YAY male bb checking out the boxes!!

14 years ago

I didn't have the blues in my yard this winter. I heard them, but only had 1 female come to eat suet. Today, a male is going from box to box calling!!! :)

I hope they don't have eggs as early as they did last year!!! I worried myself sick!! and I can't afford wax worms!!

Karen

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Comments (5)

kendra2003
14 years ago
The waxworms are expensive as the dickens. Couldn't you try feeding mealworms if the temperature/weather doesn't cooperate? My favorite benefit to early nesting is the lack of House Wrens early in the season. I have yet to host Blues in my boxes, but the Black-capped Chickadees that nested early last year avoided predation by the House Wrens. I guess there are trade-offs one way or the other.
bluebirdbabe
Original Author
14 years ago
I agree with the early nests you don't have the worry of house wrens. But I worry because at night it got below freezing and she laid 6 eggs so....5 of them were in freezing weather. But they all made it and I still worried :)
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Very interesting behavior for the Wren. I have several bluebird houses and for some reason, they always choose one that is not meant for bluebirds! this year the male is guarding 2 that are identical and never meant for nests in the first place -ornamental. My husband had to put a door on the back of both so we could clean them out when the birds are done. The Wrens, Titmice and Black capped Chicadees all checked them out before the blue birds laid claim. Now Mr Blue Bird has appointed himself as backyard garden patrol and no other birds are allowed near those houses. He is as aggressive as some Mockingbirds I have seen. Here is a link that might be useful: Garden tips, birding, plant and art articles
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I have another box that is empty and one more that has tres. in it. The female blue is building so fast, I think she will have her nest done today. I put a spooker in the tres box because I had a male hosp. trapped in another box and I can't get him out myself...I have to have my husband help me. The damn female hosp. found a new mate in 10 minutes and went after the tres. nest box so I HAD to put a spooker up. It kept the sparrows away. When my husband got home I took care of the hosp and now there is an empty box. I think the dang wrens are after that box. The blues booted them from the one they have now. I don't care if the hosp. and wrens fight over a box. Hopefully she will lay an egg soon so I can get the spooker up.
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Comments (3)
Blue Jays can be very aggressive, especially around feeders. If they, or mockingbirds, or robins, discover the mealworms, the bluebirds don't have a chance. I do not have seed feeders, so that was not a problem for me. You will have to "train" the bluebirds that there are mealworms, without somehow "training" the other birds. Here is a great web site for hosting cavity nesters, including a page about feeding mealworms. You can also learn there about monitoring nestboxes, so you will know what to expect, including nesting timetables, etc. BlueBars Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.sialis.org
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Comments (3)
I had a lady blue get trapped in a HOSP trap house too. They were already nesting with one egg in another house so I didn't think it was a problem. After I released her, I beleive she left my area. My male called and called for three days. I don't think your lady blue will go back there. I THINK another female showed up and did some building on their nest with one egg. That egg disappeared after a few days of her reworking the nest? Now she has four new eggs and is incubating. I like the hole reducing idea.. will get one for my trap house so this doesn't happen again.
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bandjzmom
14 years ago
YAY for you!!! Woo-hoo!! Wonderful. I know that they make me so happy. I am having really good luck with them coming to my BB feeders for BB Nuggets and Raisins this winter. I can't afford to keep them in mealworms or waxworms either. I just need to start my own mealworm farm. I'm going to get around to that someday.
lisa11310
14 years ago
Still a couple more weeks for me. :(
bluebirdbabe
Original Author
14 years ago
LOL Lisa....yep just a couple of weeks Â¢Â¾

Karen

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YAY male bb checking out the boxes!!

Comments (5)

kendra2003

bluebirdbabe
Original Author

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YAY male bb checking out the boxes!!

Comments (5)

kendra2003

bluebirdbabeOriginal Author

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bluebirdbabeOriginal Author

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