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I think mineral oil might work. I use cooking oil to get stickiness from pine trees off my hands. Also use it on sticky price tags stuck on things…..takes the stick residue off with little effort. Good luck.
Judy-Michigan
Wow…..exciting news. I’ve been watching for your post about fledging, I knew it was coming up soon. Did you get to see them go? Congratulations on all of them surviving….they definitely went through some bad weather days and nights. I hope they return to help out Ma & pa with the next brood. That will be so fun the watch.
Judy-Michigan
Yay….that’s very cool‼️ So happy all your coverings and cold proofing worked! On Facebook many people have reported loosing eggs and hatchlings due to the extreme cold temperatures. Great job!
Judy-Michigan
Rich, I think what see and hear points to good news. I’ve been wondering if your coverings and cold proofing of the bluebird box worked. Hopefully you will have 5 beautiful hatchlings when you are able to check. I would not open the box until it warms up, should only be a few days. Good luck!
Carol, how exciting that yours are almost ready to fledge! I remember you had some worrisome cold evening too. Looks like everything is working out great. Hope you get to see them fledge. Happy birding!
Judy-Michigan
Connie, I hope the game warden is able to help you. Now that you are taking the mealworm/feeders in at night will help too. Also, like that you moved the bluebird house up higher. Happy your pair is still hanging out. That’s a good sign. Trail camera is a great idea….just so you can see how big this bear is. Warmer weather might help too…..mr bear can eat vegetation. 🌱🥬🥦🥕🥒 Hang in there!
Where is SPRING?
Judy-MichiganLast night broke the record low for May 8 temperatures in Michigan…..set in 1983. The low was 27 degrees in my area. I had the back and sides of the Bluebird box wrapped, yesterday I decided to add wool socks stacked up under the box, between the baffle and bottom of the box. Hoping this would help keep those eggs warm. We are not out of the woods until next Wednesday for freezing temperatures. I’m optimistic all will turn out well. I think papa blue might be lazy….I do not see him carrying food to mama blue(lol).
Judy-Michigan
Oh my gosh….what can you do about a bear coming into your yard. We don’t have bears around here. Wondering if you bring all your mealworms/birdseed in for awhile, maybe he will forget where you live. So sorry about your hatchlings. I sure hope things change for the better. Best of luck….
Judy-Michigan
Wow….I thought bluebirds were tidy. I have not experienced a messy nest yet. Good thing they only have six more days before fledging. Do you think maybe they are first time parents? Well wishes to you and your blues.
Judy-Michigan
Hi Rich, I’m worried too….I keep watching the weather forecasts, hoping the low temperatures go away‼️ Friday and Saturday both below freezing 25 & 30. The way I see it when temps are too hot I put things on the box to cool it, so why not try to keep it warmer when it’s extra cold with another layer. I made a 3 sided covering (long enough to tuck under the box). I fit it to a twin box not in use, so I didn’t have to fiddle around when putting it on the box in use. Had it already to attach with a strap and some tape….the process only took a few minutes. Mama blue accepted it. This is day 2 for brooding. I’ve done my best and hope it works. Good luck to everyone!!!
Judy-Michigan
Carol, my box is made by “Nature’s Way”. Of my 4 boxes this is always the fist box chosen even with changing it’s location. Yes, it does get hot here, but not as hot as MO. Yesterday I read an interesting article comparing two nesting boxes and cold temperatures. One box had side vents with the u shaped entrance hole the other had no side vents with round hole and vent above the hole. The u shaped hole box had less severe cold temps (lowest temperature 28, below freezing 2 nights), but eggs were lost to cold. Box with round hole had colder nights (lowest temp 19, below freezing 4 nights), but all eggs hatched. Maybe it was because of the larger u shaped entry hole……the box was colder. Probably will work opposite in hot weather. I’m sure it depends on mama’s brooding skills too.
I’m finding all of this fascinating. Thanks for your help.
Judy-Michigan
Well….I took my tape out with me when I did today’s nest check……already to tape up the side vents. To my surprise there are none. I guess in this case that is a good thing. There is a vent above the door, should I tape that up? That would leave the entry hole and 4 small bottom drain holes.
Good news, egg #5 today.
Judy-Michigan
Hi Countrygirl…..great to hear from you! TRES are fun to have and they get along with the bluebirds so that’s a win win. It’s still really early for bluebirds especially as far north as you are. So, I hope they are headed your way soon.
We had the first Baltimore Oriole show up here May 29th. May 2nd we saw the male and female orchard oriole. Today the first hummingbird‼️ Almost forgot the grosbeaks showed up today also. I love migrating time…….I see so many cool birds.
Have a great birding season, you are off to a good start.
Judy-Michigan
Thanks Carol…..I think I will tape up both side vents for sure. Wind probably makes things worse. I’m pondering using a piece of batten insulation around the sides, bottom, top and back. Nothing on the front. Box faces south/east. Anyone ever tried this?
Judy-Michigan
I’ve been keeping the wren busy with the dummy box. Thanks for the advice Carol. You and Connie should have fledglings at the end of this week. That’s really exciting!
Today should be egg #5. Weather forecast for later this week is predicting two days of below freezing temp, one day as low as 26 degrees…….brrrrr. Can I assume if mama blue is brooding the eggs should be fine? I have never had eggs this early before.
Judy-Michigan
Yup…..all went well with the wren guard. She laid egg #3 today. They were super skittish yesterday, so I was a little worried. Well I knew they would be coming….the house wrens showed up this morning. I heard at least two. I was hoping to get hatchlings before they arrived.
Carol….I’m trying one of your ideas. I put up a dummy box to let the wrens fill with sticks and keep them occupied. Will they stay interested if I remove the sticks daily? Sure hope it works‼️
Judy-Michigan
