Any Other Bluebirders?

[Dotch]

Finished another night of mortal combat with the house sparrows, catching them on their perches in the granary and barn with my trusty BB gun. Put my sparrow trap out in the barn last week but as of yet, no captives so will likely relocate that. Apparently they're hanging out in the barn to get water out of the tank as we've really focused on keeping all feed covered and cleaning up any spills. Still several coming from the neighbors and helping themselves to the sunflower seed in the feeders. Have reduced their numbers to a fraction though of what they were just a year ago. Next item on the agenda is to get the predator guards attached to the bluebird houses before spring. May purchase a few of the tube type (I'm lazy) and see how they compare with the homemade hardware cloth models. Anyone else going through these gymnastics in anticipation of seeing our little blue feathered friends back this spring?

[fisherking01]

I built and put up some bluebird houses a couple years ago and am really clueless about what else to do to promote them. I had nesters the first year and last. What should I be doing? ie. predator control?

[Dotch]

Ah, Brandon MN, not too far from Alex I see. Nice country up that way. That's super that you had success the first 2 years out. We've had a tough time getting them here for several reasons. Don't know how many cats, raccoons, opossums, etc., you might have in your area but we have plenty here in the south. It's helpful to put some kind of barrier on the houses or the pole they're mounted on to thwart their efforts at fishing the birds, babies or eggs out of the nest. Google Bluebird Predator Guards and you'll see some of the different designs and get some ideas of what I'm talking about. With neighbors who have a fairly high cat population, it's been tough on the bluebirds or tree swallows over the years. Since we have a fair amount of non-confinement livestock in the area including our own, there tend to be a lot of house sparrows too. In addition to crapping all over the place in the sheds and the potential they have to spread disease to the livestock, they compete with swallows and bluebirds for nesting boxes & will also kill tree swallows or bluebirds in the nesting boxes. Few things sicken me more than opening a nesting box and finding a tree swallow after it was pecked to death. House sparrows are relentless but have found by catching them on the nests and removing their eggs when I don't, it really cuts into their reproductive capabilities. This is why I also have pounded them with the pellet gun in the buildings and recently invested in a repeating type sparrow trap. This exotic species may have met someone almost as ornery as they are.

[fisherking01]

Gotchya on the pred control. I have a passion for cats coon skunk etc. I like to "relocate" them. Got a few sparrows around, but I also have a 9 year old son with nothing much else to shoot at. I do a lot of wood duck boxes and mallard nest structures so I am familiar with the mammal predation prevention, glad to know about the sparrows too. Our local sportsmen clubs have been installing bluebird houses for 25 plus years and on any given day you can hit some of the township roads and see quite a few, I never saw them as a kid. Just goes to show how our influences can be beneficial to nature. Thanks for the insight.

[Dotch]

That's absolutely super! Slowly but surely we're starting to see more bluebirds here but we have a long way to go until we reach the level you've achieved. Have about 10 houses out and will be adding a couple more this spring in addition to relocating some to better locations. My hat's off to you!

After striking a deal with a local county hwy. guy (I get busted off square metal sign posts from him; he gets free pens from me) will be putting a few more wood duck houses on the CREP pond this spring. In addition, will be keeping several live animal traps set down there.

Sounds like yer bringin' that young 'un up right...