Garden

[giddy up]

I have a pair of Bluebirds nesting in the box I placed in the front yard on a post.  I say "successful so far" because you never know if or when an enemy will ruin the nest and eggs/babies.  Enemies like the House Sparrow and House Wren which can wreak havoc on bluebird nest.  The one thing this pair has going for them is moxy and aggressiveness.  I have seen them chase down the male House Sparrow around the time the nest was being built and wrestle him to the ground, enough to finally put some sense in him to leave them alone.  Last year I had a heck of a time with the House Sparrows claiming the box for themselves and fighting back any attemp from Bluebirds to use it.  That was until July, when an unusually tough pair claimed the box and eventually successfully raised one young nestling.  I think that tough pair of Bluebirds is the same pair that I have out there now.  She has been sitting on the eggs for about 10 days already so they will be hatching probably in the next couple of days.

[KingstonsMom]

@giddy up 

Our family of 5 Bluebird babies just fledged over the week-end!

Now, we'll have family #2 move in!

We have 2 boxes and usually get 2 sets of 5 babies in each box every season!

[Dazlin]

What kind of nesting box did you use? Where did you place it? I'm interested 😊

[morganjen]

Have you tried a Sparrow spooker?

[giddy up]

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@Dazlin wrote:
What kind of nesting box did you use? Where did you place it? I'm interested 😊

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I use the Peterson style bluebird house and have for many years with good success.  I have it in the front yard on a post 5 feet high and about 35 feet from my front porch.  It is also about 12 feet from my driveway which I like because I can keep an eye on it as I am coming and going.  I have been known to get out of my car and walk around the front yard scaring off any House Sparrows that are lurking about.  These bluebirds don't know how good they have it with me as their help and protector.

[giddy up]

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@morganjen wrote:

Have you tried a Sparrow spooker?

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I will have to look into that.

[JustJazzmom]

Where are you located that you get bluebirds? @giddy up 

I’ve read that the area needs to be open & farmland like. 

[giddy up]

@JustJazzmom 

I am in a somewhat rural area in northern Maryland.   I have neighbors but we are not right on top of one another.   My front yard is modest in size but my back yard is much bigger but also mostly wooded.   I had the bluebird house around back initially and the bluebirds liked it well enough but then I moved it out front and they liked it still.  Plus I can keep an eye on it better around front than out back.  I have a couple of trees in front but there is expansive open lawn area in the front between me and my neighbors.  There is a good bit of open farmland in my immediate vicinity too.

[PA Mom-mom]

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@morganjen wrote:

Have you tried a Sparrow spooker?

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@morganjen  What do you use for the Sparrow spooker? We got our first bluebird nest this year, and so far so good. I think the hatchlings are in there. But, I would love to know what worked for you.

[morganjen]

I haven't used a Sparrow spooker yet. If we end up having a problem with HOSPs, I won't hesitate to use one. I think ours have fledged sometime today (wasn't home). I'm going to check the nest tomorrow, since I haven't seen any activity or heard them. One was almost out of the hole yesterday evening.