Without a doubt, they are killing the fruit bushes where I live. I went out and pulled at least a black garbage bag full yesterday and there are many more. Much of the bush that was alive last year, is not this year. You can pull some of them out but where the bush is still full, it is hard to get to all of them. Also, even though you are pulling them out, there are still little vines that you can't get to that are probably strangling them. One section about a foot long and maybe wo inches wide is completely dead now and that is where these air plants were very thick. Very sad.

I wanted to post an update in case it might help anyone else trying to catch HOSP in a repeating trap. I tried adding feathers, but there were still no takers. I dealt with the trapped HOSP and put the trap away. However, yesterday my TRES returned and at the same time more HOSP showed up. One pair tried to claim the TRES box. I didn't want to use an in-box trap, fearing the TRES would be caught, so I took back out the DRST. I set it up in a different location and I've already caught 3 of them. So if you're no longer catching HOSP, it may help to try placing the trap in a different location. The only problem with the new location is it also attracted deer mice. Apparently deer mice like white millet too. It was not fun trying to get the deer mice out without releasing the HOSP.

Seems other folks who are posting of eggs and hatchlings are in warmer areas. Our weather won't settle for a few more weeks. My blues are avoiding the house they used last year since I put a feeding station nearby-too busy for them. They will likely nest in the back yard. Can you visit your neighbor and offer to monitor their box and put up a spooker? So far, this has worked for me, in fact, everyone has been eager for information. Linda

kendra2 i was surprised to see that you are in MA and in zone 5 and have year round BB's. I am in SW Vermont in zone 4 (or 4B depending on where you look) and have been seeing BB's later and later each year and wondering what is going on as i thought they went south for winter. It is hard to tell from the posts what is happening because not everyone identifies where they are located and what zone they are in but it appears they will overwinter wherever they can. It seems unimaginable that BB's would overwinter in my region because it can go to -20 here at night and be in single digits for days at a time. Typically there is a stretch of 2 or more weeks in winter that don't exceed the teens. These temps are mitigated only slightly till one travels at least 75 air miles to Albany and the lower Hudson valley. Nevertheless, I have seen BB's later and later in the year on nice days until I eventually stopped seeing them in late November. This year I saw groups of BB's around the nest boxes on nice days several times in November and December. On Christmas eve I saw a pair perched near the house going into the snow to pick up something. This weekend is supposed to be in the high 40's and i kind of expect to see them again. So my question is: are they overwintering here or making "day trips" to their nesting grounds and why on earth would they be doing that in such a difficult environment when they could be in Carolina eating fresh fruit and bugs? Lou