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Congrats, Chris! What a gorgeous pic!!! Let’s hope we all see such a sight a few times this year. Enjoy all that’s coming!
julieIn the beginning, when there were zillions of HOSP here, I left it out months at a time. I only brought it in if we were going to be away. It was out maybe 6-8 months straight! Let your catch rate determine how long it’s out. Last spring I had it out and was catching like 1 a week (very slow rate for me). But each time I’d think I’ll put it away, I’d catch a burst of 2 or 3. So just wait and see. But that’s why I treat the decoys with TLC. They are effective bait.
When I first put it out, I usually catch a native song sparrow and/or white crowned sparrow. Occasionally a catbird. I just try to check it frequently thru-out the day. But once I catch them one time, that’s usually it. I keep a saucer of the seed with 1-2 bread bits on top of the trap, right over my inside feed dish (to help with any rain showers I miss), and the native sparrows eat from that. The longer the trap is out, literally they come running to greet me each morning when I remove the tarp and refresh that seed. It’s comical. But they’re smart enough not to go near the elevator. I had a mourning dove wedge itself inside the elevator once. It survived, but that was a nightmare I hope you don’t experience! That was the original reason I added the saucer of seed on top–doves! Most of the native birds aren’t real keen on the HOSP, at least, not in my yard.
Best wishes to you as you embark on this adventure!! You’ll learn lots and figure out what works for you.
Congrats on getting bluebirds! When we moved here, I saw them chasing thru the neighborhood in spring, and that’s what lured me to putting up boxes. I thot of a few more tips for you.
I don’t leave male HOSP in the trap as decoys overnight. They’re too aggressive. If you catch one on a sunny day, you may get another that day if they’re battling for territory, but then they may fight in the trap. Occasionally I’ve had the HOSP gang up on one bird in the trap. If I spot any blood, I get the wounded one out to euthanize. Or any that look like they’ve hurt themselves in there. I try to keep 2-3 in there as decoys and then remove when they hit 6-7. When there’s that many it’s chaos and they tend to peck at each other. If a native bird accidentally gets in with a bunch of HOSP, that can turn ugly, so try to keep an eye on it.
When you reach into the trap, they tend to flit about. Before removing the HOSP, remove the water dish, if you have one, or they splash as they flit and that can get into your face. I lay an extra glove over the back door when it’s open because one time one flew out!! If they get too worked up, be still a few moments, pulling your hand toward the back of the trap. You’ll be an old pro in no time!
If anything ever happd to this trap, I would replace it, so yes, I really like it. It’s super effective. Keep a tally somewhere of how many you catch. You’ll be shocked. My first year I caught 152 total. I thot there were maybe 12-24 out there. Boy was I wrong!
In the beginning, I left the trap out for weeks at a time. Now I usually put it out for about 2 weeks at a time–at the start of the season, when I spot new HOSP flocks arriving, late fall when they’re hungry–I try to be more strategic. How long it’s out depends on how many I’m catching and seeing. I put it out twice last year for 2 weeks each and never caught anything. So it’s possible to decrease the population. I had neighbors who fed cheap feed, but they’ve moved now, and that has likely helped HOSP to move on, too. Best wishes on your new rural life! We’re in Central PA.
I am so happy for you!!! Congratulations!! Maybe spring is finally here!
I think “our” pair has settled on a box. The chickadees have been putting fur into the closest-by box, so they’re focused and the bluebirds seem to be ignoring them. The swallows started putting feathers into their box today. If I see evidence of a bluebird nest, I’ll be doing cartwheels! I plan to do my annual front garden path re-paving today–my “paving” = pine needles. So that should inspire the bluebirds!
I really like this trap. I’ve used the in-box traps, too, but started with the DRST. If you have a bunch to get rid of, then it’s a good idea to keep the trap out and keep some in there as decoys. They actually attract the others with that awful chirping. My best catching is when I get some young ones–then the mothers seem to hop right in to help! It sounds dreadful, but it works.
I cover my trap at night with a tarp due to wildlife. I use boards to weigh down the tarp and discourage cats, raccoons, foxes, etc. You want your decoys to be healthy. I read the entire DRST thread here and saw pics of someone’s set up. They had a perch (bamboo stake) in the cage for a perch, water and seed. I do all of this now, including adding a long plastic tray on top to create shade on hot days. If it calls for storms, I cover the trap (with a tarp) for 2 reasons: 1) mostly to keep decoys alive & healthy; 2) to keep the seed i put in there for them dry, along with the wood. I actually catch them during rainstorms! I keep one side of the tarp elevated with some chubby short boards, including an entry point where they could hop over to the bait. Maybe they go in for shelter or food, but I often remove the tarp and I’ve got more than when I started!
During rainy spells (few days), I find the wood swells a bit and the elevator may not work as smoothly. A sunny day is all it takes to right things. So you definitely don’t want to submerge the trap.
I think whacking them against a wall would work easily. That’s basically what Carol does, and she’s a pro. I’m still a newbie. The laundry bag is a great idea! It took me a whole year to work up to saying, “I can do this.” Then I put up the bluebird boxes and bought the trap. You can definitely do this.
