congrats!
Well, they heard me and slipped an egg in on Saturday, a 2nd one Sunday and 3rd egg today, Monday. I have been watching this nest quite a lot, since it has been built about 10-14 days and never saw much activity. Anyway, I have 3 new BB eggs, wren guard put on 1st, and then today installed the sparrow spooker – with papa watching our every move. But she accepted the wren guard well and I’m sure she will the spooker, also. Seems like the fledglings from 1st nesting have disappeared for a while, but I’m sure they will return. Sometimes parents chase them off to protect food for new babies. And sometimes they actually help feed their siblings! (I have not had this happen, however)
Julie, no they have not began a nest yet – they still check on this one newer house all the time, but I believe it has been too wet, no dry grass to build. However, it was quite a bit warmer and also should be tomorrow, so maybe they will find something dry. Better hurry up, grandma is getting tired of this nonsense!
Julie, I only have one fridge, also, and do not have any trouble with odor. If there is a really bad smell it is probably because there are some dead worms (black) but it usually takes quite a few to do this. Also, When I feed my worms (take them out of fridge) about every 10-14 days, I always put in fresh bedding and take out any dead worms (I find using disposable plastic forks & spoons are great for this) before putting them back in fridge. A sifter of some sort works great for sifting out the old bedding. This is not one of the joys of life, but if you want to feed the worms to our previous bluebirds, it is a necessary task. Okay? Of course, I am talking about when you have to keep worms over a period of time – if somebody just buys a very small amount, like in a 100 or 500 cup, you probably would not to do this, but if you have lots of worms (probably over 1,000) you need to keep their bedding clean & take out any dead ones. I know some people do not do this, but then they probably have a small refrigerator JUST for worms!! (Ha,Ha)
David & Rich, all I can say is you both are brave to try raising the worms – that is quite a process. Back on our old forum there is a great wealth of information on this, but I am sure you have both researched the matter. A link to this is http://www.bluebirdnut.com/Feeding.htm and scroll down to “Raising Mealworms”. I had printed this info off when I first began birding in 2008 and decided not to try it. Wish you both luck in your new endeavor!
Congrats Rich on the new babies fledging – it is always bitter sweet like David said. It’s especially great to see them come back home, though. Mine are now eating out of the cage feeder on their own, with their parents, and will probably stay all winter, or at least the last group of the season will stay, along with 1 or 2 from the other broods. Good to hear most of us are helping them with the feeding of mealworms. My group always are looking for more after they clean the bowl up, but I am very serious about not overfeeding them on the worms. I have plenty of trees, fences, power lines, etc. for them to perch from and they do and hunt for food from them.
My shipment of 5,000 worms came in today and they are in containers getting fat on the wheat bran and sliced carrots. I’ll put them in the fridge tomorrow. They really are hungry after 2 or 3 days packed up in a box. I have had real good luck with both worm companies from Ohio and especially like the quick shipping with just regular mail charges. These were shipped out on Tuesday and arrived early this morning, Thursday. I sure would not want to have to order every week and pay all those shipping charges. But everyone has their favorites. My juveniles which fledged about 12 days ago are not going inside my feeder and eating on their own – been doing this about 3 days now. Quite a site. Still waiting on the parents making a new nest, but it has been raining almost every day and everything is too wet for them to build.
Julie, I have never in all my years seen anything like this with a HOSP and bluebird. My papa blue will chase them away from the feeder, but no physical stuff like you are talking. It may be because I have several boxes and usually the HOSP are busy at 3 of my 4 boxes, while my bluebirds take care of and raise baby blues in the remaining box. Good for him!
