Thanks for the advice :) I have read that website, most of it - it has a lot of info. I did read a paragraph that said: MYTH: Bluebirds behave the same way, all the time, everywhere. REALITY: Eastern, Mountain, and Western Bluebirds in different areas behave differently and show different preferences. Even the same birds may behave differently as they age; as seasons, climate, and conditions change; and from one year to the next. Some people who aren't following any of the "rules" still successfully fledge amazing numbers of bluebirds year after year. Avoid "never" and "always" and do whatever works in your area! This made me a little more confident in this nest box. Even though have not seen a single HOSP, I will certainly cut off the perches if need be. And I will not host the Starlings, if need be take the whole thing down. Who knows, I could be as successful as the woodworker down the road!! For cleaning, he recommended taking a hanger and yanking out the old nests, and I will pull it down and rinse it out with a bleach solution at the end of the year. If others (besides Starlings and HOSP) take up residence I will most likely buy the more recommended house to put up in another location. While this one is pretty, I would rather a lighter and easier manageable house to take care of!!! Unfortunately I can't just return this one, so hopefully it will work :) Thanks again for your advice!! Christy :)

itrom.......Last year when chickadees took over our fave BB box after so many year of having only BBs in the box there were reclaim fights but the BBs did not win and we never saw any all summer and that was sad. That particular box is the one we can see easily and we love to watch them and take photos. There are two other boxes nearby so I kept asking myself why can't the cute chickadees just use those...lol. BBs have moved into the fave box and I hope there is peace! Good luck and enjoy whatever nests ...or...put up another box and if you do make sure you follow instructions as to how far from the fist one.

Depends where you are located. Are you in town or on the outskirts? For the most part Bluebirds are not in town so to speak but that all depends on the town itself as far as how big the lots are and how much open land there is. I know in town here closer to the edge of town I do hear Bluebirds. Is your birdhouse easily visable from the air or trees? Putting up a bluebird feeder will not attract Bluebirds since Bluebird need to be trained to come to a feeder so you need to actually have Bluebirds around before you can start feeding them. Bluebirds primarily eat insects, in Winter or cooler months or if bugs are scarce they will eat suet or berries though. But during nesting season they pretty much stick to bugs. Pretty much putting up a house and waiting is what you need to do to attract Bluebird so you are doing things right, especially if you have read and followed the advice on silais on how to properly install a nestbox. Have you had any interest in your birdhouse from other birds? Have you seen or heard any Bluebirds in your area? Donna

Looks like things are progressing almost like text book here. Babies fledged last Wed. and I'm seeing more of them. I've only seen three at a time and two this morning. I was kind of sad not seeing more, but everyone here said they may be around so I'm keeping my hopes up that more of the five have survived. I'm DIEING to get some good pics of the babies! Moma is eating some of this store brand peanut nuggets. So I'm going to try to lure her to the back deck and maybe once we get some sun I can get some pics with the babies. I've been watching the nest box and I was seeing the beginings of a new nest, YEA! Today the nest looks close to complete... I've even gone out and found grass and pine needles to help out since everything is so wet. I did find a wren in one of my boxes, so it looks like I'll NEED a guard this time around. I tried one last round but took it off since there was already hatchlings and the parents couldn't navagate it. I"m going to add a predator block on the hole, should have it anyways, and maybe that will help them land at the hole. I'll start another thread soon, this one is getting way long...