Kenn and Temple, AWESOME photos! Thanks for sharing. Janie, I read that too (about the male taking out materials to encourage the female to speed up nest building). I'm not so sure that applies to this male and female though :) If you watched the first 4 or 5 days of the videos, Daddy took out more than Mama brought in!!!! And today is Day 14, so if it's supposed to get Mama to make the nest faster, I don't think it worked :) I know I'm over simplifying this...I know that they respond to a complex combination of clues like supply of food, etc. And our weather has been up and down and up and down, too. As far as the female taking out nesting material, with this pair only the male has done it. And in the early days of nest building, I could see that what Daddy was taking out "didn't fit." But also in those early days, he took out as much as she brought in!!! Some days it was hysterical seeing him in the box taking out stuff with her at the hole 'chattering' then her going in with him only to have him slide quickly out with his 'treasure' LOL But yesterday's little piece of ? that he took out...really now! That's a bit obsessive :) I have to watch not to anthropomorphize too much! I'm hoping Mama will start egg laying SOON (as in this week). But I've been fooled by birds before...they don't seem to take MY feelings into their egg laying decisions!! Bluebird blessings, Linda...and may none of us have to deal with HOWRS or HOSP!

Hi all! Thanks for the responses. First YES I have a Spooker on the box - I learned the first time and promptly ordered one after the first disaster. SO far I have not seen many HOSP - but I know they are still around, I have trapped over 30 for sure, and now for some reason, I cant seem to get any more and this is with the repeating trap. On the feeder - I have tried putting the old one with the new one next to it, and the male will come down and eat, but not the female, not since I got the new one. The male was not around today that I saw, unless it was him for just a fleeting moment, but he didnt act like my male. He didnt go feed her, ir even get close to her while he was here, just set on the fence for a second and flew off fast. I am really thinking they are finding a lot of the other insects because they just dont seem too interested in the worms. The eggs have not hatched yet, tomorrow will be day 12 I THINK, but she did skip a day in between the 4th and 5th egg. So If you count from the last egg, it will be day 10. I check the box every morning and usually every afternoon, when she is not in there, so I dont scare her. It is just weird because they have been eating like pigs until the last three days and now they are not very interested. I think the worms are ok, I took them out and fed them and then put them back in the fridge. DO I need to change the worms "bedding"? Also - should I just go back to the old dish and try later when they are hungrier? I would post a picture for you to see them eating BEFORE all this happened, but I am not sure how to do that on here :)

I suppose anything is possible,but I tend to think she might just be an immature female.There were 6 empty boxes.We are way up north on the Canadian border and have no HOSP and have never seen a wren up there.Thank goodness for big favors.Whatever reason,I am glad to have them.My husband is up there this weekend,I will ask him to check the box today to see how many eggs were layed and if she is incubating.

Many thanks for your responses, words of encouragement, sensitivity and understanding...you've been where I am now. It's amazing how this situation has affected me. I worried all night, struggling with making the right decision for me. I had intended to spend the next few days thinking it over, perhaps with a clear head and armed with all the needed info. Again today, attempting to enjoy the morning, Mom and Daddy blue flew to the nestbox...NO HOSPS in sight nor did I hear them. Then WHAM...5 seconds later, two females chased away the little couple. I stood there for a minute, chased the HOSPS away and then it hit me! That's it!!! As painful as it is, I know what needs to be done to keep the blues safe. Kathy, I will order the trap you suggested and I will read and re-read all the info provided in the links, but I do have some questions. Is the trap easy to set up and use? I am very mechanically challenged! How do you keep desirable birds out of the trap? What will happen if HOSPS are still around when nestbuilding time arrives? Will the blues continue to be interested in the box even though the HOSPS have chased them away these past two days? Last Jan. and Feb., activity really accelerated with the blues constantly going in and out of the box. Nestbuilding began on 3/13. Gosh, there is so much to learn..it's pretty overwhelming! I'm thankful I found this forum in Jan. and began to learn about these destructive birds, otherwise, their sudden appearance here wouldn't have concerned me one tiny bit, setting up disaster for sure! Yes, Tammy, I'd like your email address if that's ok..mine is beachgirldwk@comcast.net...anyone is welcome to email me, too. It will remain a mystery how these HOSPS found this neighborhood so suddenly. It is no where near the large stores and fast food restaurants where they hang out. My grocery store is only 2 miles from me, but there are absolutely no birds there at all. Too, I feed the backyard birds only the good stuff. Oh well, since they are here, unfortunately I will have to deal with it. Thanks so much again! I'll continue to need your support and patience, for surely there are many questions to come. Donna