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Welcome, Cardon! You have come to the right place. Lots of friendly and smart people, here, to help you along the way. You’ll do great!
Randy
Bedford, New HampshireThank you, Gin. You are very kind. I enjoy both the art and science of bluebirding, and I certainly enjoy being here. Thank you for having me!
Randy
Bedford, New HampshireI do not like house wrens.
I do not like them here or there, I do not like them anywhere…
Randy
Bedford, New HampshireThanks for the information, David. Yes, I remember you mentioned that you had lived in Windham. Great town! It has just been so unbelievably cold and wet, this Spring. Everything is brilliantly lush and green, but it is simply too cold for this time of year. The forecast has it up into the 80’s next week, however. In my humble opinion, my property is darn near perfect for blues, and my box is in an ideal spot. It is shaded, and lots of lawn and mature trees. Always thankful for any bluebirds, but if I don’t get three fledges, I will be disappointed.
Randy
Bedford, New HampshireVery nice! With the timeline you envision, do you anticipate a round three, where you are in VA? I am only 4 days out from my first fledge, but I anxiously await the return of my pair for the start of round two. We are still rainy and cold, with an anticipated high of only 49 degrees tomorrow. With the protracted Spring, up here, I am hopeful of three fledges, this year.
Randy
Bedford, New HampshireGin,
There is actually a waiting list to join the legion of folks who believe that I am the village idiot… I am not certain my wife is still interviewing, at this point. :)
If any spots open up, I’ll let you know…
Randy
Bedford, New HampshireCongratulations, Susan! I am very happy for you! Just goes to show you that I have no idea what I am talking about! Or as my wife often reminds me, I know less, about more, than anyone else in the world…
Randy
Bedford, New HampshireVery kind of you, David. Thank you! I have certainly appreciated everyone’s advice and support. Like I said, it was a very good day. Today, I rehabbed the nest box, made some improvements, and put it back out on the pole. More because it is part of our property, than trying to rush the next nesting. My wife and I were working out in the yard all day, and at one point, all 7 members of the bluebird family were together, drinking from the puddles created in the street by the over-spray of the irrigation system. I was on my tractor, and didn’t have my phone, but it was a very nice reminder of why we do all that we do for these spectacular birds.
Randy
Bedford, New HampshireThank you, Carol! I am rooting for you and your blues! Keep us updated, okay?
Randy
Bedford, New HampshireToday was a very good day! All five of my nestlings have fledged, and I was able to observe them all take flight! It didn’t start out so well, this morning, but I learned a great deal in the process. At 6:30AM mama and papa blue were calling loudly for the babies to fledge; it was obvious. Twenty minutes into the back and forth between parents and nestlings, the Cooper’s Hawk lands right on top of the nest box! He only lasted about 30 seconds before they had successfully chased him off, but now I think I understand why it took 20 days in the box for my babies to fledge. On day 17, the parents were calling to the babies, as they were again this morning. They abruptly stopped, and went back to the feeding and cleaning routine, for two straight days without trying to entice the nestlings to fledge. My hunch is that the hawk was nearby, and I did not see him. Mama and papa blue did. I think they allowed the nestlings to stay inside the box for safety’s sake. When they emerged this afternoon, the hawk was nowhere to be found, and the fledglings were downright athletic in the air! They all fledged within 90 seconds! Now I am blessed with the unqualified joy of listening to non-stop bluebird family chatter among the trees! They all seem so happy… as am I!
Randy
Bedford, New HampshireGin, day #19 today. One of the five is peeking at all times, so we’re close, but mama and papa have re-doubled their feeding and cleaning efforts. They stopped calling for them on day #17, and seemed to just accept the fact that they weren’t coming out for awhile. I feel like the chamber maid… “housekeeping!… I need to make up the room…”
Randy
Bedford, New HampshireI have always considered the key step in preventing HOSP tolerance of the spooker to be “removing it as soon as the nestlings fledge”, rather than deciding between deploying it after nest completion or after first egg drop. If the thing has been on for 3+ weeks (egg laying, incubation, nestling, etc.) getting it off the box, for a period, would seem to be an important first step. If it is left in-place after a successful fledge, for another 2-3 weeks, it probably won’t matter when it is officially re-deployed; as the HOSP will certainly be used to it, by then.
Randy
Bedford, New Hampshire
