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That explains why you have room for that many boxes. We have 5 acres here, but only about 2 acres is yard and the rest is fenced off as pasture. I have 4 boxes in the back yard, and by putting each box at the opposite corners of the back yard, they are approximately 300′ apart, which is the recommended distance for blues. I have not tried pairing yet, as I had TRES about 2 years ago and they had a failure (all 6 babies died in box I believe from mites) and they have not been back since.
Diddy, welcome! Maybe your previous years’ nesting was the 2nd nest for that pair and the first one was in different location? Not familiar at all with Main, but know it would be in the cooler climates but still should have the first nesting before June. Our season here in Missouri begins in late March/early April, and yes I had 3 different broods in one season for several years. My current pair usually only has 2 broods. Good luck!
Linda, welcome to this forum! We here share information on our experiences, trials, tribulations and joys. Your story in your Introduction was indeed touching. Well, can’t really imagine why they would be leaving, especially if you had success before. Do you have house sparrows or house wrens there? Your profile avatar picture looks like your box is fairly close to a building and also bushes, although can’t really tell distance from a picture. Blues prefer open spaces I believe. Cardinal feathers in your box?? A cardinal should not be able to enter a 1 1/2″ hole and they are not cavity nesters. There are other “red” birds but don’t know what would be in your area. Any ant or wasp problems in the box? Did you monitor your previous nests to check on predators? Really no other ideas but I wish you luck in getting them back. Oh, did you ever feed them mealworms or suet? I feed my blues (only like a treat) and they are with me all winter here in Missouri. Check out http://www.sialis.org for TONS of great information – pretty much our bible here.
Wow, Gin – good call about going to the box after dark. I have never done this but then again, never thought about flushing mama from the nest and her not being able to find her way back. Great advise!
Gin, what on earth did you do to offend your blues? I believe on another post you said you hadn’t had any for 3 years! That would really put me in a depression, but of course most people here are interested in other birds beside bluebirds. I do enjoy others, but I “cater” only to my blues. Oh, and maybe the hummers and the Baltimore Orioles that eat at their feeder also.
My brother lives in Savannah, Georgia, and has had several bluebird nests hatch for a lot of years. However, that hurricane that went up the coast last year I believe it was, torn down about 12-15 of his huge trees, which hit is house, and also displaced all his blues. He is about 82 years old now – and I have not heard if he has replaced any boxes yet, but I doubt it since he still had a lot of work to be done from the storm. Get those blues back there! P.S. Just teasing, and I know you wish the same, even though I’m sure it is less stressful.She sits most of the time, taking a few outings per day, but she will sit on the nest all night. A lot depends on the weather, so during cooler days she will say on the nest longer. But she does take time out a few times per day. Incubation period is approximately 14 days. Papa blue will also feed her some times when she is incubating.
David, after wrens know where the nest and hole for it is, a guard is not nearly as effective, since the idea of the guard is to cover up the hole so they don’t see it. But it sure can’t hurt to go ahead and put it on, and like Lisa said, you will need to watch to be sure she will go in, especially if she has been incubating. Those wrens are very sneaky – I was out doing some yard work today and heard one, but it was not close to where my box is where mama is incubating 5 eggs. Good luck.
Don’t know, but those wrens are sneaky – do you have a wren guard up? I didn’t think I had any HOWR around but saw one yesterday, so I’m glad I went ahead & put up guard. No other ideas, especially if you have the box baffled. P.S. I didn’t know you could use mono and spooker at the same time – I have never used the mono myself because of the tangling threat later on. Unfortunately, nothing is foolproof. Keep us posted. Bet it was HOSP or HOWR though.
My Easter prayers have been answered I believe! When I went out to check the box a few minutes ago we saw that mama was off the nest so I opened top of box, gently felt the eggs, AND THEY WERE WARM! Meaning that she was incubating – I dotted one egg to see if it will be rotated, But at least I have hopes now that they will hatch, but only time will tell.
Now if that axle grease will work. I believe I will look for that DE powder this afternoon, too, just in case some ants made it up the greased pole somehow.Scot, I usually don’t get in a big hurry about setting the Van-Ert. I make sure he has a mate and then let them put in a SMALL amount of nesting material & be truly committed to the box and then set it, maybe 2 days or so. But you must watch the trap closely after setting it, especially with the TRES around. Any sign of blues there?
Probably – my hubby uses it for our boat trailer wheel bearings. Glad your blues accepted the spooker okay. Don’t forget to check the nest to be sure there are not ants there already before you grease pole!
Thanks, Renee – I was able to just exchange the boxes with nests since I had an identical box. However, like I said, the old nest was from a different box last year so it was too large. Hope in my making it to fit this smaller Gilwood box I did not mess up, since the ant infestation was so bad, this is what I thought best to do. Since it is after lunch now I believe I will go out and check box – whistle for mama to see if she is in there, and then mark the eggs. P.S. Lesson learned again – don’t wait to grease pole until you see ants – do it as soon as you see them building a nest or at least until one egg is laid.
