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Cleaning out old nests (Part 1)Subj: Re: jewel wasps & not cleaning out nests Subj: Re: jewel wasps & not cleaning out nests Subj: Re: Used nests Subj: Cleaning out old nests Jonathan Plissner received his Ph.D. under her, and is now at the University
of Oregon. Professor Wayne Davis of Kentucky has suggested that returning
bluebirds preferentially select an old box that has not had the nesting material
removed, when given a choice between that and an empty box. California's Hatch
Graham believes in this also, but findings elsewhere are inconclusive. Avoidance
or selection of the box is more likely due to earlier success in the box, rather
than the fact the old nest is still there. Gowaty & Plissner found there was no
signficant effect in studying 24 nests, half of which had not been cleaned out
from a previous nesting. There were 24 nesting attempts in cleaned boxes, 26 in
not-cleaned boxes. Third brood attempts occurred in only one cleaned box, but
in five not cleaned. Only 59% of individuals stayed to breed again within the
season in not-cleaned boxes, whereas 72% stayed in cleaned boxes. Equal numbers
of both males and females returned to breed in cleaned and not-cleaned boxes
the next breeding season....There was no significant effect of cleaning or not
cleaning nest boxes on the chance of nesting attempts or the numbers of
nestlings fledged from nest boxes.Ó (Gowaty & Plissner, J. Field
Ornithol.Vol.68,#3, pp.323-502,Summer1997) There are other aspects to cleaning
out or not cleaning out, such as the presence of the parasitic wasp on blowfly
larvae, but for the pure question of whether the bluebirds prefer an old nest,
the answer is no, I believe. Subj: nest box cleaning Jewel wasps? IF the Jewel wasps only get half of the pupa then potentially we
are creating a worse problem than destroying the nests since everyone has seen
the graph on the number of flies bred from a single pair in a single year! Jewel
wasps don't just feed on blow flies! They also feed on all other flies and some
even feed (parasitize) the eggs of praying mantis' and dozens (or thousands?) of
other insects. We have the perfect opportunity to do an immediate test! If all
of us would go through the old nests as the birds fledge and tear the nest apart
over a newspaper and collect and count the pupa of the blow fly, place the pupa
in a jar with tiny holes in the lid (Jewel wasps are about the diameter of a
large straight pin) and count how many of the blow flies that hatch! Then if
Jewel wasps hatch out of some of them we can see how effective they were at
finding all of the pupa! (If 19 flies hatch out of 20 pupa they aren't doing the
job) We can carefully release jewel wasps (if any hatch) back to the wild to
kill more blow flies! I have contributed nests to two different blow fly/Jewel
wasp research projects in the past and they said that you could also put the
pupa in a small sandwich size zip lock bag and blow it full of air and then seal
it tight. There would be enough air to keep the insects alive for this test. You
could write the box number, date and number of pupa on the bag check them every
day and see what hatches! Across the southeastern states I will be surprised if
we have more than 15-30 pupa in any of the boxes. How many are lethal to the
birds? Blow flies are not the only blood sucker to harm nestlings. What about
the Buffalo gnat, mosquito's, lice/mites and deer flies? If old nests are left
in the boxes in the area's with fire ants then we will lose LOTS more bluebirds
to them than blowflies since ants will find the edibles left behind and keep
coming back to the box! If Jewel wasps were truly efficient they would have
driven flies to extinction by now and if blow flies were truly lethal all birds
would be extinct. KK Subj: When to remove? Subj: cleaning controversy/this and that Subj: Old Nests:
keep 'em or dump 'em? Hatch Graham,
Amador & El Dorado Counties, California Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 08:23:52 -0500 Hello everyone, I'm new at this so please be patient with me. I have several nesting boxes with bluebirds living in them. My question is, how often should I clean out these boxes while bluebirds are living in them? Any information concerning this question would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Danny Shields Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 09:52:17 -0500 Danny, I clean out my boxes immediately AFTER each clutch (batch) of fledglings leaves the nest. I do this because it provides the birds with a clean, parasite-free, spacious place to start their next nest. They do not lay new eggs in old nests, which are usually flattened and filthy. They will build new nests OVER old ones, but if I were a Bluebird I wouldn't wish to. (There is controversy about this whole subject. You asked about how often you should clean out boxes "while Bluebirds are living in them." I think the answer would have to be "NEVER". The babies' feces are scrupulously removed by the parent birds except for the last few days before fledging, when the work load simply becomes too much for them to keep up with. Now I suppose I'll have to say "ALMOST NEVER". If you are unfortunate enough to have a blowfly infestation while the young birds are still in the nest, then you should remove and destroy the infested