Michelle and Jean, I think what you're describing is a nestbox/hanging system that is used by Linda Violet. She reports great success with western bluebirds with this system and claims that boxes installed in this manner at not as targeted by house sparrows. I have doubts that such a system would work in my area, however, both because of climbing predators and because of the dreaded house wrens. I think, also, that house sparrow behavior may differ in different parts of the country. I, too, would worry about handling a nestbox in this manner. Bluebird eggs and young are very fragile and I would be nervous about the possibility of them being harmed during the lowering/lifting process. Unfortunately, vandalism is an issue in many places and if this system works for those using it, I'm all for it. Kathy

My phoebes had skipped a year of nesting in their usual place (above the porch light fixture near my office door). My mirror set-up had scared them away. I should have realized that birds do not "like" mirrors -- but I didn't think about it at the time. I did see a bird pecking all day at the mirror, looking behind it, then pecking angrily at it when seeing the "intruder" again. That bird came back the next day to peck at the mirror again. I felt sorry for him wasting his time. But, I didn't think about the phoebes reaction being the same. So, they never nested there last year. I removed the mirror, but they still did not return to nest there this spring. Instead, they nested on another side of the house -- under our raised deck (same as last year). But, after the 1st brood was fledged -- THEY MOVED BACK TO THEIR OLD NESTING SPOT! So, the phoebes apparently got fed up with the disturbances created by our toy poodle (who is let out onto our raised deck several times a day.) The poodle would be walking directly over their nest, and possibly pissing over their nest. The nest building started May 25, 2021 and completed on the 30th or 31st. The mother was sitting on the nest on May 31, and there were 2 eggs in the nest. So, the first egg was likely delivered on May 30. By June 3, there were 5 eggs. All the eggs hatched on June 17 -- so, exactly 2 weeks after the last egg was laid. Interesting that all eggs hatched on the same day, even though each egg was laid a day apart. When I peeked, all the shells were gone. So, even tho I didn't see it, I assume that the parents removed all the egg shells. I also see the parents flying away with baby-bird poop. The poop looks like worms, and the parents carry it away from the nest. They either drop it or eat it (it is undigested food). Today is June 23, and the parents are often very busy bringing food. The bay birds are still too small to see without using a mirror over the nest. Here is a link to a very interesting article from 1937, detailing the observations of nesting habits of phoebes as studied over a 3-yr period. A few interesting details: Female does all the nest building. Incubation starts at varying times - sometimes after 3rd egg, sometimes after 4th, sometimes after 5th. The male apparently does none of the incubation. After fledging, the young birds remain close to the nest, getting farther way as the days pass. Both parents still feed the young after they fledge -- feeding them for periods of up to 18 days. Reliance on the parents gradually decreases. The parents may eventually show harsh treatment of the young to get them to go out on their own. Interesting. https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v059n03/p0410-p0417.pdf

This morning the OK Mesonet said that the lowest millibar recorded in OK (not necessarily the lowest millibar with this huge storm, as that likely was in another state) with this storm was 977 at Kenton, and it is the lowest pressure ever recorded anywhere in OK. Of course, I think they've only been recording this data for the 25 years that the Mesonet has been in operation. Larry, You're welcome. I'm glad you find the info helpful. Amy, Well...who knew that wind like this would hit your windows at just the right angle to clear out the cobwebs? That is pretty cool! At least some good is coming from all this windy nonsense. The sun came out here and I got very excited. After all, my plants have been hardening off for at least a week under cloudy skies, and we all know that the cloudy skies haven't prepared them for sunny skies. Actually, I think they had sunshine on Day 1 and Day 2, but not since. So, for Day 7, they got almost 2 hours on the front porch in the sunshine, fairly well sheltered from the wind. I think the worst wind they were exposed to might have been gusts in the 20s. The wind gusts have been stronger this afternoon, but the plants were indoors by then. It seems like our wind is continuing to slowly strengthen here, basically from west to east, so we weren't having really strong wind earlier this afternoon (gusting only in low 30s) but in the last hour it has been gusting into the upper 40s at times. I'll be glad when it is done. I hope the rain is drying up some of the mud. Wind will continue overnight, but I think tomorrow it should be sunny and somewhat less windy. Now, for everyone who wants to know the Maximum Wind Gust recorded at the OK Mesonet station nearest them today, here's the Max Wind Gust Map. OK Mesonet Maximum Wind Gust Recorded Since Midnight I know it is March. March is windy. Got it. However....I'm completely over it! I'd just like to have a normal warm Spring day with moderate wind and no rain. Is that going to happen? Soon? I hope so. Dawn

A couple things I do to help the birds during their nesting time is give them places to build their nest. Doves only put down a couple sticks before laying their eggs so I give them platforms that are sort of saucer shaped — to keep the eggs in the nest. I just take 1/4 in square screen, cut a 8x8 inch piece and bend the ends over canes so it doesn’t fall. Also works great on metal arches. I also place them up under the over hang of the roof on our buildings. That way they are out of the rain. Make sure they have more than one easy escape opening. Robins like the roses but they do need a bunch of the canes close to each other so they can place their nest in the ‘hole’. You may want to tie some canes together if your bushes don’t have any. Also if you have a cane sticking straight up with off shoots that form a cone just cut the center cane out leaving just the cone. They can build their nest in it without it falling out. Wrens will fill your bird houses with small sticks so other birds can't use them if the houses are close to each other.