Bird Watching: Time to start bluebirding thread number 4, 1 by 2dCousinDave

2dCousinDave wrote:
Mrs Ed: There's nothing wrong with my lenses. It's just that they won't focus closer than about 8 feet and I don't have a really good macro lens. The macro lenses I do have are fine for shooting flowers, which is what I got them for, and I have several old P&S digitals that have macro features on them, but haven't found one that really does the job I want to do. You see, in many ways I am still learning.

Incidentally, I want to thank you again for the titmouse poster. I had mine done at Wal-mart and then had it nicely framed. I just got it back from Michael's and they did a wonderful job. It really looks nice hanging in the foyer.

Dellrose: I am a member of several bluebirding forums and this is a topic that is discussed a lot. I have never heard of bluebirds abandoning a nest because of a spooker after the first egg was laid and more important, no cases where the spooker failed to deter the HOSP. The blues think they can defend themselves but they are no match for the HOSP, in a fight inside the nestbox. And beginning today or tomorrow, Mama will be in there alone, 24-7. The results of a nestbox raid are usually deadly and I have never heard of a bluebird winning the fight. So as a responsible bluebird host, I treat them as I would children and put the spooker up, despite their protests.

I have only let two of the six strips down and the blues are still tugging on it when the wind moves the strips, but they have accepted it, altho from time to time they still cast some evil looks my way. I will gradually let all of the strips down if the wind ever dies down. Here is a shot from a few minutes ago. As you can see, he has accepted it but still gets anoyed when it slaps him. You can also see the other stips still tied back.