[TimC]

This is probably too late for a solution for you but my father in law says in the spring that wrens arrive before blues. In order to save a nest box from those cute little stinkin wrens he puts tape on the entrance hole until he is sure Blues have arrived.

I just tried this with a box I cleaned out yesterday after the blues had their first batch of babies. A Wren was starting to bring sticks into the box so I taped the hole to discourage him. I have a dedicated Wren box on the other side of the yard that the Wrens just fledged from and I cleaned out. Hoping this works. Unfortunately with an egg present discouragement is not the proper solution.

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WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay

Tim C. WI/MI border.

[TimC]

Hi Judy, those numbers don’t include three pairs of Tree Swallows. So thirteen occupied boxes. I have other boxes not on the list and include a pair of House Wrens (7 babies fledged yesterday) and a beautiful pair of Great Crested Flycatchers which fledged five babies the other day. The Wrens and Flycatchers are not in BB nest boxes.

Really enjoying this effort and all the posts here on BBnut.

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WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay

Tim C. WI/MI border.

[TimC]

July 2…
20 Nest boxes
10 pair nesting (1 second brood)
44 eggs (incl hatchlings, 3 abandoned)
38 hatchlings
20 fledglings

Good success. Three eggs abandoned in one nest box. Otherwise I am assuming eggs became hatchlings and eventually fledglings. I don’t think that is a poor assumption considering I don’t open the boxes and do a head count once hatched, though I admit that the fledgling number may be higher than reality.

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WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay

Tim C. WI/MI border.

[TimC]

July 1…
First pair I had nesting had five babies fledged sometime between June 20 and 25. I cleaned out the box and the next day there was a full nest in it. I had to look back at my spreadsheet to see if I was confused (so many nest boxes). Nope, I definitely cleaned it out about 36 hours ago. One day later there is an egg and this morning three eggs. Those little buggers work fast and are keeping me on my toes.

Another box the last time I checked were five hatchlings. This morning it’s empty. Cleaned that box and hoping for a quick return.

The only negative outcome so far is a box I installed on May 26th. On June 15th and June 25 there were three eggs and no sign of BBs. The next day one egg appeared to have been hatched but whatever that pile of stuff inside it definitely wasn’t a baby bird. I cleaned out that box the next day. I’m hoping they return. I don’t know if it was abandoned or what. Normally I don’t go ten days between checking but I was out of town for a week.

Having a dozen and a half nest boxes to monitor is proving to be challenging. But I am probably over monitoring due to beginners excitement. I hope next season I can delegate some of them to someone else. I’ve had many inquiries about who is putting up all these boxes!

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WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay

• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by TimC.

Tim C. WI/MI border.

[TimC]

June 25
9 pair nesting
38 eggs (incl hatchlings)
21 hatchlings
5 fledglings

So I’m new to this and will appreciate feedback if there are any experienced bluebirders that do monitoring of similar numbers of nest boxes. My earliest nesting pair had five hatchlings. After returning from a trip the nest box is empty with no sign of hatchlings. I do hear BBs singing in the trees nearby. I decided to clean out the nest even though I don’t know when the birds fledged. The first sign of incubation was 5-28. So it’s been about 29 days since incubation started.

I want to report to BRAW at the end of the season with numbers as accurate as possible. I am assuming all five hatchlings fledged even though I don’t have evidence of that. And I also assume that when I peek into a nestbox with hatchlings and they are sitting on top of each other I all the eggs hatched. Are any of these assumptions problematic?

Thanks,
Tim

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WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay

Tim C. WI/MI border.

[TimC]

9 pair nesting
35 eggs (incl hatchlings)
10 hatchlings
0 fledglings

Only monitored five boxes today. I’ll check the others tomorrow and update numbers. Then I’m out of town for a week so no updates until at least 6-25. It’s getting crazy out there!

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WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay

Tim C. WI/MI border.

[TimC]

Haha. Thanks for the encouragement.

I’ve pointed out snakes on the trail to Rosie but she isn’t interested. Now if chipies and squirrels were a danger to bluebirds then she’s a champion!

U am really enjoying this. Though I’ve found that the number of nest boxes I’m monitoring is a challenge. I’m hoping my library will have a bluebird seminar next winter and I can find some folks to delegate some of that work.

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WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay

Tim C. WI/MI border.

[TimC]

8 Pair of Nesting BB.
30 BB eggs. (Counting hatched)
5 Hatchlings.

3 pair Tree Swallows nesting
14 eggs (including hatched)
8 Hatchlings.

Sorry if this is TMI. I’m practicing for season end reporting to BRAW : )

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WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay

Tim C. WI/MI border.

[TimC]

I’m going out on a limb and saying this has been a big success for this rookie bluebird landlord who less than a month ago didn’t know if I was going to get any nesting pairs. Keeping my fingers crossed that hatchlings and fledglings are close to 100%.

One thing I didn’t realize is how much this hobby has consumed me. My daily dog walks have turned into daily bluebird trail dog walks. The birds definitely notice Rosie but don’t seem to be too concerned. I do have to apologize to my Yooper neighbors. I may have put a small dent in bluebirds migrating through to the UP : )

Tim

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WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay

• This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by TimC.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by TimC.

Tim C. WI/MI border.

[TimC]

My method is probably not for most people. I am a member of a teardrop camper forum and they host their own photos on the site. It creates a “Image BBCode” (I don’t know how that is different from JPEG). Anyway, if you are a member of a forum that uses that format when you post photos there you may be able to copy and paste here.

I try not to overdo posting bluebird related photos there when they have nothing to do with campers. Maybe bluebirdnut could look into offering that option, but, I suspect it is a costly upgrade.

Tim

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WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay

Tim C. WI/MI border.

[TimC]

I’m lucky. I haven’t seen a House Sparrow in my community yet. I know they are here but not bothering my nest boxes.

About six miles away (as the bluebird flies) there is a Home Depot that they seem to prefer. When I go there I hear them under the canopies and inside they are chattering all day.

Tim

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WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay

Tim C. WI/MI border.

[TimC]

17 nest boxes installed in my community at four bluebird trails, two at home, seven at a large soccer field complex, two a cemetery, two at an old landfill and three at an industrial park field and one at a neighbor’s home.

7 confirmed pairs nesting. Two more looking possible with nest materials just beginning to show.

29 Bluebird eggs so far. Four white eggs in one nest box.

10 Tree Swallow eggs in two nest boxes.

And the little stinker (wren) that kicked out our Chickadees in April has seven eggs by my pond.

I’m finding that monitoring 20 boxes is a workout. But so far not a bad problem to have. No predator evidence yet.

Tim

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WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay

Tim C. WI/MI border.

[TimC]

I added a piece of Reflectix reflective insulating material to the roof and I think it will work well. It keeps the roof shaded and reflects the sun away from the nest box. I was worried that installing might bother the blues but they returned right away and don’t seem to be concerned with the difference.

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WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay

Tim C. WI/MI border.

[TimC]

Is 90+ degrees harmful? I may be able to put some shade over the boxes in the sun but I’m hesitant to disturb the momma to be. Water access should help, but I don’t know when to be concerned.

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WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay

Tim C. WI/MI border.

[TimC]

Thinking back 15 days I was all poop-lipped about not having any success with blues. This is today on my home garden fence and another Wren box by my pond. Luckily the Wren is now leaving the blues alone. I see why with seven eggs in their box.

Keeping a couple water baths nearby. We are having some very warm weather the last week. 91 today!

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WI/MI Border, about 100 miles north of Green Bay

Tim C. WI/MI border.

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