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Okay, box has good ventilation & does not face afternoon sun, so will leave it alone for now and hopefully they will fledge before temps reach in the 90’s. Thanks all.
Wow, quite a video! When that cowbird went out of the hole I noticed it had no problem and the hole, from what we can see, does look large. Hope you get the problem solved.
Great Randy – Hope I am that happy in about 12-13 days when mine fledge. Makes all that worrying during egg laying, hatching, etc., worthwhile, doesn’t it? Now it is relax and enjoy them time!
Evie, this is strange because my current box of 5 babies has a very shallow nest. When I looked the day they were born, they were so deep in the “cup” (like Gin says ‘loosely put’)I could hardly see them. Tomorrow they will be 4 days old and I plan to peek again, if it is not raining.
I was a little worried because parents began feeding those babies meal worms the very next day after they were born. I had read that newborns do not digest them properly, so I was thinking that may have been the trouble with the 1st nestlings which died at 7 days old. I blamed it on the cold, damp weather, but it got me to thinking because they began feeding them worms right away also. Right now everything seems to be okay, so I will think positive and believe the parents know what they are doing!Connie, I never check during the actual egg laying process until around noon. My monitoring I was referring to was after babies are hatched. No, you definitely do not want to spook her off the nest if she is laying eggs or she could possibly drop one on the ground! NO, NO!
Congrats – you deserve to be happy.I usually whistle softly when I am not sure she is in there and want to check, or gently tap on the box and she will fly out. This way she is not “scared off” by opening the box.
Tammy, I have had two (different years) wren attacks that I can think of without looking at my record book. I believe my blues went on and built in a different box each year. I would think once the wren finds that box/hole it is going to go back to it, at least in the same season. I am a firm believer in having more than one box to keep those “unwanted” birds busy while the blues are nesting. I have 4 boxes in my backyard, and I am always removing either sticks or HOSP nesting and/or trapped. That’s my theory, keep them busy so they will leave the blues’ nest alone. Of course, you have to get that blues’ nest first. I know some people may not have the room for that many boxes, but even 2 boxes I believe would help. Anyone else think the same?
Sure didn’t know some people have used spookers on a feeder. I always knew not to put spooker on before 1st egg but was unaware you could put on wren guard if you had an experienced pair that had accepted it in the past. That is really something good to know. I have actually had more problems and destruction by wrens than by HOSP, and I’m assuming one reason is that those spookers work! (and of course we can take care of the HOSP)
Gin, thanks for clarifying that – about needing to wait on the spooker so HOSP don’t actually get used to it. That clears things very much.
Yes, I agree with Gin – the females are not too smart, that is why we catch them most of the time. I have lost a few during my tenure with BB and a lot of times they return for more. P.S. I really do much prefer to catch males and feel a little sorry for the dumb females. BUT, it takes two to tango!
Lisa, in my Bluebird Presentation programs I do mention “Now this is normal, but you know they don’t read the rules!”
Yes, clean out the box after they fledge. Bluebirds usually have at least 2 broods a season and many have 3. My blues here in mid-Missouri have had 3 different nestings almost all the 9 years I have been bluebirding. A lot depends on where you live I believe. I would not block the hole just yet – they may decide they want that box again. You might just have to fight off the HOSP as you have been doing, but it is worth it. Hope you get to see them fledge tomorrow morning maybe.
