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Grrrr! Those little stinkin wrens are back up here. I have a chickadee nestbox with a camera in it in the backyard and this afternoon a lone Wren entered the box and stuck around a minute. I need to put a good curse on that little rascal.
Weird… I looked at ebird migration reports this morning and there were no wrens north of Green Bay (the city, not the bay). One of two things must be true… 1 – they really do ride on the backs of migrating Canada Geese. Or, 2 – who the heck pays any attention to the little Turd bird? Which results in no sightings reported.
Yesterday I saw my first spring flock of Canada Geese. So therefor there may be some truth to their “passengers” theory.
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
Happy day! M&F EBB spotted this morning entering one of my trail nest boxes. That’s almost four weeks earlier than 2023. Happy, happy!
A couple other boxes are being watched very closely by Tree Swallows.
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
I’ve installed 16 nest boxes on two bluebird trails over the last 48 hours. I also carried a “Leopold” bench out to my largest trail to sit and listen. I was excited to see Tree Swallows (4) swooping around the field two days ago so I quickly installed two boxes in the area when I saw them inspecting what I call a “decoy” nest box. The decoys are there to give those little rascal House Wrens something to fill with sticks. It stays up year round unlike my bluebird nest boxes which I remove for winter.
After installing the rest of the 13 boxes on that trail I sat down on the bench to rest and watch. As I sat there I had Merlin listening and my ebird app open to document birds I saw. I swear I heard a bluebird but I was skeptical. Maybe it was just a very horse Robin. I happened to look at Merlin and there it was, an Eastern Bluebird was documented on the screen. Would Merlin make a mistake like that? After listening for a few minutes and searching with my binoculars I decided to take a walk to see if I could get a visual. Of course it stopped singing and I never saw it. I guess I won’t know if it was really a bluebird. It seems early compared to last year’s first sighting on May 16. But it has been a very strange winter, so maybe. I’ll go back this afternoon and again tomorrow and see if I can get a visual on it.
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
How are the relocated blues doing Michele?
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
The Wisconsin part of Michigan : )
I’m on the UP border in the Iron Mtn area, specifically Niagara, WI
Nope, I gave up on FB many years ago. I’ve been learning to use ebird for info on migration. It seems to be fairly accurate. It’ll be a few weeks before the migration reaches here. We had six inches of wet snow a week ago and temps are not ideal yet for bugs that bluebirds seem to prefer.
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
Thanks Tammy. I’m monitoring that web site and as I see more sightings north of Green Bay I will kick it in gear placing boxes. It’ll only take a day or two to get the trail installed.
At the MBS fest there was one presenter that resided in Antrim County Michigan who mentioned he was seeing bluebirds in March. Antrim is close to my latitude but lake Michigan makes the climate there less variable than here on the WI/MI border.
I know a lot of folks leave their boxes up year round but I’m afraid that doing that will only weather the boxes prematurely. And the guy from Antrim County said he leaves his boxes open all winter after having mice take up winter residence in closed boxes. Many of hos boxes were made unusable (urine). I’m learning so much from this and other sites. But being in the north where we only have migrating bluebirds it is difficult to apply some practices where they are present year round.
Thanks for your advice. I’m hoping that last year’s May 16th first siting is a little earlier this year.
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
Not an expert here but I did hear a speaker at the Michigan Bluebird Soc in March mention that if the bluebirds do that it might be because the original eggs are not viable. On the other hand if another bird chases the originals away it may be building on top of the old nest. I don’t know what the correct action is. I think I would just monitor the nest for a few days and see if it is bluebirds. If so I would probably carefully remove the older eggs. Of course you may be able to identify the species using the nest materials as a guide.
I do remember the speaker talking about putting pairs of boxes a few feet from each other. If the second pair (if that’s your situation) are not bluebirds they may take the other box. I don’t think a second pair of bluebirds will nest in the second box but other species may take it.
Good luck and thanks for sharing. Keep us informed of what happens next.
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
Happy it worked out. Just shows to go ya that when you think you’ve got the bluebirds figured out they throw you a curve.
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
Fingers crossed. I hope it works.
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
If you just “have to” move the vehicle… first, set up the new bluebird box in the most desirable site and monitor it to keep house sparrows (English Sparrows) and Starlings away from it as best you can. Given a day or two if that box is close then the blues will know its there and would likely inspect it.
In the wild when a newer nest is disturbed or becomes unusable the blues will regroup to a new site and start over. Maybe it’s better to just get that disturbance over with rather than allowing them to lay two or three more eggs and waste the energy on them. I guess what I’m saying is get on with it soon.
Good luck and keep us posted on what happens. It will be an experience to add to our knowledge for me and probably most of us.
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
I’m dusting off my Bluebird gear and scoping out some new locations. I know we are probably a couple months away from seeing bluebirds but I don’t know if this weird winter will stay weird and encourage them to migrate early.
ILB said…
… I decided to put the meal worms in the gourd this year and the blue birds have gone in and out several times a day eating them. I only put about 20 in per day because I have read they lack nutrients that bluebirds need. It seems controversal but I feel like I don’t over do it.
I tried live mealworms last year. After getting about 3000 of the little buggers and putting a small handful out every few days at several of my Bluebird trails I decided that they were not a necessary supplement. I think natural prey is plentiful enough for my bluebirds to find. Your geographic location is different and supplements might be helpful.
I’ve read articles by a couple “experts” that feeding dried mealworms while hatchlings were present doesn’t provide any hydration for those young birds. The moisture in naturally acquired worms and other bugs is enough to contribute to their development. Eating too many dried mealworms seems like a poor substitute for natural food. I think it is more important to provide the adults and the fledglings a source of clean water.
I have also read that mealworms are deficient in calcium. Some add powdered calcium supplements to the mealworms which may help. Still, a natural source is probably better.
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
I’ve removed most of my nest boxes for minor maintenance and to keep flying squirrels and woodpeckers from damaging them. I wonder if others remove the boxes they set out. I have read that in areas that having winter bluebird populations many keep the boxes available for shelter. I don’t believe we have bluebirds overwintering here (WI/MI border).
WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay
Tim C. WI/MI border.
