Such a shame that %100 of the fledglings don't make it. Especially with all the work we do to help bluebirds and other natives. I was surprised with finding a decorative small birdhouse I put in my tree in my flower garden had black capped Chickadees in it. Glad it worked for them since the hole was so small and those HOSP couldn't get in.
Yesterday I was finally home for the whole morning and I caught 7 HOSP, 4 male! My trap is not working like it should, I have to keep raising the bar thing back up, unbalanced. Hope my husband can adjust it. So I sat way up at my house and watched, then ran back down and reset it after each catch! I am somewhat happy........still have tons of those critters.
Since my bluebirds are still here, I have a question about grubs in the sod. I have been doing a lot of digging and have tons of those grubs. Would anyone think the bluebirds would eat them if I put them in one of those birdfeeders that are on a short pole? I would be happy to dig up the yard like the skunks do.
Have a great day,
Debbie
Watching on the nest cam, I saw the bluebird parents come in several times with a white grub. It was on the first cycle when there was a lot of rain and chilly weather. I am sure something had dug up the worm making it easy for them to find.
I do want to say that I watched as the female put the whole grub worm down the nestlings throat. It was choking and could not swallow it. The female reached down and got it out of the baby's throat, but put it back in there. It started choking again. I ran out to the box, but the baby had spit it up when I got there. I grabbed it and threw it out.
Normally, Bluebirds will break up any kind of worms that are larger than the meal worms, but she did not this day. I have seen them on my front side walk beating up a worm into bits to take to the babies.
I think I would let the parents feed the babies what they find unless you have severe weather that warrants supplement feeding.
BTW, NEVER, feed earthworms to the bluebirds. The worms will give them diarrhea and the babies will dehydrate and die.
Thank You Bayoubluebirdlady for responding , and is very dissappointing with the out come after fledging. I had the pair come this morning to visit the box, hung around then left, but just one pair. I was so excited . Have a Great Day Everyone!
~~~Zoom~~~
Bayoubluebirdlady_LA:70% of the bluebird fledglings will not make it the first year of their lives. When I learned that, it was hard for me to take, but that is the way nature is. That is why we need to be diligent to help all NATIVE cavity nesting birds!
Bayou, This is hard information for me to accept also. This just proves that we need more birders to provide nesting sites and do whatever it takes to ensure successful fledglings....etc.
BTW, Thanks for helping us out with your knowledge and experience!
Jean ~ Taylorsville, Georgia
http://jean-livingsimple.blogspot.com/
You have a nest cam is it easy to set up. I saw that on the internet and was telling my husband about it and he thought it was a lot of work. Do you leave it up all year round or take it down in the winter.Just asking it look interesting to see them on the nest cam.
Phyllis
It is not a hard job. The cam comes with 100 ft. of wire and we leave the wire up year round. It comes in the house through a hole the wall for the wire to come through to the TV. It is no problem to drill through brick or wood.
We take the camera out of the nest box when the season is over and bring it inside.
My daughter bought mine on line at www.cooperseeds.com for $60.00. I think you can get them at Sam's too. It is in black and white and now my husband wants the one that is color. We have really learned lots in the two years we've watched as we've had some extra ordinary things happen to see. We've also been able to share with neighbors and family. My grown kids got to see baby bluebirds hatching on Father's Day this year.
Thank you for the information maybe we can suggest that too are kids they always want to know what to get us for Christmas present and they can all go together if they want. I think I will look at the color one also. I think it would be nice for the grandkids to see how the birds do also.I agaree with you, you can learn from the nest cam.
I'm from Oklahoma and love all birds (except house sparrows), but especially love bluebirds. they are year round residents here. I battle hosp all the time, especially in the spring. the BB start nesting around the last of March, so the battle is on with the hosp. I do have a trap that fits inside the nesting box that traps the hosp inside. I am sort of squeamish about how to get rid of the bird once its trapped, plus I have to watch the box to make sure no BB gets trapped inside. this time of year the BB love the birdbath, I have seen 3 of 4 at a time in it. I quit feeding the birds because of all the hosp. I might try a suet feeder again this winter. I have a good recipe and make my won suet. We have not had a killing freeze yet, the begonias are still blooming.
Hi Yvonne,
I have a trap for the HOSP, and I was slowly catching them. I have a flock of 20-30 that stop by in the morning and it just sickens me to see them out there checking the bluebird houses. I did stop feeding all of the birds for a bit, then I missed them. So I try to lure the HOSP to the trap with just the cheap bird seed with the millet, and I also put a little piece of white bread with it. I got two the other day, and left them in the trap to lure more, but they have not returned yet.
