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I transfer them into a mesh laundry bag and a swift quick swing to a hard surface does the trick. I have accidentally let them sneak out on the transfer so it us very important to not allow the slightest escape hole. They are sneaky devils.
Still no eggs. My pair completed the nest about a week ago. The weather has been absolutely miserably cold though. Is it common for egg laying delaying due to weather? I was thinking there would be 4 or 5 eggs by now.
Hi Barbara,
I used a spooker last year after getting great advice here. I had a sparrow attack on some nestlings that were ready to fledge 2 years ago and wanted to prevent it from happening again last year. I made it out of a couple pvc pipes and some reflective bird deterrence tape I got off amazon. It did the trick. Only put it up after eggs are laid to avoid the sparrows getting used to it.
Back to winter yesterday and today in SE PA! Supposed to warm up again tomorrow. Glad I don’t live further north with the snow they are getting.
Finally got a little stretch of nice days. Yesterday the female started building while pops looked out. They let me and the dogs watch pretty close.
I am kinda bummed. Since this bad weather I haven’t seen my blues on the trail boxes. Today was really nice and I expectes to see them but nope. Also the field I have them in is increasingly being traveled by constant dog walkers who have discovered the park. Not sure if this bothers them at all. Hope not.
I think they come from Home Depots and Lowes🤣. Yeah like you my “bulk” trappongs are very infrequent now and most of my catches are box trappings. I truly wish we could figure out what has causes HOSP major decline in Europe so we could replicate it here There must be a reason.
Yep. When I lost my babies on fledge day to a sparrow I was on a rampage like Rambo. I dedicated the next two years to trapping. 160 or so later….making a little dent. Have a nearby neighbor helping now too. And the advice here on using spookers at justvthe right time helped my 2021 babies succeed.
Thanks Carol! For me this is a transformation of a neighborhood one year at a time! Bluebirds haven’t been heard here for decades. So neat to see a year where I actually have seen more bluebirds than sparrows in a week. This has been a very difficult year for me and I am hanging on by a thread lately….but the bluebirds give me a spiritual spark of happiness. I can’t afford yet to move to a place where they are conmon. But some day I hope. Merry Christmas to you as well and God bless!
Thanks! Great job to you too Tammy. I am sure it was you and others that gave me the spark to give it a go. Seemed hopeless. I remember a very inspiring youtube video of a guy who said he was catching 500 a year for 2 or 3 years and now he is down to a handful. People joked that you’ll never get rid of them so what’s the point? I figured you have to start with your own yard and block and not worry about the whole area. I have a theory that bluebirds hear that hosp sound and move on. Today was a big day. While I have seen bluebirds once in a bluebird moon….this week I have been seeing them regularly. Today I had 4 or 5 hanging around off and on all day! Hard to believe I really thought I’d never see the day. So excited what spring may have to offer. Now if they woild just darnwell find my mealworm feeder!! They just won’t get close enough yet.
