Welcome Christy! Don't believe I've seen you here before. If you're a newcomer, Welcome!

Yes, even if you haven't seen Squirrels, Raccoons, Mice, or Snakes, you need a baffle. Although predation by these critters is less common than by birds, it CAN and WILL happen. For the longest time I used 2 X 4's as mounts with NO baffles. I've lost multiple young and eggs because of it. My boxes are now mounted on 1' EMT conduit pipe with PVC wobbling baffles. Check out sialis.org for anything bluebird! The site is like a bluebird encyclopedia! Check out my link for baffle ideas.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nestbox Baffles

Thanks :) I've been on GW for 6 years and used to spend some time on the Bird Forum, lurked around here. I could never get blues anywhere else, we are military and move a lot, but I have seen blues here!! Pretty regularly actually in the summer (from mid July on, that's when I moved here). I had a lot of issues with HOSP and Starlings at my feeders when I lived in DC, that's when I first started on this forum. I know there is a contrast between the two forums and how to deal with those issues. Switching bird seed actually took care of most of that issue at the time. BTW, I'm in the northern inner banks of NC.

My DH got the bluebird house up 10 minutes ago!!! Here is a pic, it is getting dark and this is the best I can do :) The pole is 3 inches wide, would a baffle work okay on those? I've read about greasing the pole, would that be as effective as a baffle? Thanks for your input, I started a post originally on the bird forum, but moved over here now that I've decided on a Bluebird house other than a purple martin house. Christy :)

A lot of buildings around! HOSP may very well continue to be problem-some. Sialis has everything on them. House Wrens used to be my problem, which are harder to deal with because they are native, protected, and more rare than HOSP.

I myself also switched from mixed bird seed to black oil sunflower. It doesn't eliminate all HOSP, but it really cuts it down, and very little seed is wasted.

Yes, a baffle should work fine on your pole. 3 inches is quite wide for a post! Mine are only 1, but yours will be even more sturdy! But for the 'wobble' affect, you want something over 4" for the baffle itself. If PVC I'd go with 6 or 8"

I never thought I'd manage to get all the materials and baffle all my boxes, but after 2-3 seasons un-baffled, I'm relieved predation is the least of my problems.

~Tim~

No, sorry. Not a lot of buildings around. That is my only neighbor, with a detached garage. We are each on a one acre plot. No one behind us for a mile. Four homes in front of us, again each on a one acre plot and not one of them has a detached garage. This is a "neighborhood, that is about 1/4 developed. Eighteen homes in total. All around us is farmland and horse farms. I haven't seen a single HOSP in the 6 months I've lived here, and until yesterday not one Starling. We are rural. No trash truck, no pizza or chinese delivery, no Target, no Home Depot, etc. We are in the wide open sticks!!! I sent my DH what I needed and he came home with a 3" pipe - he's doing it for me so I can't complain!! It also gets quite windy, so it should hold!!!

Christy, I would get a 7 or 8 inch (wide) piece of stovepipe to add on there, they come in 2ft sections for around $5. Read on Sialis on how to install it. Some say get the ones without seams but I use the ones with seams and it does deter raccoons. Good luck and I hope you have some Blues checking out the nestbox soon.

Raccoons can climb 1/2 inch conduit so they can easily climb a 3" pipe.

I use the 8" stovepipe and have never had anything get past it. Great birdhouse by the way.

Well, guess I was wrong Christy. I'm surprised you don't have many HOSP. Here in Ohio, a neighborhood can be FILLED with them! I run 2 different sites. One right next door in a wide open field spanning 100 yards or more on a neighbor's plot. The other is near a relative's house. My local population started to go up, then I layed the hammer down. The local Alpaca feed lot shut down this winter! YES! It's a gonna force the HOSP to find a new home...closest would be my boxes and my neighbor's Purple Martin housing. They enter these areas I control, they're good as dead!!

But yeah, I agree with the others. As long as the stovepipe or PVC can wobble well. I'm gonna apply car wax to my PVC baffles come spring. But I'm dying to get the DRST and suck up all the HOSP I can! Neighbor has no Martins, AT ALL. If it wasn't for me, TONS of HOSP would have fledged from that thing! When I 1st inspected, I found 3 COMPLETE nests with small young. Took them far away and let nature take its course. Nature didn't put them in the U.S.

It's almost a neighborhood!!! Eighteen plots of 46 are developed. There is a "neighborhood" behind us with no homes developed. Beyond that a bunch of farms. It's an adjustment getting used to the whole rural thing!!!