[Scot]

Trying to post pics from my drop box account. Not succeeding. Very frustrating. I wish this site made posting pics easier.

[Scot]

[Scot]

Gin, I know, thanks. I just installed the brackets to get it ready for use once I have eggs.

[Scot]

That’s exactly what I’m gonna do. I bought a drst, and a couple of van erts, which I’ll use on weekends when I can monitor. Also have sparrow spooners and plan to put fishing line on the top and around the entrance. Thanks for the input.

[Scot]

Thanks, Carol.

The problem is I’m rarely home. I work long hours. I leave early in the morning and return when it’s almost dark. Setting those traps requires monitoring all day long.

[Scot]

Thanks all.

Interestingly, I went in to both my boxes today to open them up, and each had a HOSP nest, which I guess they made to roost in for warmth. I removed the nests and left the boxes open.

[Scot]

I have a flock that came back too. Two males and two females. In the beginning they would each go in and out of the nest box I have up in which they had a baby in the Spring. I thought they were preparing to use it to roost in through the winter to keep warm at night. Then house sparrows took it over and use it daily for warmth I presume. Does anyone recommend doing anything about that, or should I leave things be until Spring?

[Scot]

What do you do if the blue bird goes in and gets trapped? Is it easy to release them?

[Scot]

Awesome suggestion, Deb. Thank you.

Where do you buy the VanErt trap from?

[Scot]

Thanks for the advice, Carol. Unfortunately,
That frequency of monitoring is not possible due to my job constraints.

Any other ideas?

[Scot]

Hi all,

While we are on the topic, I have a pair of blues who have been preparing for round 2 for almost 2 months. After they fledged one, they built 3 nests in the three boxes I have in my backyard. Since then, the parents come daily and the father goes in and out of each box, but still no eggs and I’m beginning to think there won’t be any.

Yesterday, for the first time this year, a male HOSP sat on top of one of the boxes with a BB nest in it and looked like he essentially claimed it. He hasn’t started to build a nest.

Any advice on what course of action to take, if any?

Thanks.

Scot

[Scot]

My pair have made their third nest without laying a single egg. Very frustrating.

Scot
Collegeville, PA

[Scot]

I’m in the suburbs of Philly.

My sole baby blue fledged about 3+ weeks ago, disappeared for 2 weeks somewhere, and then reappeared, usually accompanying dad and begging to be fed. It was quite a treat to watch. The pics I have are priceless.

The day he fledged I cleaned out the nest box. They built another nest in the same box the next day in under 8 hours, in addition to one they built in one of my woodpecker boxes a few days earlier before the nestling fledged. They looked to be in quite a hurry to get going on round 2.

Since then(22 days after the second nest was built), there are no eggs. The parents are still around.nthe father goes in and out of the box as if to look for eggs only to find none. The mother will go in and stay for 15 minutes or so in the morning, but still no eggs. It’s quite disappointing. Hopefully the female starts round 2 soon.

In the meantime, I’ve got 6 baby swallow nestlings providing me entertainment.

Scot
Collegeville, PA

[Scot]

It’s gut wrenching! And I’m convinced the father is more impatient then I am, as he goes in and out regularly looking for that first egg. The female was just in there this morning for a few minutes, but she does that and then disappears for the day.

[Scot]

While we are on the subject, any recommendations for a quality,net affordable, pair of binocs? I have a Carson 8×25 with a 6 degree(315 feet) field angle that is fog and waterproof. They’re cheap and were given to me. I know I can do much better.

[Author]

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