giddyap 1,569 #1 Posted January 30, 2021 I'm proud to be one of the many volunteers who as a group have been credited to a bonifided increase in our bluebird population. In our 15 years one brood is most memorable. Expecting to see them fledge, the next day brings an absent of actively. Disappointment turns to joy when we find the chicks perched in the backyard. We think this successful launch beat the odds but soon discover the mother bird gave her life for the chicks to escape an invader. The mortal enemy was either a House Sparrow or European Starling, both invasive species. Daddy Blue, now a single parent was going to be very busy. But we have him trained to come for our mealworms by ringing our chimes and all survive. In four years I have controlled over 500 of the invaders and as a result we have been rewarded with young Pileated Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers and other native cavity nesters. Our hawks also appreciate the bounty, especially during the winter. 4 1 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 38,028 #2 Posted January 30, 2021 The sparrows are a problem here also. I usually watch the boxes during nesting time and dispatch the invaders that always try to take over the BB boxes. The BBs usually start building nests as soon as the invader hits the ground. Once thy have established the nest, they never have a problem driving off more sparrows. Of course I have a lot of starlings and crackles, but they are too large to enter the BB boxes, so they don't really pose a problem. I had one box being visited by a black snake. He never came back after I electrified the pole he was climbing to get in the box. 4 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,307 #3 Posted January 30, 2021 Excellent work men. Thanks. I've been watching birds for maybe 40 years. Here in Maine we have both of those invasive species. In the country where I live they're nearly non-existent. In the cities and suburbs they're populous. Near some farms the starlings are rampant. Flocks numbering to the tens of thousands. Here in our yard we're very thickly treed in. Across the street and uphill there's a meadow that has a good bluebird population. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
giddyap 1,569 #4 Posted January 30, 2021 22 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said: He never came back after I electrified the pole Interestesting. With a proper setup I may be able to discourage deer from destroying my plants. A shocking good idea 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 38,028 #5 Posted January 30, 2021 3 minutes ago, giddyap said: Interestesting. With a proper setup I may be able to discourage deer from destroying my plants. A shocking good idea My new Amish neighbor that bought the farm next to me had a deer deterrent system that actually worked. The first year (3 years ago) he strung an electric single strand of fence around the farm where he plants sweet corn, cantaloupes, cabbage, broccoli , and pumpkins. The wire looked like a fiberglas tape, but it had two strands if fine wire on each edge. It was suspended on 3' high fiberglas poles and baited with a glob of peanut butter every four feet. He only had it up the first year and I have never seen a deer or a track in his fields since. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 25,493 #6 Posted January 30, 2021 2 hours ago, Ed Kennell said: My new Amish neighbor that bought the farm next to me had a deer deterrent system that actually worked. The first year (3 years ago) he strung an electric single strand of fence around the farm where he plants sweet corn, cantaloupes, cabbage, broccoli , and pumpkins. The wire looked like a fiberglas tape, but it had two strands if fine wire on each edge. It was suspended on 3' high fiberglas poles and baited with a glob of peanut butter every four feet. He only had it up the first year and I have never seen a deer or a track in his fields since. Make sure he doesn’t surround your deer blind shooting gallery with that fencing... could make for some awfully quiet mornings in the fall... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
briankd 817 #7 Posted January 31, 2021 i have a pair of blue jays now coming to my feeders first time seen them here in 20 years . they can be hog's i feed them peanuts in the shell and sunflower seeds .i put a pound of peanuts out at a time and in one day they have them gone and sit in the tree and screech at me for more . they sure make a racket 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
