Mosquito haters ought to consider making bat houses, too.
Bluebird house rule #1: Expect 'hosps' (house, or English sparrows... not even sparrows) to invade and wipe out nesting bluebirds. Look for gray vs brown heads. Hosps will often kill nesting adult bluebirds and rebuild on top of bodies and/or crushed eggs. Like martin houses, it's often best to clean them out from year to year.
Once in a while you'll find a hollowed out piece when cutting firewood. My BIL just found one and I hope he'll repurpose it back to a bird domicile vs as a shop decoration. I seem to have bluebirds year round despite my Northern lattitude, but they don't like my houses as much as the hosps do. (have pellet gun, will defend native species)
btw: Every bit as vivid a blue and with an easily noted bright white underside is the tree swallow. These insect eaters zig-zag & dive like barn swallows, esp over the water, but are rarely spotted near buildings or man-made structures. Can't imagine whether any house would interest them but suppose like many they prefer to nest along the boundaries of wooded and open land. BIL had the most BB occupation with houses hung on a fence at eye level. Not sure why the cat left them alone. :confused3:
Nice bunch you have there, TS. I like 'em all! :thumbsup: Would be nice to have a thread somewhere for plans or completed BHs. Hey, why not right here? (.. one of the better chosen thread titles too, btw ...)
Looking forward to Spring migrations and the annual battle for nesting dibs here on 'Goose Island'. Mallards, then 'woodies' will appear and nest nearby in succession. I need a better camera/lens for all the others who'll pass thru the nabe. (Buffleheads, mergansers, teals, swans, grebes, even an osprey last Summer) Green herons are tough to spot vs blues but stay around all season. Must say I love to watch crows and vultures, too.
