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#41 | ||
WG Hospitality & UAOKA recipient
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
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Congratulation on yours...You have quite an extensive nesting area! I'm so impressed. Quote:
I still think you should, but I also would be curious to see what the capacity is for your area...and which is the limiting factor, food or housing.
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"If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto ~ A Native Backyard Blog ~ |
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#42 | |
WG Hospitality & UAOKA recipient
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
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Good point. I'm curious now, too. I want to add so many more natives to our two acres. More of each variety...and definitely more varieties. Then sit back (yeah right...always more to do) and see what all I attract. fishlkmich, you can always see if adding more natives increases the food supply.
__________________
"If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto ~ A Native Backyard Blog ~ |
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#43 |
Salamander
Join Date: Nov 2008
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The fenced ~1 acre that I work in is surrounded by about ten school buildings and supporting structures. There are about as many ball fields. The entire complex must be 40 - 60 acres. Everything is mowed, except my little acre. Fortunately, there are rivers, ponds, woods and fields that surround the small town that supports this school complex. There are even a few old sewage treatment ponds that are no longer used, but kept if the new system ever fails, or is overloaded.
Food availability will vary every year. We had a super wet spring and it's been dry lately. There are more dragonflies than the birds know what to do with this year. It is easy to tell when food is plentiful. Birds sit on perches with dragonflies in their beaks. The young are all fat and healthy. I have usually lost several birds by now, but have only moved one runt to another cavity with a single young bird of the same size. The four siblings were getting all of the food in this compartment. The runt improved and grew quite a bit in just about five days between checks. Numbers of martins are never present when I first arrive at the colony. I don't know what communication system they use, but word travels fast. I assume that these birds fly several miles for much of their food. Any project to increase food availability would be large. The first attempt to start a new colony in the area begins next spring. That experiment should answer a lot of questions.
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www.michiganmartins.com |
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#44 | |
Great Horned Owl
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Northeastern MA
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Nice that you were able to move the runt from one nest to another. You must have a tight rein on exactly what going on, and where... Ok, time for me to head downstairs. I see about five female HOSPS in my trap. I must take care of that...
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"Know thyself." Oracle at Delphi |
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#45 |
Salamander
Join Date: Nov 2008
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I'd like that much acreage! The school complex is on the large piece of land. My one acre is in the middle of it and the ballfields and parking lots drain into it. Makes for a nice little marsh area, too. Home is just on an acre.
Taking notes on every compartment, every trip, works. You could tell that this guy wasn't getting what he needed. The adults with just one young must have been a bit confused when #2 showed up. Keep up the good work on those HOSP!
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www.michiganmartins.com |
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#46 | |
Great Horned Owl
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Northeastern MA
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"Know thyself." Oracle at Delphi |
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#47 |
WG Hospitality & UAOKA recipient
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
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I checked out the bluebird nest today...the first thing I noticed were a lot of tiny ants frantically moving their larvae after the disturbance of my opening the front panel. They seem to be living in the grass nesting material. The eggs seem to be fine...can they all live in harmony?
What should I do? Thanks, David
__________________
"If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto ~ A Native Backyard Blog ~ |
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#48 |
Salamander
Join Date: Nov 2008
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Yes, they are a problem. You still have eggs, or very young bluebirds now, if I'm correct. Carefully lift the nest in the box and sweep out all of the ants and eggs that you can. Repeat tomorrow if ants are present. Sialis suggests putting chemicals in nest boxes for ants:
Problem or Predator Identification in Bluebird Nestboxes or on the Trail If I were to use anything, I might sprinkle a little borax powder under the nesting material. Putting anything in a nest is technically illegal and I haven't ever used anything. I have lost birds to blowfly larvae, but have only found ants in old nests. Was the box cleaned out after the last nesting? Do what Sialis suggests and use Vaseline on the pole. This should be easy to fix.
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www.michiganmartins.com |
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#49 |
WG Hospitality & UAOKA recipient
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
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I did clean out the nestbox prior to them building a new nest.
They built the nest a week or so ago, and the eggs have not hatched yet. When I found the ants, I did brush off those that were easy to access. I hate to lift the nest, but I will it is necessary. Vaseline makes sense, I'll try that. Thanks, fishlkmich.
__________________
"If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto ~ A Native Backyard Blog ~ |
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#50 |
Salamander
Join Date: Nov 2008
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Since you are lifting the nest, check for blow fly larvae. This is the time of year that I start to find them and you are south of me. The nest lifts easily in the box. As you sweep the ants out, look for any roundish, soft, dark colored maggots. They kill entire martin and bluebird clutches here. I have lifted nests to clean out blow fly larvae for years. If you don't get all of them, it's OK. They feed on the young at night and burrow to the bottom of the nest during the day. Afternoon is the best time to eliminate the majority of them. Good luck!
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www.michiganmartins.com |
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Tags |
2011, bluebird, rated, trail |
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