I tried shaking the eggs, shook em hard as I could several times....they still hatched. I pierced one batch and the nest was abandon. Have another nest going on with pierced eggs that seems is still being attended to. I do have sparrow spookers up and so far they have worked.

Thanks for responding, Lisa. Can't get over they survived the shaking (just read your other post about this)!

Yes, the sparrow spookers have been successful so far on the paired boxes with TRES and BBs. The one with the HOSP nest had no spooker as we had originally tried to trap him in this box.

I just read on the Sialis site that you can refrigerate the HOSP eggs for 24 hours and then replace them. I'm just a little skeptical that the female will sit on these eggs after they've been missing for a day.

Anyone had any experience with this technique?

You said you had an inbox trap? If they have an active nest it should be fairly easy to trap them now, they will enter. Tape a leaf over the orange dot, they are less wary of it then. You will probably get the female first but the male should go in too with eggs in there. I would try that first. Or at night when the female is incubating the eggs go in and get her after dark then set the trap and you should have the male in the morning. That is what I would do. Good luck!

Donna

Thanks for the suggestions, Donna, which I will pass on to my husband. He has no qualms about reaching into a box to remove what we now call Assassin Birds. I will be so glad to get rid of that male for all the obvious reasons but, also, I can't stand his incessant chirping!

Good idea about covering the orange dot with a leaf!

Yes, if it's the Van Ert, cover or remove the orange dot.

Just wanted to add my input. I agree, and they should be EXTREMELY easy to trap with an active nest of theirs. I usually capture the male before he has a mate, so it can take some time before he FINALLY goes in. Let me tell you, I've had the trap set and watched, and a few males would chirp on the box, land on the door, return to the roof, fly off, etc, without going in. This will put you in a bad mood, especially if you're impatient, like me.

You may also trap BOTH birds at once. This happens on strange rare occasions with the Van Ert. I've had it happen twice. It was hysterical! both birds were chirping in the box, all panicked!

I know how you feel about the chirping too! There is nothing attractive about House Sparrow vocalizations! They're annoying, if anything.

~Tim~

The chirping has been driving me to drink, I'm hoping this one certain male's days are numbered. Hopefully you'll be able to get him now that they have a nest going. Try and weave some dried grass around the van ert along with the leaf on the orange dot. You can dress it up so they can't really see it. It may take days but they should go in. Be patient. One time I froze the hosp eggs and it kept them occupied and they didn't go on a rampage and they never hatched. They cracked in the freezer but it didn't seem to bother the hosps. I think taking a couple eggs at a time and freezing them and putting them back won't freak her out to much. But hopefully youll get them with the van ert and be done with them.

Update:

On Saturday evening my husband took care of the female HOSP while she was sitting on the nest; then he set the Van Ert and covered the orange spot with a leaf.

As of now, Monday morning, the male HOSP has still not entered the box! I heard him in the yard near the box Sunday morning, but nothing since.

It seems the 2nd nest with pierced eggs has been abandon. There has been no retaliation. The Blues and TRES spookers seem to be working. The HOSPs have moved on, at least I have not seen or heard one today. Bad news is I only got 2 of them this year. Next year is going to be a real challenge!