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Scot, please don’t use the spooker until you have a blue egg. The danger is HOSP could become habituated to it and will no longer be afraid.
Gin
Atlanta, GAScot, you could try this: http://www.sialis.org/hosp.htm#monofilament If a male HOSP hasn’t bonded with the box it might work.
Gin
Atlanta, GAI’m not all that sure a cone would work. WBU does sell a raccoon size cylindrical baffle that should work well. When a snake climbs a pole with one of those, it typically winds up in the top of the baffle. They will also try to climb the outside of a baffle and if it’s seamless they have more trouble than if there is a seam for them to use. To be really effective a baffle should wobble and that’s hard to achieve with a cone.
Some people try to get around installing any kind of baffle by heavily greasing the pole. The problem is grease has to be reapplied quite often because it hardens and feathers can come into contact with it. Neither is a good thing.
Gin
Atlanta, GAWobbling baffles are actually quite effective. Nothing is a 100% guarantee though. Squirrel size baffles are for feeders but the raccoon size will keep most things out. You do need to mount it on a pole and grease the pole up under the baffle to keep out the ants if they should wander by.
Both of the boxes need baffles.
Gin
Atlanta, GAEABL and CACH will use the same size box with the same size entry hole. I offer them boxes with the same specs and then use a reducer if necessary.
Renee is right about the EABL entering and destroying eggs. Seen that. If the hole is already smaller (is it 1.25″?) the blue shoulders won’t fit.
CACH don’t need sawdust in the bottom of a box. They are going to carry in tons of green moss as a base and then line the cup with even softer materials.
Ospreys! Lucky you!
Gin
Atlanta, GACould you put the boxes where they can’t be seen from each other? That is the best way to keep the peace. EABL aren’t always fond of CACH around here and will drive them out. If it’s me, I’m going to hope the CACH win the battle. They seem to lose so many times.
Maybe they want the same box because of the direction it faces, not just the location but neither one needs to be near trees, bushes or a fence. That is asking for trouble from predators.
Gin
Atlanta, GAHe’s not all that likely to bring nest material except in the beginning when he’s trying to encourage building. Otherwise, his jobs right now are feeding her occasionally, guarding the territory and standing around looking pretty.
What perch? Not on the box, right?
That’s sad that you haven’t seen inside an active nest. I love my side opening boxes because I can check everything.
Gin
Atlanta, GARaccoons usually don’t move around in daylight hours unless they are rabid so you wouldn’t see them. Snakes are silent of course and not always noticeable. Both are everywhere. Raccoons are even in cities. I just don’t want you to wake up to a tragedy one morning.
Do you have squirrels? They can climb and will rob nests. So will cats.
Gin
Atlanta, GAMaybe they will build and wait on egg laying. They usually wait to lay eggs until the food supply is great enough.
Gin
Atlanta, GAHere you go! http://nestboxbuilder.com/ I remember his name. It’s Fred. :-)
Gin
Atlanta, GAAfter looking at your picture I noticed something else besides the entry hole. You really need to think about another way to mount that box. The way it is now you are asking for trouble from snakes, raccoons and ants.
Is the hole really 1 1/16? Not much gets in a hole that size except a house wren.
Gin
Atlanta, GAA grackle shouldn’t be able to reach nestlings. Is the entrance hole 1.5″ in diameter? How far from the bottom of the hole to the bottom of the box? That measurement would be important also. Are there seed feeders near the nestbox? They shouldn’t be anywhere nearby if you have birds like grackles around. Just like everybody else, they defend food sources.
Wire predator guards would give any harassing bird a good place to perch. I wouldn’t use one. I would make sure the entrance hole is the proper size for starters. That should keep big shoulders out and the nestlings out of reach if the next isn’t high in the box.
Have they actually robbed a nest in your box?
Gin
Atlanta, GALat!!!! Oh I have missed you! How is the fam? All of them. And you. Updates please. I thought of your mom last week when I went looking in my stuff for the darning egg. Couldn’t find the thing.
This is December, my man. Spring? What’s that? It’s so far off I can’t even think about it.
Gin
Atlanta, GAThey do seem to like the big opening, Tammy, so they might like the slot you have if you relocate it. The birds are a little picky about the location and don’t want it out in the wide open spaces. A regular slot box is deeper than the CAWR box I have so you might want to take that into consideration also.
Gin
Atlanta, GAWhen they simply fly at a window most of the time they see a reflection of the outside world and think they can keep on flying. When they do battle with a window it’s because they see themselves and think it’s a rival.
Can you cover the windows, spray something on them temporarily, or put little sticky things on them?
I think it’s just a matter of time before somebody gets seriously hurt. That happens a lot.
Gin
Atlanta, GA
