Hi tmj, I'm noticing tons of blues playing and investigating the boxes lately . I think they are planning for next spring. I would be afraid a roosting box would be used by hosp over the winter.

OK, I came here this morning to post this very behavior. We're in NoVA, and this past Spring was our first year in our house. We had two successful nestings early Spring into summer. We have not had eggs in the box since May 20th. After the 2nd group fledged, the next day started that hot stretch to near 100. We cleaned out the box, replaced the nesting cup just in case, but nobody came over summer. We'd occasionally see them in the front yard dropping for bugs, or sitting in the trees burbling. We fed them live meal worms until the kids were fledged & had learned to feed on their own.
Now I clean spider webs & check the box for other weirdness, and removed the nesting cup about a month ago.

Now the seasons here have turned, the weather is fabulous. This past Saturday morning, I noticed a male & female at the box like they were in Spring, checking things out. I figured they were checking for Spring to make sure their little condo was still there.
Today morning early I saw the male doing the same thing again - peeping into the hole, then he sat on top of the box all fluffed out (it's in the upper 40's / low 50's here this morning).

Do you think I should replace the nesting cup? To me if they are seeking shelter over winter, it would be in the way.
And they look so radically different than the couple from Spring, I cannot tell if it's them all fat & sassy from summer bugs, or if it's a new young couple. The blues from Spring were much leaner looking, of course, and today he was fluffy from the chill.

I will assume they're just making sure their real estate is there for Spring, and do nothing but keep the inside clean.

Appreciate any comment, thanks!
- Les.

We took our boxes down after our Bluebirds and Swallows left and stored them in the garage. I didnt want the house sparrows claiming them.
I sure miss the Bluebirds! Hopefully next year they will return! Meanwhile my sparrow trap is out and baited. It works like a charm!

Les, I usually just put a layer of dried grass for insulation on the bottom of the nestboxes for winter in case they need a place to roost. They have never taken me up on it, but I will do the same this year. I usually have them here all winter, but I have no idea where they go to roost at night.

Thanks all ! Well now that I'm not working, I see that sialis site has explained it all - of course!

http://www.sialis.org/fall.htm

http://www.sialis.org/roost.htm

Pic looks just like them - all fat & fluffed out. But if he thinks that 50 is cold - wow - wait till January!

this winter I'm going to observe who is using my boxes as roosts. I suspect it's hosp but not sure. If I verify it is hosp that may be a good time to set my inbox traps to get a head start on spring. Tmj- do you use a drst? My wildbird feed store had one made by another company, was all steel, no wood on it, but I got talked out of buying it by someone at the nature center. Not sure who makes the best one. Sue