nest, build a clean, new nest out of dry grass yourself, and replace the babies in it. While you're at it, inspect the little birds carefully and remove any blowfly larvae that you find on them, or attached to them, Both parents and chicks will accept your Danny-built nest without hesitation, provided it's clean and dry. The whole matter of good blowfly control is a separate subject, and I'm sure other Listers will speak to it. A severe infestation can kill an entire clutch, or leave them badly weakened. I'm assuming that your boxes are easy to open and monitor, either from the side, or from the front, or from the top. A few ingeniously-built boxes open all three ways. My NABS boxes are all side-openers; I find them most convenient, all things considered. If you send me your snail-mail address, I'll mail you a copy of my free packet. AND, you should get yourself a good Bluebird book. I prefer Dorene Scriven's BLUEBIRD TRAILS, A GUIDE TO SUCCESS. My free packet explains a lot of basic stuff on 3 sheets of paper; Ms. Scriven's book explains just about everything, and it's reasonably priced. Meanwhile, keep asking questions. Bruce Burdett, NH Bluebird Conspiracy, Sunapee, NH (NABS Affiliate) P.S. Am I right in guessing that you're in Maryland? It would be nice if you'd always include your approximate location. Sometimes the answers depend on where you are. Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 10:15:25 EST Bruce, do you think Danny was referring to bbs ROOSTING in the boxes? In which case, I'd like to know the answer to that too. If bbs have been roosting in boxes over the winter, do we clean them out -- the droppings, feathers, etc.? Joanne Cox Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 10:28:37 -0500 Hi Danny, I've only been monitoring bluebird boxes for about 4 years but I'm willing to share what little I've learned or experienced. Like Bruce shared, I never bother the nest while there are young. One time, we had bluebirds who abandoned their nest (don't have a clue why) so we kept it. During a rainy, cold spring, the nest became wet. There were little chicks in the nest. We did remove the wet nest and replaced it with the dry one that we had saved. The blues didn't seem to mind. All chicks eventually fledged. We have always cleaned out our boxes after the chicks have fledged too, however, I read something about Jewel wasps and the old nests. I can't remember details but it was something like they help control the blowfly larvae and the article was suggesting that it might be beneficial to leave the old nest. During the past few years, we've done both. We've had bluebirds who simply added to what was already in the box. We've had birds remove the old nest themselves. I don't really know what the final answer is in regard to removing old nests. Duncraft sells a birdhouse that is fitted with a metal screen in the bottom which is designed so that larvae can fall through and thus not attach to the chicks. We purchased two of them, however, we only had chickadees nest in the boxes. Last year, we removed the screen altogether. Anyone else use this type of box? With any success? Patty Haught, Fairview, WV Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 15:01:48 -0500 (EST) Hello Danny and all, We assume you are referring to boxes the Bluebirds are roosting in during the winter. They do leave quite a layer of droppings over time. There is as yet no established guideline for this since so few experience it. In the roost boxes I had in Ohio they were not cleaned until spring when nesting was about to begin. Then my roost was taken down. It,s pretty cold out when they use a roost (or regular box ) so the droppings are frozen and don't cause any problems. If you have them using regular nest boxes to stay over night you may go ahead and clean it out in case the decide to nest before you get around to it. Don't believe cleaning out the box during the day will keep them from using it again. Check out the roosting Bluebirds below on my web page. This was a brand new box put up that day in place of another. Made so photo could be taken. Joe Huber Venice Fl. Charter member NABS, Charter member OBS, Life member OBS Joe Huber
http://community.webtv.net/hubertrap/HOUSESPARROWCONTROL Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2000 14:44:09 -0800 (PST) Date: Wed, 01 Mar 2000 21:50:17 -0400 When cleaning out your boxes, make sure you there are no hibernating mice in the nests. I just cleaned out a nest without checking and had two hibernating mice come flying out still "asleep". Once you get the nest out, you'll want a puddy knife or a kitchen spatula to scrap out the stuff that is old and stuck to the bottom of the floor. Clean out any spider nests or old wasps nests. You may not get this chance, Bev, but for others, check to make sure the boxes are dry after a rain. I just found my 3 year old boxes are leaking like a seive. Seal up the cracks and seams with silicone caulk. You can buy it in tubes at your hardware store. Bev, don't worry, you haven't harmed anything by NOT having cleaned out the nests, but it is recommended by NABS to clean out the boxes after each nesting... BBs usually don't like to nest closer than 300yds from each other. So, I wouldn't put up more boxes. You might consider PAIRING your boxes if you get a lot of tree swallows (TRES). If you put 2 boxes 15" from each other, TRES will nest in one, and bbs will nest in the other. They won't compete for space. In fact, they'll defend each other's nest. One other thing to keep in mind is that it is essential that you monitor your nesting bluebirds AT LEAST once a week. Don't worry, you'll learn how on the listserv. Better to have one healthy and safe bluebird family than a few bluebird families that are at risk because the good intentioned owner of the boxes was not able to monitor for one reason or another. :-) Please ask questions. And click onto: Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2000 08:19:05 -0400 When is the correct time to clean the nest box for a second nesting? The birds chose the wrong box. Can we swap when we clean, or should we leave well enough alone? regards jer near DC. Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2000 08:53:49 -0400 Gerald, et al, I clean out my boxes immediately after the last fledgling of a clutch has left. Bruce Burdett blueburd"at"srnet.com Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2000 09:16:37 -0400 -- Bruce Burdett wrote: ... Has anyone on this list participated in Cornell's Nest Site Selection Study, in which people put up paired boxes, the same in all respects except that one has an old nest and the other is clean, to see which the birds prefer? Katherine Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2000 09:34:30 -0400 Kate, et al, In answer to your question, no, I haven't taken part in the Cornell Nest Site Selection Study. Fact is, I hadn't heard of it. In the normal course of events, however, I believe I've noticed a tendency for Bluebirds NOT to select boxes with old nests in them, if they have a choice. The old nests are almost always unspeakably filthy and infested with various loathsome (to me) parasites and offal-eaters. (New word.) I wouldn't blame any self-respecting bird, of ANY species, for shunning a box in such a condition. I know, Kate, that you're probably muttering the 'anthro-word' at me, but I'm just going with what seems to work best for me here in SW New Hampshire. Bruce Burdett, NH Bluebird Conspiracy, Sunapee NH Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2000 07:35:11 -0700 Bruce Aalthough contrary to logic and intuition, there are published reports of BETTER fledgling success in boxes with old nests, primarily in Eastern Bluebirds. Walt "The best way to learn something is to teach it" ... Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2000 10:37:19 EDT In a Message dated 04/24/2000 6:18:20 AM Mountain Daylight Time, gerald"at"slawecki.com writes: When is the correct time to clean the nest box for a second nesting? If the nest is clean after the first birds have fledged I tell volunteers to leave it in place. If it is dirty or infested then they are to remove and clean out the box. But on the other hand I have seen new nest built on top of dead young bluebirds. I have also seen Ash Throated Flycatchers build nest on top of bluebird nest with egg and/or young. That is why we monitor weekly and we now have paired boxes in places. Since the biggest trail do not have birds that stay over, we remove all of them on a warm fall day in October when the Aspen leaves are a bright yellow. You folks back east have beautiful red colors but you need to see the Aspens when they turn yellow and some are also almost as red as maples. Bob Wilson Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2000 15:10:39 -0400 -- Bruce Burdett wrote: Kate, et al, ... The study is part of the Nestbox Network (in which I am participating for the first time this year) and is, I believe, not strictly focused on bluebirds, but on cavity-nesters in general. Perhaps one of the things they want to find out is whether there are species-specific differences in preference. Since it's my first time, I don't have any old nests, so I'm not doing it. I know, Kate, that you're probably muttering the 'anthro-word' at me... Then you don't know me very well. :-) I'm one of the worst offenders, I'm afraid. Katherine Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2000 22:42:39 -0500 Walt mentioned reports of better nesting success with Eastern Bluebirds when old nests are left in. Speaking for this area this is not so. Even houses with partial dummy nests usually remain empty and are often quickly used when the nest is removed. In addition to this usually after fledging the nest is left a flat mess of bird droppings, etc. , and if a second nest were to be built on top of this it would increase the risk of predation as the eggs and young would be closer to the house entrance. I have found that it is best to remove the nest immediately after the young have fledged. The female often has already started another nest in another site, but there may be another female looking for a home. Bluebird Bob, NE OK. Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2000 13:42:55 -0700 ... I get the most birds when I remove the old nest. If the box has any part of a nest in it my birds will not go in. N 43* 04.511 W 083* 36.447 Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatian 6:7 Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2000 13:17:07 -0700 Tena Taylor, Calhoun County, Mississippi Hi, Walt and the rest of us, (reminds me of the joke, the soap 'The Young and the Rest of Us') Eastern Bluebirds in Mississippi seem to prefer to start a second or third nest in a clean house. And, boy, can they build that second nest in a hurry! tt Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2000 21:35:10 -0500 I don't understand what Cornell is telling you and why. There are big differences from pair to pair in the nest's condition after the Eastern Bluebirds in this area fledge. Some nests are flat and very dirty, some are in fairly good shape except for fecal waste on the walls above the nest, and other nests are fairly clean. Apparently housekeeping varies a lot rom pair to pair. It also is generally worse when the number of young is greater. (6 vs 5 or 4). Bluebird Bob, NE OK. Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2000 11:10:02 -0500 Bluebird Bob and others, I have been part of Cornell's study for 3 years now--and, believe me, I went round and round with them on this issue for the first 1 1/2 years. I suggested mid-western EABLx were more slovenly housekeepers, etc. They were adamant that if the nest was messed the birds had been "scared sh...less" and predation had occurred. The trail of 80 boxes that I monitor is 30 minutes from where I live, so I have only once seen a fledging. In that case the nest was in good shape, but contained 3-4 fecal sacs. At that point we agreed that I could count nests that had as many fecal sacs as there had been nestlings as successful outcomes. That is the protocol I follow now. The people I was corresponding with were the ones in charge of the Nestbox
study and who write the articles on bluebirds--so I have to believe they know
something about EABLs. I am also aware that my snake problem (which is very
major) is worse: 1) in hot weather and 2) in the nestling stage. The chief
naturalist at the Arboreteum (where my trail is) and I now believe that not only
are snakes more active in hot weather, but the nestlings give off more scent
than the eggs--and snakes have extremely sensitive scent organs. Thus, older
nestlings are at most risk for predation. Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000 21:25:11 EDT Good day or night to anyone, A solution to all this e-mail that people are getting tired of is not only the delete button. It would be kindly if people wouldn't post that their bluebirds just laid an egg! Even though the egg-laying cycle is complex and somewhat interesting.........it would be nice to keep to yourself. Sorry, if I sounded a tad bit rude. Nothing more to say. Kevin Bloom Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2000 17:18:32 -0400 Thanks for your help! :) Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2000 14:33:34 -0700 Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2000 17:42:03 EDT Hi Joanne, Date: Tue, 1 Aug 2000 02:49:11 -0500 1. Remove nest as soon as birds fledge. They don't return. 2. Just scrape it out thoroughly with a putty knife - put nest and debris into a bag as if you drop this below the box it will attract predators to the next nest. Good luck! Bluebird Bob. Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2000 15:30:39 -0700 Is there a disinfectant you should use to clean your nest boxes or should I use soap and water only? I could use an applicable type of cleaner for feeders also. Lonn in Roseburg, Oregon Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2000 18:31:34 -0500 Re: Nestbox cleaning - you can understand that monitoring a long trail does not allow for carrying soap and water or various disinfectants. In six years and hundreds of instances I have never done more than to scrape boxes out with a putty knife after the old nest has been removed. Leaving this natural condition which is what the birds would find in natural cavities seems to work. Bluebird Bob, Northeast Oklahoma. ... Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2000 19:32:24 -0700 I am a FIRM believer in scrubbing the boxes out every fall or early spring. I mix a splash of bleach and a shot of dishwashing liquid into a quart spritz bottle and then fill the rest with water. Protected with a mask and rubber gloves, I generously spritz each box, scrub it with an old brush and splash the box liberally with clean water. I have never had a parasite and I have been monitoring since 1993. When Bluebirds had LOTS of natural cavities and could move from one to another when the cavity became too contaminated, they could pick and choose their nest holes. In today's environment, though, they are limited to the houses we have erected and I feel very strongly that we have to keep these boxes habitable for them. I have a running argument here with a man who brags that he has never cleaned out the boxes that he monitors and he complains constantly about parasites. Well, if I clean and have no parasites and he doesn't clean and has many, what do you feel the easy solution to the parasite problem is? Judy Mellin ... Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2000 21:53:38 -0500 As noted in my previous post, I clean only with a putty knife and have no problems with parasites in second or third nests. This may be because of the dry weather here. What do other long liners do? Keith? Bob Wilson? Others that I have left out? Thanks. Bluebird Bob, Northeast Oklahoma. Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2000 21:59:10 -0500 Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas I just drove a 12 mile section of my trail and saw four cats and two raccoons all well away from any house....I saw one frog and heard one Great Horned Owl. I hope all of the birds are hiding because that frog is not going to divide up very well among all those predators. Bleach: Should be mixed 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. A 1/2 Gallon of bleach poured into a five gallon bucket filling the rest with water,leaving enough room to immerse your bird feeders will help kill bacteria. It is recommended that you do this weekly if you see diseased birds such as the House Finches with the eye disease. After cleaning the bird feeders the solution could be poured into the bird baths. All feeders and bird baths should be flushed with lots of clean water to remove the chlorine smell after this cleaning. We had an RN on the list last spring that said that this bleach solution would not hurt most virus's leaving them active. It is recommended that when you encounter a mouse nest in your boxes that they be sprayed with water (+ a wetting agent like soap?) to keep down the dust particles as these could contain the Hanta Virus. By using an all plastic or stainless steel insecticide sprayer you could carry this in the trunk of your car in case you encounter this problem along the trail. Regular sprayers with steel parts will rust when exposed to the bleach solution & Brass will corrode. Do not use any insecticides in the sprayer if you intend to use this for nestboxes. Using this sprayer you could quickly wet down an old dirty box drowning any mites or lice and possibly killing the bacteria & virus's (Any Dr's or RN's out there tonight?) They make small all plastic pump up sprayers that only hold a 1/2 gallon of liquid which would be big enough for several boxes. I normally only scrape out my boxes but I do use the plain water and soap on occasion to drown the mites. A thermos of water, a cup or glass and a container of liquid hand soap and you have a ready made miticide if you run into unexpected trouble. A cup of soapy water will also slow down a nest of wasps. Only try this if you are NOT allergic to their bites!!!! For those of you allergic to wasps remember that the bite of 6 imported fire ants equals a bee sting!!!! If you travel in the south be prepared for these ants. KK Date: Sat, 02 Sep 2000 12:11:16 -0400 Haleya Priest Amherst MA On my "short liner trail" of 20-30 boxes, I only use a putty knife to clean out my boxes - that seems to do the trick - Unless they are Gilbertson boxes and need a good washing from TRES since the plastic doesn't absorb the PEE-EWE smells from TRES. Once again I believe this might be a matter of style. If my father were a bluebirder with a 100 boxes I can guarantee you he'd be out there with a bucket of bleach and a scrub brush! :-) H ... Date: Mon, 4 Sep 2000 22:19:25 -0600 Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2000 06:59:11 -0600 Bob Wilson Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2000 19:53:14 EDT Date: Tue, 05 Sep 2000 20:39:58 -0400 Mine will eat suet mix with raisins mixed in, but often the raisins are left behind. I just made some Bluebird Banquet today and whipped the raisins up in the food processor with a little corn meal and turned it into a paste to mix into the suet mix. That way there won't be any raisins left behind. Someone talks about someone who sells wild berries
that the bluebirds like. Was it dogwood berries? I can't remember, but his name
is listed in the REF GUIDE - probably under Feeding EABL. H :-) Date: Thu, 07 Sep 2000 22:49:47 -0700 Linda Violett - Yorba Linda, Calif. I've also had western bluebirds nest late in the season where the process comes to an abrupt halt. Rather than a territorial claim, I have attributed it to a biological stop signal. Last year, a second clutch of babies (by the same pair, I believe) was destroyed by house sparrows. (I reported this to Bluebird-L since it was the only loss to sparrows in 2-holers.) I put up a 1/2 plex-roofed box and had a late (3rd) nest. This nest was very different from the first 2 nests and had no decorations/ribbons. No eggs were laid. It would be my guess that this late nest was built by a pair that was unable to secure a box earlier in the season and their "stop" signal kicked in after the nest was built. Any other theories? This year there were two late nests built but not completed. One without eggs and another with eggs. Whenever this occurs, I leave the clean unused nests in the boxes. ... Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2000 08:28:55 -0500 Dean and all - I agree wholeheartedly, birds for my part use whatever is available so long it is tight and dry. I leave mine up the entire year and just clean out the old nesting materials, scrape the fecal matter off the walls, front and floor with a wide bladed putty knife and close 'her' up till about Feb 1st when run the route and make sure any winter mess is cleaned out and made ready for nesting season. I still make alot of new boxes for those that desire them in the area but do not change my boxes as stated above. What do some of you other trail managers do? Regards to all,
Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2000 10:50:22 -0400 Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2000 12:05:20 -0700 Date: Sun, 07 Jan 2001 23:40:23 -0800 Linda Violett - Yorba Linda, Calif. For some time, I've been asking others (off list) if their bluebirds clean out other species' roosting feathers prior to using the box for nesting. It seemed to me that the bluebirds on my trail cleaned out the Nuttalls woodpecker feathers sometime around February of each year after the winter roosting. Today I finished checking my trail and found the first example of this "spring" cleaning. At the San Antonio site, several bluebirds are usually around and last October several claim straws had been placed in the nestbox. Then a Nuttalls woodpecker took over the box (evidenced by dozens of its feathers) during December. I then added a handful of woodchips to encourage the Nuttalls to stay and nest. However, the western bluebirds are now back in possession . . . the Nuttalls feathers have been cleaned out of the box and several fresh claimstraws have been brought in. Pictures of this San Antonio site sequence can be seen at: http://home.earthlink.net/~lviolett/winterroost.html I'm assuming the woodpecker did not clean up its own feathers before vacating the box . . . so that would leave the bluebirds for spring cleaning duty. Has anyone else noticed their bluebirds cleaning out other species' feathers and why it would occur. If bluebirds build over old nests, why not over a few feathers? Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 04:45:24 -0800 (PST) Karen Nisbett I've not noticed the bluebirds cleaning house; they seem to just build over whatever is left in the nestboxes if I don't get them cleaned out. But I have observed a Downey Woodpecker very enthusiasticly cleaning out old nesting material from a box. Karen knisbett designs Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 07:16:39 -0600 Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas a cool, clear sky and 30*F this morning I watched a House Sparrow (male) enter a box and proceed to dump debris out of a nest box this past week. He even tossed a few white feathers out on the ground, which I am sure he will retrieve and use in his nest in a few weeks. When I video taped a female bluebird nest building (a few years ago) I was surprised that she often carried out a stem of grass that she had just carried in, that evidently did not fit in her nest right. It must be tough to build a precise nest without the aid of a tape measure! We had a low temperature of 10*F early last week (coldest low temperature in 4 years) and a friend 17 miles away called "at" 4:15 PM with a broken water line. A fire engine trip to and from his house netted 36 Eastern Bluebirds sitting on power lines and fence lines and trees along the road. On the return trip 53 Bluebirds were to be seen as I slowed where I had seen them on the out going trip. (Total time spent on the road and repairing the water line was a short 65 minutes!) The largest flock was 15 birds. The average was 4 birds. They already seem to be breaking up and pairing for nesting. I received several reports of heavy fighting between bluebird pairs over nestboxes during our 60*F days last week. Many boxes in our area are placed near roadsides so bluebirds may search these ribbons of asphalt to locate possible nest sites. Only 2&1/2 miles of this trip are part of my roadside bluebird trail, the rest is state hwy. (70 MPH speed limit is too dangerous to be stopping to check boxes!) or dense woods. KK Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2001 06:45:03 -0800 Linda Violett - Yorba Linda, Calif. In an earlier post, I had wondered if anyone else had seen other species' roosting feathers disappear from winter nestboxes prior to bluebird use. Yesterday, I came across another site where a Nuttall's woodpecker had been roosting (I had added a bed of wood chips for it); but now the box was being cleaned out by a pair of bluebirds. This is the first time I have witnessed a bluebird spring cleaning and either the males do all the physical cleaning or this site has a bluebird princess. I use 2-holed boxes and the female would fly to one of the holes, cling to the outside, peek in and then turn from the hole to look back at the male. The male would then fly to the other hole and they would both peek into the box from their respective holes in unison. Then the female would enter the box with the male quickly following. After a few seconds the male would appear at the hole and fly out carrying a beakful of old roosting material followed by the female . . . who carried nothing. I watched this sequence repeat itself a half dozen times and the female never carried anything into or out of the box. Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 08:40:42 -0500 To: jfrisco, et al, I thought this old post from back in June of '99 might answer some of your questions. If you'd like the whole free packet, just send me your mailing address. (Almost 1900 distributed on 2/10/01) Since I wrote it, I've heard from at least one West-Coast Lister who uses only HANGING boxes, and NEVER places them out in a clearing. The Moral? Do what is suitable and effective IN YOUR AREA. My boxes are all placed about 6' from the ground because I'm 6' 6". If I were 4' 6" they'd be 4' from the ground. If I were 7' 6"..........etc.etc. etc. Bruce Burdett ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bruce Burdett" blueburd"at"srnet.com ... Cleaning out old nests (Part 2) |
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