Snow in April can't last, even in southeastern Michigan--the air and earth are warming, the number of daylight hours is getting longer every day and we're past the middle of April. The last frost is only a few weeks away. Anything that's up now can take whatever bad jokes Mother Nature throws at it (including snow), especially winter sown plants--they're tough as nails. It's been a very cold spring here in CT as well--I still need layers to work outside clearing winter's debris from the flowerbeds. Everything I grew last year via WS is up again: turtlehead, lupine, rudbeckia, agastache, penstemon, Siberian iris, daylily, ladybells, painted daisy, blackberry lily, butterfly bush, delphinium, Echinacea, Maltese cross, blanket flower, Montauk daisy, globeflower and more. My WS sprouts are waving at your WS sprouts and urging them to hang tough until this white stuff melts away.

Lisa You will be losing sleep and pulling your hair out before this is over. I have not worked the last few years so I do nothing but watch out the window during nest building. I have seen these situations more than once. This year I am working and can only hope while I'm gone tragedy will not strike. Running out screaming and waving at hosps is always a good tactic. LOL It does work. First Keep trying with the drst. The natives will not go in it again after they get caught. The titmice always bite me when I let them out. So cute! I like to put it near a brushy area where the hosps hang. Next shoot at them with the bb gun every time you see them at the box. You will find out they are very smart. Even if you don't hit them you can sway them to another box by doing this. I would try to notice where they are flying in and out of your yard from and situate the drst there and also put another box with a 1 1/4" hole near there to see if I could entice them to switch boxes. Then let them get comfy and keep them busy. Then use the Van Ert. Of course like all traps it still must be monitored as other birds fit through that hole. You have to stop feeding the other birds or use only safflower seed when using the drst. Once they get busy nest building for real they will be more apt to eat from the trap. Keep us posted on your situation and your sanity. Any questions don't hesitate to ask. Good Luck Cathy

Same thing here in WI, we had accumulating snow on Saturday and the winds and the cold have been wicked! Haven't seen the TRES since Thursday and we had at least five to six pairs, no nestbuilding yet though. Still haven't seen a Bluebird since March 19th. It didn't even get to 40 degrees today for a high! I remember last year when we got the cold rainy weather in the middle of May, we had three eggs in two different TRES boxes. All the TRES left except for four of them who all roosted in one of the boxes that had the three eggs, I know this because I saw them all go in the box one after the other, it was weird. Once the weather got nicer the TRES in that box didn't lay any more eggs but those three eggs did hatch. In the other box that had the three eggs those eggs got pushed into the nest and the TRES added some more nesting material and laid new eggs. Donna

It sure is Lisa! It is going to be 60 and sunny here tomorrow! And my blues are finally back at it! I saw the male perched multiple times on one of the boxes of my pair. On the opposite box was a TRES. No fighting! They appear to have their boxes chosen and standing guard! And Mrs. Blue is getting closer and closer to that box! I have HOSP to trap tomorrow (Neighbor's PUMA house and boxes at other trail...80 on sunday! 50's and 60's next week. Is this NOT the PERFECT forecast for nest building?! Seeing the blues so much more active, a beautiful forecast, some things to do, having the TRES...I am SO excited! There's much more to happen in the coming weeks with nest building, hummingbirds returning, trees blooming...it's gray now but full fledged spring is on its way! And I sure can't wait! I just LOVE spring and summer! My boxes are so out in the open though that I've never had Dees...they are nice birds. But I absolutely love those beautiful insect eating Bluebirds, Swallows, and Martins! It reminds you that the battle vs. the HOSP MUST go on! Good luck Lisa! Because the season will get very active very soon!