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philyblues, it is bluebirds that are checking the box out, not sparrows. I’ve seen them going in since but not with nesting material. I wonder if they’re using them at night to keep warm.
Carol
East TennesseeThank you for the apology Mark. I guess we each misunderstood the other. What I meant in the first sentence of my post was that I’m changing my nest box because of the v-shaped roof and not because I think it’s more attractive to wrens and HOSP. I can see where the way I worded it could be misinterpreted.
I’m actually adding a second nest box. They both will be Gilwoods and will both have wren guards that will work after the bluebirds lay the first or second egg.
A bluebird trail is a big undertaking. I imagine it would be quite rewarding.
Carol
East TennesseeI want to apologize to everyone else in this thread. I don’t normally respond to anyone in such a way, but I felt like Mark was extremely rude to me. It wasn’t necessary to reply to me in the sarcastic manner that he did. I will try not to post in this thread again, at least not in response to him.
Carol
East TennesseeFor some reason I am unable to edit my posts anymore. I don’t remember this happening in the past.
Mark, FYI WBU stands for Wild Birds Unlimited, which is a bird store in my town and also throughout the US. I’m not sure what you meant by WBC/WBU but am well aware it was a dig at me.
Carol
East TennesseeI guess you can’t edit your post more than twice. I was reading it again and realized that I’ve provided nest boxes for bluebirds for more like 15 to 20 years than the “at least ten years” that I stated in the above post.
Carol
East TennesseeMark,
The nest box that I currently have set up is an approved EABL nest box from Wild Birds Unlimited. I use a Van Ert Trap and a sparrow spooker. It does not have a gabled roof. The roof has a v-shape instead of being flat. I did not call it a bird house with a gabled roof. Those were your words. You put “nest box” in quotes as if to say that’s not what I call it. I always call it a nest box. If I said “bird house” at some point I do know better. I consider your reply to me to be rude. Maybe that wasn’t your intention.
I have fed birds in general for about 25 years and have had nest boxes set up for at least ten years. I studied Sialis.org for a long time before setting up my first nest box. I joined this group when it was the original Bluebirdnut group on the old web page many years ago. I have only lost one nest in the years I’ve had the nest box(es) set up. That made me sad and I took down my boxes for several years. I put one up again last year.
HOWR are a big problem in the area of East TN where I live. This is from TN.gov. “Status in Tennessee: The House Wren is a common breeder in northeastern Tennessee, an uncommon but regular breeder elsewhere in East Tennessee and Middle Tennessee, and a rare breeder in West Tennessee. It is fairly common during migration statewide. The House Wren is generally present in the state from mid-April to mid-October.”
I could write more but don’t feel like I owe you a more detailed explanation.
I hope I’m doing this correctly, but I’m trying to insert a link to my nest box set up so you won’t think my box has a gabled roof. It is in no way a decorative box. https://imgur.com/H16QYiZ
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Carol
East TennesseeThank you Mark and Carol. I’m not changing my box because I think the one I have is more attractive to wrens and HOSP. It’s because I can’t use a wren guard with the v-shaped roof. Unfortunately, my back yard is small and I can’t move the box any further away from the trees than it is. The one I have set up now isn’t right next to a tree, but I can’t move it any further away.
Carol
East TennesseeThank you Carol. Maybe I can get a handyman to do this for me. I have someone coming to help me with other things soon, so I will ask him about this, too.
I do have bluebirds overwinter. They’re here year round. I was just watching a pair at my woodpecker cylinder feeder. It has bark butter (suet) and sunflower seeds, and they seem to love it. I have two pair checking out my nest box, too.
We don’t have HOSP until late spring. Last year I saw my first one the day after the bluebirds fledged. The juncos are only here during the winter.
Carol
East TennesseeThank you Carol. I just hope it won’t discourage them when I switch out the box.
Carol
East Tennesseephillyblues, the bluebirds really like this box. They’ve used it for two seasons each year for several years. Then I got so frustrated with the wrens and HOSP that I took it down for a few years. I put it back up last spring. They used it successfully for one season. I used the Van Ert trap to catch HOSP before they started using it.
After their first nesting the wrens took over and wouldn’t let them use it. They kept trying. I decided I would switch to a flat topped roof so that I could use a wren guard. Also, it was my only box. I’ve ordered a PVC box to put up that hopefully the wrens will like. I will just keep pulling their sticks out.
I’m sure there’s a way to use a wren guard with the WBU box, but I need something that I can buy.
Carol
East TennesseeMy new Gilwood box came, and I’d like to put it up in place of my existing box from WBU. The bluebird pair is spending a lot of time sitting on top of my existing box and going in and out of it. Will they be bothered if I switch the boxes? I’m attaching a link or image (not sure which, I’ve never used Imgur before) of my current nest box. I hope the link works.
As I mentioned earlier in this post, I wanted a nest box with a flat roof so that I could attach a wren shield next spring when nesting season begins.
Carol
East TennesseeGin, yes, that was one of the first places I looked. I had bookmarked it years ago. Fred has a note on his website that he has had to take a break from building due to health issues. I do hope he’s okay. I did read about the various nest boxes on his website, though, and got some good info.
I ended up ordering a Gilbertson PVC box and a Gilwood. I ordered two ready made wren guards and a PVC box style Van Ert trap. I have a regular Van Ert trap already for the Gilwood. I want to go ahead and put the boxes up since the bluebirds have started checking the box out for the spring.
Carol
East TennesseeThank you David. I’ve always used the nest boxes from WBU with the v-shaped roof. I also used a Gilbertson PVC box one time. The wrens loved the Gilbertson box, which is why I think I’m going to get one again and let them use it to build their dummy nests. I didn’t put up a nest box for several years until last year when I used the WBU box again. I think I’m going to go ahead and order a Gilwood box and a Gilbertson PVC box. I hope these will work well for me.
Carol
East TennesseeThank you very much Carol. I think I will order a Gilwood and a Gilbertson PVC box.
Carol
East TennesseeThank you Carol. I’m in East TN. Yes, I’m planning for next spring. I was excited to see bluebirds already checking out the box for the spring. I was thinking about switching the box that I have now with the v-shaped roof for another box now since they’re already checking out boxes. I want a box that I can attach a wren guard to, and I can’t do that with the box I have now. I am considering different boxes for the one I already have as well as adding a different one for the wrens to build dummy nests. I guess I didn’t explain it well as to what I’m planning, but I want two different boxes.
The Gilbertson PVC box was what I was thinking about for the wrens. I know they like that style because I used to have one. I am considering the Gilwood box to replace what I have. I read on Sialis that was the preferred box for bluebirds. I may just go ahead and order one since you like them so much. Sialis said that HOSP liked them though. I read on Duncraft’s website that HOSP don’t like them. What is your experience with that? I will definitely use a Van Eat trap when I see HOSP, but that’s a problem if both bluebirds and HOSP are checking out the box at the same time.
Carol
East Tennessee -
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