Renee, Thanks for the info. I should have mentioned I had read that and I'm still a little uncertain. I found both following statments at that website.... "Bluebirds tend to be more tolerant of box changes, and it may be wise to put up the wren guard as soon as the bluebirds start a nest, since once the House Wren finds the box, the guard is less effective at deterring them." "Put up the guard after the first egg (or two or three) of the desired-cavity nester has been laid. (On occasion, people have put the guard up before an egg was laid, and have had it accepted, especially if the parents are tolerant of monitoring." I know these blues are pretty tolerant, but I just ripped out the nest they were working on (to remove the old nest with unviable eggs). I'm afraid if I put the guard on now, they may have just had enough disturbances to give up. I'm also afraid to wait too long, and have the wrens discover the box, because I'm pretty sure once that happens, the wren guard won't be much help. I was hoping someone could share some personal success that could help me decide how long to wait. Thanks again Renee.

Kerfs on the outside sounds like a great idea. Have you seen her feet up close? We have had some blues with foot deformities on the forun before. Harold I think , had 2. I would go so far as to add a perch (under the Wren guard) if she is still having trouble. Make the Wren guard so it is at least 3" out from the box, or try the "training guard" first. I did just a short cardboard flap till my gal got the idea then did the full blown Wren guard. Add them togheter,less stress,they alreadty know the spooker!I am babysiting 18day old hide and peek babies at the moment! LOL

Hey Keith, You are right, they are the same thing. I use the terms interchangably. You can make your own or buy them already made. I get mine from www.sparrowtraps.net and have also bought a sparrow trap from them. I buy enough mounting brackets to go on each of my boxes, putting the mounting bracket on as soon as I make a house. I then add the spooker as soon as the first egg is laid. I have never had a blue bird not accept a spooker, nor have I ever had a sparrow try to claim a box after a spooker has been added. I had two spookers from last year and I bought 4 more this year thinking that six would be enough. However, I now have 10 boxes with blue birds and three with tree sparrows. I need to order (or make) seven or eight more to make sure I am covered. Phil

Hey Anita, I thought that too until one day I watched my momma Bluebird go up under the wren guard on the Chickadee nestbox. She was getting a bug on the ground before that and must have seen the hole when she was on the ground. So while it may take a bird longer to find a nestbox with a wren guard I don't think it is fullproof to stop HOSP as they could easily find the hole too if on the ground or by observing another bird going in and out of the nestbox with a wren guard. Just my opinion really but that it how it seems anyway. Donna