HOSP love white feathers. Perhaps you could put a few white craft feathers into the box that the HOSP seems interested in, then set the VanErt. Also, make sure to check it often in case one of the Blues does decide to enter that box. Since it is winter, the HOSP may be using that box as a night roost. What has worked for me is to set the VanErt trap before dark, and I've usually caught him by morning. I think I would move the mealworm feeder further away from the nest boxes so the Blues will get used to its new location by spring. My mealworm feeder is probably at least 300 feet from the nest boxes out back, and the Blues have no trouble accessing it when nesting time comes.

Well -- not much happening. Have hardly seen or heard our Flycatchers but last night one paid a visit to the fence near the bird house. Didn't appear to go in. Saw only one again this morning -- 2 x (or two different birds at two different times???) -- it didn't appear to go in -- just sat there calling and calling, but they're sneaky so who knows. May have to try the piece of grass across the entrance trick... We heard a couple calling to each other across the trees but we just keep seeing one on its own -- hope that something hasn't happened to one of the 'pair'. Meanwhile ----- back at the Bluebird Ranch, Mama blue is incubating her 2nd clutch of 4.... with "baby girl" from clutch 1 looking on....

Congrats...so glad the babies made it! Yes, clean out the box tomorrow. When I removed my nests, I used water and just a few TAB of bleach and scrubed the inside, then used a hose and rinsed well. I left the door open for a day to dry out. Don't know where you are, so I have no idea if another nesting this late in the season is possible...maybe so. It's such a joy to know the fledglings are OK! It might be a few days before you see Mom and Dad and the babies at the feeder all together. I felt that "empty nest syndrome" too! Donna

Hi Kaitlyn- I'd put up a bluebird box. I've got a good # of HOSP, too, but the sparrow spooker has worked out so far. My EABL's had 3 broods last year. The reason why the spooker goes up after the 1st egg is because the bluebirds are committed to the box after they lay an egg. Once you put up the spooker, make sure the bluebirds take to it. If you've got a 2nd egg the next day, then you're good to go. The reason why you don't want to keep the sparrow spooker up all the time is so the HOSP don't get too used to it. After the babies fledge, you take it down. The Sialis site is the best site to guide you on how to deal with HOSP. Fishing line can be used year round, but you want to make sure it's thick enough & weighted down so no birds get caught up in it. If HOSP get to box 1st, you are legally allowed to remove their nest & eggs. Sometimes, a Van Ert trap is necessary to trap them in box if they keep invading, but you need to monitor hourly so you don't trap a bluebird or something else. Others use ground traps, too. The Sialis site should guide you through this. Also, I feed dried mealworms in winter & live ones during nesting season to keep the bluebirds around. HOSP will eat anything, but they like seed better than anything else, so I don't use it. Please let me know if there is anything else I can help with. Nicole