Ray, Thanks for the advice.It sounds like a good system. michelle

Many of the birds you mention aren't cavity nesters, so a nest box wouldn't matter. Probably chickadees are the most likely. If you put up a box for chickadees, of course make sure it's protected from predators with a baffle on the post or pole, especially since you mention cats and racoons. The hole size is 1 1/8", small enough that house sparrows and starlings won't be able to enter. One thing I read is that chickadees might prefer a larger hole to start with, like 1 1/4", and then once they have established use of the box, you can put a 1 1/8" hole reducer on. Much depends on the habitat in your yard and in the surrounding area. Chickadees seem to like the nest box to be on the edge of a woody or shrubby area. A chickadee box might also attract house wrens, so I guess it depends on whether you want to potentially host them or not. You don't mention what state you live in, so I don't know if you have house wrens. Other suggestions for nest boxes could be wood ducks (since you live near water), or even screech owls, which could use the same box as wood ducks. Or, you could try putting up an Owl Shack in the fall. I've got two up, no luck so far with screech owls, but the woodpeckers sure like to drum on that nice resonant box! If you have many dogs and cats running around your neighborhood, then you might not get anything at all. If that is the case, then you might not want to try and attract wood ducks, because they have to jump out of the box to make their way to the water, and would be easy targets for cats.

I need to check on mine today Gary. My male is fairly skittish, and he like to do a big "fly in your face to intimidate you" kinda thing. I never get bombed by the birds in my yard, and I think it's because I am out there so much. This particular male though is skittish, and it really worries him for me to actually touch his box! He is fine as long as I don't touch it. :o) I may take my step stool and an umbrella out so that it's easier on him and me!! I will let you know. Mine should be hatched out by today if all is going well.~~Angie

Remove the nest and clean out the box. I do this the very day the babies fledge. Hose it out, then scrub with water and a little bleach, and rinse again. This will take care of any possible parasites, etc. Leave the door open for a day to let it dry completely. Hopefully, Mama will start a new nest pretty soon. Last year, my Mama blue began her 2nd nest 13 days after the first brood fledged. This year, she waited a little longer. The babies fledged on 5/2 and today she laid her 5th egg! Congrats and I hope you have more little blues soon! Donna