Mine is the DRST with the elevator. Is that the kind you have? Deluxe repeating? With the wooden back end with an exit hole cut in it? I set mine on the ground, too. I read a tip on here about setting the trap on a piece of cardboard, and I do that now. I have a collection of pre-cut pieces in the garage! I do this b/c I set the trap on a straw-covered path in my veg garden and I don’t want all those seeds sprouting they throw everywhere. I cut a piece big enough to extend the length of the trap plus maybe 2-4 inches on most sides. I lay an old board (2×2 square) against the front of the trap–it gives me a place to toss some extra bread pieces–it makes them visible (they’re invisible in the straw). I use bread and cheap millet-filled seed mix as bait. I keep the trapped ones healthy by including seed and water in there, which is where the seed gets tossed about.
I kneel on a kneeling pad to grab them. Tammy from Ohio inspired me that I could do it, because I thot I couldn’t! She said in a post that she’s the fastest hand in the west or some such thing at grabbing them out of the trap. So I took that to heart and jumped in. I was nervous at first, but now I can do it very quickly, even with an impending thunderstorm! If I’m tired, I don’t do it. That’s when I have mishaps. You can do this! It beats finding a mangled bluebird in a box…
It’s pretty hands-off, but ether is highly flammable (no smoking around it), so you have to take care. After disposing of the dead birds, I keep my empty container outside in the 5-gallon bucket open to the air so the fumes can leave. If it’s going to rain, I turn it upside down in the bucket and put the saucer on. But I cannot ever bring that bucket into the garage even sealed when the ether is in it. Powerful fumes. If it’s bad weather, I put it on the porch. I’d like to learn how to euthanize them in my hand, but I haven’t been able to get there mentally. If someone would show me, I could maybe do it. I’m not sure.
I was going to use Carol’s method, but I was catching a trap-full. I’d have 6 or more to get rid of at once! The jar seems to work for that. Put your cork hole higher on the side (toward the top). Ether is heavier than air, so when you spray it in, it will drop to the bottom on the container and bathe the birds in a snooze-inducing cloud. I used Gorilla tape (duct tape would work, too) to attach the plastic bag to the container.
You just have to be quick with the lid when you’re adding birds to it. In the beginning I let 1 or 2 escape because I was fumbling around. Now I keep the lid right beside me and when I dump the birds in, I lay my gloved hand over the hole, then add the lid. If they see light, they’ll fly straight up at you, which is exciting in a bad way!
Btw I misspoke. I taped the cork hole so the cork could slide in and out easily. The birds don’t go near that, except one feisty male one time.
You can find that link mentioned above by searching for this: “sialis captured birds.” It comes right up. I use the ether (engine starter) method. I took a giant plastic cookie container; any kind of oversize plastic thing with a tight fitting lid would do. I made a hole in the side of it with a kraft knife to fit a cork. Then I covered the whole thing with a thick plastic black bag so when the birds go in, they feel safe. If they see light, they try to fly out. I lined the hole with gorilla tape so it’s smooth and doesn’t injure the birds. Then add the cork. I grab hosp out of the trap, put them into the container and quickly add the lid. I can fit 7-8 in this at one time–you just have to be quick with the lid! Remove the cork, a few squirts of ether, and they go to sleep. I put the jar in a 5-gallon bucket, add a plant saucer on top with a brick and let it sit outside. I carry the jar back and forth to the trap in a bucket. It keeps the birds more settled for some reason.
I checked all the boxes this morning. I have 3 Gilbertsons scattered around, and all 3 have evidence of chickadee activity. One has a nice nest underway. The other 2 have the start of a nest. Maybe decoys? I’m not sure. I have one other box the chickadees use, and it seems to have a pair there. I can’t check it easily & don’t want to disturb them. They tend to give up rather easily.
This morning the bluebird couple came and went in and out of the box with the furtherest-along chickadee nest, so not sure yet what is unfolding. It encourages me, Carol, that your blues came through the cold well. I was worried and wondering and praying. So happy they are doing well!!
Connie, so glad to see you back! I’ve been wondering if you have bluebirds. I’m in central PA, and I had a male a long time with no mate, then he finally got one, but we had our deck being repaired and I think with all the commotion they went somewhere else. We did have snow yday, and I saw the male on the box today, so I plan to check all the boxes tomorrow. But it seems late now. Anyway, I was thinking today about you and wondering if you had nest or eggs yet. Thank you for sharing!! Enjoy your blues!
julie (PA)Barbara, check your gmail acct. I sent these to you there, too, and on those you can see the ones swinging on the side–on the front only. Look for the metal washer nut gizmo hanging at the end of the string. On that first photo, if you look straight down from the pins on top into the green below, you’ll see two shiny circles–those are the long dangling strings. I have push pins upside down near the roof edges. On that 2nd shot, you can see the washer on the short string–looks like a donut near the bottom of the box. It’s hard to see. I do use the Van Ert trap in the Gilbertson. I only got that box type because I could mount it easily on a piece of conduit, and I’m not too skilled in the handyman dept! I’m actually nervous for the bluebirds to use a side opening box–isn’t that funny?!
Mama blue sitting on the short string box in the late fall. I’ll send these to you directly from my gmail acct, because these are too small for me to see! I have to master this better, but have to get to work.
