Bird Watching: Bluebird house, 0 by Dogs_N_Petunias

Dogs_N_Petunias wrote:

2dCousinDave wrote:
Please excuse the length of this sermonette. I didn't set out to write this much and I realize a lot of it is stuff you have already heard. If you or anyone wishes to discuss methods of HOSP control in specific detail, send me a D-mail.

Dave

Dave, no apology necessary for my part. I find it very helpful when someone gives their personal experience.

Red, Lily, Birder, thanks to everyone for sharing knowledge and encouragement. We're just very unsure how to proceed. It takes such an enormous amount of time to read all the information available at all the links cited in DG Sticky.

Have not seen the HOSPs at the nestbox today ! A cold front came through last night. Maybe that's the reason. But the HOSPs leaving it makes me worry there's something wrong with the box. We installed it on conduit pipe with rebar. We have quite windy weather just about all the time here. The box does sway back and forth slightly. What to do about that??? The same with a suet log we made and hung from an oak tree. Wondering if the wind making it move somewhat discourages the birds because there's no takers for my homemade peanut butter suet.

I'm attaching photo of the nestboxes we made from Texas Bluebird Society plans. We added the extra layer around the entrance because we had read that the added depth may prevent predator birds from sticking their head in the box as easily. But I think that would also prevent mounting the HOSP trap ???

Our 5-acre property has lots of oak trees and a couple of big cedar trees. The cedar trees seem to really attract HOSPs. We have a large population of Cardinals, which I love. Also Carolina Chickadees, Ladder-backed and Red-bellied Woodpeckers and Yellow-rumped Warblers. And Mockingbirds, which I'm not so crazy about. In trying to discourage HOSPs, quit feeding anything except black sunflower seed and safflower seed and hanging bag of thistle. Very seldom see a sparrow on the feeders now but the next-door neighbor has lots of feeders that I'm quite sure contain millet and milo. Would like to do mealworms for the bluebirds but how do you prevent the HOSPs from taking those?

OT, as we were looking over nestboxes this morning, a large bobcat came bounding across our property about 25 feet from us ! Beautiful.

G