Bluebirds

[teejk]

First sightings this morning. About 2 weeks earlier than normal which is odd given that our cold/wet winter is still hanging around. Wife said they appeared to be 2 males checking out the box. Then they left. I'm guessing scouts.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I dug out some red cedar I had stashed away and put together six houses, four standard per the North American Bluebird Society and two "Peterson" style. I gave my friends whom are maybe a five minute walk away one of the standard style. They have bluebirds in it, I have none. I had them around all winter and right up to when I put up the houses.

Tree swallows will also use them and they are nice to have around as well. I have had luck in the past placing two houses about 100 feet apart. The swallows use one and the bluebirds the other.

 

[oosik]

In all my 38 years here I may have seen a bluebird a couple times. We always get lots of Goldfinches. Different places - different colors.

 

[DMax82]

I need to build some bluebird houses soon. Want to build all manner of houses and feeders as the wife loves birds. I have a ton of Western Red Cedar that I bought cheap, but have so many other projects to do first.

 

[Alan W.]

Had a pair here early on. They will pick out their abode well before actually nesting. I have the boxes cleaned out in the fall and will check them early spring again. They will go to the other box for the second hatching. Very territorial.

I need to add more boxes in some other areas to prevent fighting.

 

[JamesHW]

Nice post zzvyb6! What specific wire mesh works best to place on the floor of the nesting box?

We are behind on plans to get a bunch of bluebird boxes up around our field.

 

[teejk]

Nice post zzvyb6! What specific wire mesh works best to place on the floor of the nesting box?

We are behind on plans to get a bunch of bluebird boxes up around our field.

I don't use mesh. I make them in batches using the plans from the bluebird society (the one with the swing-up side, ventilation gaps between the sides and roof and corners of the floor trimmed for drainage. Doing batches makes sense because of all the different pieces. Here's my last batch.

 

[Alan W.]

Years ago I use to use the cedar boxes for bluebirds but they wouldnt hold up to a shotgun blast of #8s. This is how I dealt with the english sparrows trying to move in. So I made some out of Trex decking. They are heavy but I still have the original two I built. The shot scuffs them up a bit and occasionally one or two will stick in a bit.

 

[ovrszd]

Bluebirds stay here all Winter. Have activity the first warm spell. Then it gets quiet for a couple weeks or so depending on reoccurring cold weather. Then the frenzy begins. They don't care which way the nest is pointing. They prefer a good launch area for the chicks. They don't care if you clean out the nest or not. When it gets almost full I clean them. I've supplied nest boxes for 30 years. "Build it and they will come".

 

[teejk]

Bluebirds stay here all Winter. Have activity the first warm spell. Then it gets quiet for a couple weeks or so depending on reoccurring cold weather. Then the frenzy begins. They don't care which way the nest is pointing. They prefer a good launch area for the chicks. They don't care if you clean out the nest or not. When it gets almost full I clean them. I've supplied nest boxes for 30 years. "Build it and they will come".

I think the idea is to keep the hole pointed away from the afternoon sun hence not south or west. Or so say the experts.