The only thing it lured was a hawk who sat there on and off all day, watching them in the trap! My son has been getting up too late in the morning to shoot the HOSP. They always come about 9 a.m. I guess I should learn how to shoot.
I did notice also that the BB here use the birdbath now, never did over the summer. So I went and bought a heated bath for winter. I live in western Pa., and the weather has been still warm here, and the BB are still here. So in case they stay for the winter I already winterized the houses and bought mealworms, which I am trying to raise..........hope they multiply and not die on me.
Hi Yvonne, Welcome to the Bluebird Fan Group!
I don't have HOSP (house sparrows) here but am learning from those that do on how to deal with these imported birds should they show up here. Most everyone here does have experience with these wicked birds and can answer your questions and I see that you already have one great reply!
I also haven't had a killing freeze yet and I have flowers still blooming. Which is surprising for November even for the southeast. Please share your recipe for suet. Do your Bluebirds like it?
Yvonne and Bluemen - I'm glad I'm not the only one battling the HOSP. I have my trap going constantly - caught 2 on Monday. I have a neighbor that told me over the summer she saw Bluebirds in our neighborhood - and I told her they were nesting in my yard. I told her how bad the HOSP are and that they will kill a Bluebird, but she still thinks the HOSP are cute. I sure wish I could set my trap in her yard - I bet I could catch dozens of them - I think they know they are not welcome in my yard but they still invade my feeder in the morning. Rotten HOSP cased my Bluebirds away again two days ago. I will keep my trap going and hope I can get rid of most of them by spring, but I sure wish the Bluebirds could roost in my birdhouses if they decide to hang around this winter. I really hope they migrate since the winters can be so harsh where I live. I did purchase and have a bluebird feeder hanging that I put raisins and suet in - to try to help the Bluebirds out.
Many people do not know about the HOSP. And I have been telling my friends why I dispose of them and also ask them if they have found the destroyed robin nests. Like myself in the past, I did not know why or how robin eggs would be thrown around and little babies in the yard. I always thought a bird is a bird!
Hope you can entice the HOSP from your neighbors feeder over to your trap!!
I only caught a few this week, can't understand where they are. They were the only birds that showed up at the same time every morning.
Like you I didn't want to see the BB stay for the winter. Here in Pa. its still in the 50's during the day, and a few nights in the 30's. So perhaps the BB will stay go South later. I bought 3000 mealworms in case they stay, plus the heated birdbath.
The neighbor next to the woman that loves HOSP told me he found a dead baby bird on his driveway, it was a newer bird and barely had any feathers. I'm thinking it must have been a Robin - I did not know the HOSP also destroy Robins nest and kill their babies. I will have to tell my neighbor that also. I did try baiting my trap with bread and cheap birdseed since just the birdseed isn't enticing them. Its been warmish here in Michigan too - 50's during the day and 30's at night also - I'm in southern Michigan, right next to the Ohio border.
I also saw on one of the bluebird main sites, a picture of about 5 baby Titmice that were killed by the HOSP. Somewhere I read a man had a bluebird trail, and he wasn't too worried with only one pair of HOSP because they already had their house and were nesting, but they still went and killed four of the baby BB.
Today my BB feeder arrived. I bought it through the "Eastern Bluebird Rescue Group" and its made of cypress, so impressed with it. Hope my husband will get it up soon.
Also those HOSP were not going near the trap here last week because I just got done spreading straw and they were eating the seeds off of it.
I wonder if the BB will just get up and move south after our heat wave. I live on the border of Pa. and Ohio. Love this weather, but most likely we are going to get cold soon.
A good recipe for suet that is better than store bought. 1 cup lard (I use a brand that is made from meat fat and vegatable oils), 1 cup peanut butter, 2 cups quick cooking oats, 2 cups cornmeal, 1 cup white flour, 1/3 cup sugar. melt lard and peanut butter together, add remaining ingredients. spread into a pan to about 1 1/2 in thick. freeze, cut into squares to fit suet feeders. I know BB like this. the bluebirds stay here all year and it is a joy to see them all year. they will roost in the birdboxes, but I have never seen them do that, but have read about it. what should I put in the box to help insulate it? we are having great weather here in OK. please post any good tips for feeding things hosp DO NOT LIKE to eat, if such a thing exist. love hearing from other birders.
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