Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Thanks everyone. Yes it has been a strange start this year. Julie, that is the way mine started a week ago. One day a nest appeared and it took another day or two before the first egg appeared. Sky (is your name Barbara?) I will add you to my list of BB watchers for annual statistics that I started last year. When you report your egg hatching and fledging data I put them on the list that I eventually share with Cornell University for their annual survey of Bluebirds nationwide. No names or locations are given to Cornell.
David
Stafford, VABaffles do help. Your nest box should be mounted on slick surface pole, metal, PCV, etc. It should never be mounted on a wood post, fence. or in a tree. Critters can climb these pols and destroy your nests. I use a stove-pipe baffle on my 5′ 1 1/2″ pcv pipe. I also have sharp edged 1/4 ” hardware cloth disks and wadded chicken wire inside the baffle to deter snakes. The nest box should be placed away from high shrubs, overhanging branches, and anything that give a critter access to the nestbox.
Here is a photo of my nest box and baffle.
David
Stafford, VAAnd one more makes 5. Didn’t see a new egg this morning before we drove to Williamsburg to see my wife’s cousin. But it was there when we returned this afternoon. Hopefully we will have a hatch around May 24.
David
Stafford, VASorry to hear this Meredith. I does sound like the evil House Sparrows but the house Wren’s could also be the culprit.. They invade established bluebird nests and reek havoc with nests, eggs, hatchlings and even the adults. Your description of the messy nest construction applies to both of these birds A predator guard can help bur will not stop a determined sparrow or wren.
There are instructions in the permanent posts above that describe a wren guard. It is pretty effective against wrens. You might also consider using a “Sparrow Spooker” on the nestbox to deter the sparrows. but nothing beats trapping and eliminating the little beasts.
There are more ideas out there and I am sure that you will receive lots of help to this post. Good luck in your next endeavor.David
Stafford, VAI have heard that the Western Blue Bird can lay 6 eggs but I do not know that for a fact. Possibly Renee could help us on that.
David
Stafford, VADon’t kick yourself for “learning”. I have a couple of suggestions. I would get that nestox out of the tree and onto a pole right away. The birds will follow it if they have eggs or young in it.
Like Carol suggested, mount it on a slick surfaced steel or PCV pipe. I have mine mounted on A 5′ 1 1/2 in PCV pipe with a stove pipe baffle to keep away predators.
And I would either take off the front of your nestbox and trim it so that you can make a door that will open from the front. (see the front of my nestbox. It opens from the top outward and is held closed by an “L” shaped screw in hook.) If the opening for the birds does not have a predator guard, I would install one as soon as you can.
Keep us posted on your progress.
David
Stafford, VA
