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Thanks David, I think you’re right. It’s only been about a week since they vanished. And it’s been awfully hot here. So that makes sense. :-)
Hi Carol — that was my first thought, that they are “lying low” in the heat wave. They actually don’t seem to mind the hawk. He sits way up high on a grain silo, looking down, and the BBs are as calm as can be, sitting on the wire. I admire their serenity.
Hi Julie — some mealworms were eaten last evening, so that’s good, but I didn’t see it. Maybe they are waiting until it’s not so hot, and then they make their rounds. Yes, we have an unusually vocal male here, too! Definitely feeling spoiled, as well. Such a delicate little song they have.
Hi friends, we haven’t seen our BBs at all in the past 3-4 days. They had been a regular presence in recent weeks, perching on the telephone wire or clothes pole, and singing pleasantly. And no mealworms have been eaten from the feeder. It’s been terribly hot here, so maybe they are not as active, but still, I think I’d see them once in a while, as they need food daily I assume. We do have a few hawks and kestrels nearby. (No wrens, thankfully.) Is this kind of absence normal?
Hi Carol, can you let me know what kind of wren guard you’re using? (And a link, if possible!) Thank you!
Hi Tammy, what kind of Wren Guard do you use? Could you provide a link? I’ve been trying to use one, as well, but the BBs won’t go inside when it’s attached. It seems too daunting to them, somehow. I hate to remove it, but when I do, they jump right in. Maybe I purchased the wrong kind?
Great stories!
We’ve noticed that the BBs get along fine with song sparrows, house finches, and barn swallows. They sit on the wire, or the clothes line, right next to one another. It’s very nice. A little bit of harmony in the world.
I haven’t seen them interact with mourning doves yet. (Although, the doves like to eat the millet that I sprinkle on the DRST, so in that sense, they are not helping the BBs!)
Yes, unfortunately we had to take down the suet feeders, as well. I decided to not put out anything (suet, or seeds) that the HOSP would monopolize. I felt bad, because I really wanted to provide for the songbirds, but the HOSP were crowding them out. So I decided it just wasn’t worth it.
Really enjoying the BBs, though! We have at least 4 or 5 now……!
Hi Julie, I did place some cardboard underneath the DRST, so I think it’s just overall kind of slow right now.
Everyone on this site seems to be really keen on the Van Ert…..I need to look into that!And yes, maybe things are more under control here than I realize. We were downtown yesterday, and we both noticed how the HOSP were everywhere. So perhaps we are making a positive difference out here on our little patch of land. :-)
Since we bought the DRST and stopped putting out the tube feeders (we only have a finch feeder outside now, and the meal worms for the BBs), there are noticeably not as many HOSP around (though one is still too many!).
Congrats on getting your HOSP success!
Hi Julie, our DRST is sitting on an old tire, so it’s only a foot or so off the ground. I know, everyone says to use a table, but it doesn’t seem practical to me. I think (and hope!) that the location matters more than the elevation.
So do you feel like your HOSP situation is under control, and therefore you’re not leaving the trap out as much?
Part of me feels like one HOSP is too many, but I know I need to be realistic about the numbers I will catch. Unfortunately they will always be around. I just wish they would learn a song or two. And act a little nicer. But then they wouldn’t be HOSP…..
Hi Julie, I know what you mean.
I just want to leave the trap out, and collect a few HOSP every day, and go about my life….but that’s not how it seems to work, lol.
It’s been slow. The HOSP are eating the millet that I scatter on top of the DRST, and on the outside perch, but not venturing into the elevator. Although, last Sunday we got home from church and found 4 (!) HOSP in the trap. Woo-hoo! That was great to see.
The covering and uncovering, or dragging back and forth from the shed, is just another chore. But it’s wonderful to see the BB population increasing; we’ve gone from just a pair, to at least five now.
Something tells me I could be doing a better job with trap placement and baiting, but I don’t know what else to try.
That’s so interesting! I wasn’t ever expecting this to happen. It will add another chore to my daily round, but I think I’ll store the trap in a shed overnight (especially if there’s a decoy inside). No doubt, whoever “visited” us last night will be back again tonight.
Thanks for the feedback! The HOSP dart in and out of the feeder, and a starling will perch on it, sometimes. Interestingly, the HOSP don’t seem to eat very much, if at all. So apparently they don’t like mealworms. To be safe, however, I’ve greatly reduced the amount of mealworms I put inside. I didn’t realize they are just a “treat” and not essential to the BB diet. So that’s good to know. :-) I think the HOSP and starlings are just acting out a territorial instinct, but it sure is annoying. I’ve been pondering places to live where there are no HOSP. (Mars, maybe?)
So sorry to hear that :-(
This is my first year, and nothing has surprised me more than the emotional ups and downs. I just thought I’d be adding some “good,” and eliminating some “bad,” in my corner of the world. Wasn’t expecting the sadness, frustration, disappointment (and occasional joy!).
This experience has shown me a lot of things about myself that I want to change and grow from. Being more present, acting with care and love, doing things well even if it doesn’t appear to matter, abandoning outcomes, non-attachment, and reminding myself that God is in control and not me (thankfully!).
I hope your next BB tenants succeed…. :-)
(I was planning on the exact same setup as yours, and now I’m wondering what to do.)
