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Try some Reflectix® Reflective Insulation. You’ve probably seen it before. It’s bubble wrap with a reflective surface. I’ve had a piece on a “Gilwood” nest box roof on my garden fence for several years. It is easy to install on the roof and can cover the sides as well. Just cut a piece to wrap from the bottom of each side and over the roof. Attach with push pins or staples.
I don’t think they will mind it being installed, especially once they have an egg in there.
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
Another “paired” nest box resulted in TS and BB nests near each other. I do believe I’ll continue to pair boxes after this season’s experience.
So far this season… 35 nest boxes on two trails plus our neighborhood
Nine pair of BB’s nesting
34 eggs
16 hatchlings
5 fledgedAbout the same number of Tree Swallow nests and of course the little stinkers have continued to fill unused boxes with sticks. About three Wren pairs nesting.
Yeah, we start late and finish late in the summer so I expect more numbers by August.
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
Interesting. They are truly tolerant of human activities, especially after eggs are laid.
Tammy… I wasn’t worried about snakes and racoons before you replied. Now I’m not so sure. : (
I know what you mean by the easy climb up the chain link fence. I wanted to say we only have Garter and Pine (Fox) snakes here but I looked up native snakes in the UP (I’m as good as in the UP being a stones throw away from the Menominee River border) and o-boy! Now I know we have more than two varieties. I haven’t had any eggs disappear so far in two complete nesting seasons but I can’t say for sure I haven’t had hatchlings grabbed by snakes. When I report nesting production to BRAW I usually take my last count of hatchlings and “assume” that they all fledged. I don’t think there’s any way to know if they all flew the coop since I visit at most once or twice a week.
Racoons… I know they are around. I don’t see them as they are mostly nocturnal. And we don’t really get “raiding parties” of racoons like I’ve seen in urban areas, campgrounds, etc. I actually have no problems with House Sparrows. They are common in Iron Mountain in the city but very uncommon a few miles away in the sticks. So I don’t deploy Sparrow spookers, baffles and traps to eliminate the threat. I read about all those deterants but have had no noticable predation of my blues. Lucky I guess. I will keep my eyes open!
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
Cousin lived in or near Sylvania. Her mom is 93 and still kicking!
5 eggs this morning. Plus four other boxes with a single egg. It’s laying season but it seems to be lower bluebird numbers than the past two years at this time. I’m hoping things will change in the next couple weeks. We’ve had some crappy weather in April.
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
Haha. Small world. My cousin passed on Easter Sunday. She lived her whole life in Toledo. Her property was an amazing bird sanctuary. She was a big fan of Aldo Leopold, and not just because she shared a last name with him. She was very interested in natural things.
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
Does the BBCode automatically reduce the file size of the original photo to allow posting? I always reduce manually on “Paint”, save it, and then use that reduced size image in The forum.
The other forum I use for posting photos requires smaller photo files. Maybe I don’t need to do that if I use a BBCode. I’ll test that tonight.
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
Thanks David. I’ll give that a try. I’ve never used imgur so I’ll have to open that up and see what I can do.
Tim
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
I use a process that is likely not recommended as it uses another forum I post to occasionally as the host. The image is hosted there. It is not related to that forum’s content but I use it so infrequently that I haven’t had any issues.
I’ve tried different ways to post. Occasionally my posts disappear into the netherworld and they’re never published. I have never figured out the proper way to post images on this forum. The forum that hosts my photos has a BBCodes version of the image but I haven’t been able to figure out how to use it.
Tim
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
I’m excited!
I was driving west across the UP Tuesday after a funeral in Toledo and hit at least two areas of snow flurries. The last thing on my mind was finding eggs in the few nests that had been started the week before. It was 82 degrees in Bay City just after noon. By the time I reached the bridge (Mackinaw City/St Ignace) it was 42. Temps dropped going west and I think the wind chill was probably in the 20s. The bridge crossing was the slowest I’ve ever experienced. I probably averaged about ten miles per hour all the way across as I followed a semi being battered by gusts.
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
That’s great David. I’m being patient with my bluebirds. Some evidence of nests starting but we had snow flurries this afternoon while driving back home across the UP so it might be a little while.
Keep the photos coming.
Tim
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
(@ Tim C) I wouldn’t count on E-bird numbers to be accurate for bluebird nesting.
OK. I was just referring to local friends contacting me about sightings in our community. This is just my third season. After doing a presentation at our library last spring about my first season’s experience I have a small group of locals that I supplied with nest boxes and they are very enthusiastic at this time of year in terms of letting each other know of their sightings.
During my first season I was asking here (BBNut)and checking Internet sources for arrivals. I found those not very useful for my area. Similarly, I’ve just finished building a purple martin house and I was quietly referring to the PMCA “Scout report” for some arrival information, however, I’ve found that report to have stalled about three weeks ago in reporting for northern WI and MI. We’re on the northern fringes of the PM range and there are probably few spotters actively using that method to report arrivals.
Tim
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
I’d have to agree with AIH. If disturbed it might focus on the bluebird nest. Maybe having some pesky stinkers like a wren pair around could help reduce some other predators. But the minute that wren decides to harass the blues I would be cleaning out their nest. I think the blues will defend the nest successfully if they have eggs present.
Tim
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
