I wanted to post to your other thread however the post follow up wouldn't come up in that post for me for some reason.

I really wanted to say your box should be mounted on a slick metal pole like conduit not a wooden post. The baffles that are put on birdhouses should be wobbling baffles to keep the raccoons out (and I agree it sounds like a raccoon that got your babies). Problem is with a wooden post you won't get much wobble out of a stovepipe baffle. If you do keep it on the post, which I advise not to, make sure you have at least an 8 inch stovepipe to put on there. The conetype baffles do not work for raccoons.

Oh and if you saw a male bluebird, he is not the one to build a nest, the female is the sole nestbuilder however the male will put a piece of grass or two in the box to entice the female. You have a whole new problem though if you have wrens around as they will destroy the bluebird eggs/hatchlings if they get a chance.

Check out sialis.org for lots of infor on Bluebirds and other cavity nesting birds. It has tons of info on how to properly offer proper nesting boxes and to deter predators.

Good luck!

Donna

I would suggest moving that box off the post, putting it on a slick metal pole and placing it somewhere else. Your going to have trouble with Wrens now that they know it is there. We don't want you to find dead babies because they were tossed out of the box. Wrens WILL do this. As Donna said go read up on the sialis sight. If you offer housing it is your responsibility to keep them safe. This site will help you do that. Good Luck!

Thank you for your advice. The bluebird house and post were a birthday gift. We are going to go baffle shopping tomorrow, and will make sure it wobbles.

I have been on sialis.org a lot. It's how I got the link to this forum. :)

NEW PROBLEM! I saw a house sparrow land on the post right after the male bluebird went inside. I ran out and chased it away. A little later a sparrow flew into the box. I never once saw a sparrow even near the box when the 1st clutch was laid and hatched. I only use black oil sunflower seed and Nyger seed in my feeders, just to keep sparrows, grackles and crows away. Something else to worry about. I really am a worrier!

By the way, I had wrens trying to build in the nesting box with the 1st clutch too. I removed twigs for two days and on day three, after putting the box up, the bluebird nest was built. The wrens didn't bother the 1st pair of bluebirds. ?????

We plan to build a sparrow spooker to try and deter the dang sparrows, but wrens are around the neighborhood too. I don't think moving my nesting box would make any difference. My yard is only so large, and we placed the box at the edge of the property facing east toward the large open area.

Glad to know you are doing all you can. If your yard is small you are right moving the box may not help. Be sure you have HOSPS, there's a lot of little brown birds out there that are a joy to have. So many Sparrows look so similar. You can spot a male HOSP easily though. As far as the Racoon and leaving your box on the post......I don't think it's a good idea. I would ditch the post for a pole. Maybe the nice post could hang pretty flower baskets? I know you don't want to seem ungreatful for the gift. Welcome to the world of Bluebirding....there's a LOT to it. We are here to help!

They are HOSPs, believe me, I know how they look. The male even looks mean! I have chased them away at least 8 times today! It's annoying. The blues are still coming to feed on the mealworms, but have not seen them even go near the nesting box today. My neighbor has a bluebird nest in his box too, and is out of town until June 29. (No eggs in his yet either.) We are making him a baffle and a sparrow spooker too. I am being the bluebird mom for two boxes now. It's fun, but I am super frustrated to see the HOSP hanging around my box.

Question: Do we wait for an egg to be laid before adding the sparrow spookers to both boxes? What if she never comes near because of the sparrows in the vicintiy?

Yes wait until the first egg is laid b/c at that point the blue birds are the most strongly bonded to the box. If you put it before there is a chance they will move on. Even so make sure they accept the spooker. I will probably spook them too at first but the need to breed will make them overcome their fear.

Sunday update: My box still just has an empty nest. I wonder if it's a dummy nest????? Only saw the sparrow once today, but the wrens were around once too. Ugh. Wish the bluebirds would nest in my box, but at least both male and female are coming to my yard to eat mealworms.

My neighbor's box had one egg in it today! Being that they are out of town, I am monitoring their box. We put up a baffle (metal stovepipe) and made and installed a sparrow spooker today. It is quite the spooker too! We actually bought fringed mylar and stapled it to the dowels after priming and painting them so they will hold up in the weather. We made three spookers, hoping I will need one and made one for another neighbor too.

Question: Is there anything we can do to keep the wrens away?

There are wren guards you can add to a box as well as making sure that is no brush below or near the box. Wrens love that, gives them cover. The Sialis.org site has more on it :). GL! The BF mother just lost a nest of four eggs to wrens.

Hate to sound like a dummy, but what is a BF mother? Dang wrens! Too sad.

You could try keeping the wrens busy. Put up a couple of cheap boxes anywhere and keep emptying the sticks. They can't resist stuffing any available cavity.

I have a neighbor who has been removing wren twigs from one of her bluebird boxes for 24 days straight. They don't give up!

Mlkbskt,

Boy friends mother LOL :D

Duckwatcher:
LOL!

Just as an FYI, there are HOSP in my area who actually like black oil sunflower seeds so do not think that this will keep them away. I have heard that they dislike safflower seeds but I have yet to try them to see.

Good luck!
Linda