Female Bluebird in January

kendra2003

13 years ago

I had log in problems, and hope I am not accidentally double posting. I thought I'd share a picture of a female Bluebird sitting on the suet cage. I provide the Blues with their own feeder and feed them mealworms and suet every day, but they also like to eat from the suet cage I have out for the other birds.

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Comments (8)

ohsoblue77
13 years ago
Nice pic! The last bluebird I saw was on a trip in the car nearby in November. Some stay and I'm I'm located in northern Ohio.

Gonna be trapping HOSP soon! They'll be out there laying claims to my boxes just before the blues arrive.
kendra2003
Original Author
13 years ago
Since my resident Blues don't leave for the winter, I'll be trapping HOSP at the same time the Blues are claiming their box. That's the time of year I get so nervous, hoping to catch the HOSP before they do any harm to the Blues or the Tree Swallows. You're lucky to have time to trap before the Bluebirds show up.
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ohsoblue77
13 years ago
Actually Kendra,I've seen them here in winter. A flock flew over my head last February (could hear them communicating)

I just don't feed them in the winter. Too much else to worry about, haha.

And when they are ready to mate, they won't nest for weeks! They check out boxes every day and stay together but don't start building nests until the end of March/April. The blues either know there's a Hosp claiming it, wait, or don't realize it and I end up trapping it before the blues are ready to nest.
bandjzmom
13 years ago
Love the shot Kendra! I was wondering. Has anyone ever used a Sparrow Spooker to keep the HOSP's off of a box at this time of year? I do own one, and I know that we normally place them onto the box after the first Bluebird egg is laid, but I wonder if they would also work to deter the HOSP's so that the Blues might get a chance to establish at a box. I am just guessing that the Blues wouldn't mind the spooker.~~Angie
finchelover
13 years ago
I am getting bluebirds also...What are HOSP's I have few,I think Sparrows that are pestering my bluebirds usually I don't have these around.
bandjzmom
13 years ago
Hello finchelover!! Go on over to the sialis website to read all about HOSP's (House Sparrows) and the terrible issues that they create for the wonderful Bluebirds. The sialis site is a great site for all the information you'd need on Bluebirds and also other cavity nesting birds.
http://sialis.org/hospphotos.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: House Sparrows at Sialis site
bettycbowen
13 years ago
bandjzmom, I put up my spooker as soon as the blues start nest building, because then they are committed and won't be spooked. I learned that either on this site or sialis.
ohsoblue77
13 years ago
Yeah I just wouldn't put up one right NOW, but wait until you know they're commited.

I 1st started using them last year and went by the "After the 1st egg or two" rule, and had not 1 attack occur! A HOSP DID however, approach a box with one on it, but never flew to it...flew away without even trying.

It's best to use them as least as possible. This way they don't overcome their fear of it and attack.