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Wow I am at least glad to hear I am not alone…but not so glad really. I wonder what is going on! If you aren’t getting them in rural Lancaster of all places, I can’t imagine how I’ll get any. Well I hope we all get late nesters. I havr tree swallows at least, but really worried about the bluebird populationd.
Thanks for the oriole tips…my wife thinks I’m nuts. I have two pretty cool perky pet full jar screw on jelly feeders, a nector feeder and a bunch of twine in the middle of my yard. I have fake orange flowers hung on the hook too. I’m determined!!! The tree swallows stopped bybthe boxes again today briefly. Hope they come back.
I have jelly feeders out hoping to attract orioles. Never seems to work even though they do pass over my yard every spring.
I haven’t seen one on my trail this year at all! The first time in 3 years I haven’t even had one checking boxes. It’s getting depressing. The weather has been so up and doan.
Sucks!!! Been there. I have a sparrow cage trap. I put a little bluetooth speaker near it and a bird house front piece over the hole ro make it look attractive…then…. I play the hosp noises, chirps on a loop to attract them in. Fills up quick.
Cleaned out the several tree swallow boxes, and noticed the one box I put up later in the season seems to have a fresh bluebird-looking nest in there. Wasn’t completely sure, but it’s very neat and tightly woven. Then just this morning I could hear a bluebird sing briefly nearby when I arrived. Scared to get too excited…say some prayers for me that it is what I think it may be. It’s been brutally hot lately. Do bluebirds tend to keep away from the boxes during the day in the midst of heatwaves?
I feel your pain here in Philly! The bluebirds on my trail (walking distance from my home) never made a nest. They just disappeared after hanging around all winter and spring. I think the weather killed this year for us. Second bad spring in a row and second year with no bluebirds. To make matters worse, My swallow pair in my yard finished the nest and then the female disappeared! The male sang out there for a week after and finally gave up! I can’t take it. Such a terrible spring. Horrible cold spells, rain, winds. Depressing. Anyone know if I have a chance for bluebirds to show up for their second nest or is it too late by now? Should I clean out swallow nests on the trail as soon as they fledge?
I have trapped a few each year the past three years and see a difference (knock on wood). It’s enough that I think the hosps avoid the boxes on my property for the most part. Seemed pointless back then, but I do think it helped my hosp problem a bit. They are still everywhere around my block, but now they tend to stay away. Oh and I sprinkle holy water around my property and boxes…no joke.
Where did they go!!!! My bluebirds are nowhere to be found. Around all winter, investigating the boxes in March and April, a pair looked ready to build. Now nothing around in two weeks.
Good luck to you, Susan! Second week of April and still in the 30s!! I wish I could entice blues to my yard. I git tree swallows to nest last season for the first time ever so I imagine it is a matter of time before bluebirds take a shot. Do you ever mix live ones in with the dry mealies? I would love to get some to feed here! So lucky.
