Here, here, Ray!!! You are expressing the sentiments of all who have accepted the responsibility of being a responsible bluebird landlord. People start off with good intentions by putting up a nestbox but don't understand that if you don't monitor it and allow only native birds to nest, you're not really helping at all. I do not allow house wrens to nest in any of my nestboxes even though they are native birds because of the very reason you noted. If you allow one pair to nest, they breed more house wrens which return the following year. I check all my boxes frequently during nesting season and stop a nesting as soon as I see twigs inside a box--they can be stubborn little birds but eventually will move on. It makes me sick to think of the number of bluebird eggs that have been lost because of them. I know we all would like to approach each and every homeowner that has a nestbox improperly mounted, too many boxes in an area or that simply has all those "cute little birdhouses" and explain what damage they are actually causing to our native birds. I guess all we can do is try to educate others, gently, when the opportunity arises and continue to do things right in our own corner. Just know there are plenty of us out here who share your frustration! Kathy

Not sure where you are located in WI, but I am in Central WI and saw my first bluebird pair on Saturday March 19th. We had an awful snowstorm on the 22/23 and I haven't seen them since but with the weather slowly warming up again I expect to see them soon. Wish the darn snow would melt faster though! That being said, nesting here in Central WI doesn't usually get under way until May but the birds show up before that. How are your boxes mounted? I am wondering since you say mice get in them in the Winter. If the boxes are mounted properly (on a slick metal pole....NOT a tree or wooden post) then mice shouldn't be able to get in them. I have 10 boxes on our property and 5 at a park near us. They are all mounted on electrical conduit and none of them ever get mice in them. I leave them up year round so Winter birds can use them for roosting. Downy Woodpeckers love to roost in boxes in the Winter. Please see the link below for lots of Bluebird info on how to properly host Bluebirds and other native cavity nesting birds..... Donna Here is a link that might be useful: sialis bluebird website

That's cool Ray! I am a serious Purple Martin landlord wannabe! This will actually be my 4th season trying to establish, and I have learned so much over that time. The first 2 seasons, my pole was not in an optimal location, and so I moved it a few feet to a better location last year. Had LOTS of visitors last year, and am hoping that some of them will come back to me this year. I am offering 6 Troyer vertical gourds right now to start. Originally offered a house and some gourds, but found that the house only attracted the HOSP's in. I think that Martins in my area prefer gourds anyway. I have lots of Purple Martin landlord friends and some who live nearby to me fill their 80+ gourds each season. They are so much fun to observe!~~Angie

I took out a hosp in my bluebird house about a month ago. Tree swallows had nested and were just completing the nest when a hosp was sticking his head out the box, chirping that gawd awful sounding chirp. Like he was excited he took over their nest. One pellet from 10 yards away, went into the box to collect my bounty. I've done the passive route, doesn't work. They kill anything and everything. So, I remove them. What I have learned is, trapping them with a repeating trap only brings them in to another food source. If you aren't killing them, you are encouraging them. I've noticed that once you start shooting them, they will get the hint. They are still prevalent in my neighborhod, but clearly avoid my yard, houses and feeders. A small pump pistol pellet gun with scope was under $75 bucks and for me it works great. Its small enough for me to target hosp, without my neighbors knowing what I'm doing. Its quiet enough for them to not hear a shot ring out and lethal at 10 yards from my shooting rest that I can make a quick kill. And, on weekends or winter, its safe and quiet to shoot indoors in my basement at 10 yards into a pellet trap.. perfect to keep me accurate. Its not for everyone, but these are an invasive species... no different than the round gobie that has taken over the Great Lakes. DEC says its illegal to release you must kill them. I see hosp as no different. Good luck to all of you in your BB and TRES nest sites this season.