Managing English House Sparrows around Bluebirds

[Birding Bunch]

Originally Posted by linrose

BB, do you see hedgerows between the fields of soybean and corn?

Finally answering this. Not too much here. The crops are not planted right up to the creek, so there is space, but it is used for grazing.

I recently read that any grassland less than 40 acres is a sink for Bobolinks. That was the reason, we stopped having our neighbours take the grass for hay. The pasture is maybe 6 acres of our property. As far as we could tell, the Bobolinks nested here for two years, but not this last summer. They did bring their young by, so I got to see mom feeding them near our recently fledged Barn Swallows. All along the fence. This was just as well, since I always fear for the ground nesting birds with the neighbour's cats. The Western Meadowlarks had a successful brood this year.

What bothers me to pieces is every thing is about money, so they do not see the value and usefulness of insects and birds.

[EllenW]

You have some nice birds there BB. Great to hear they are raising young too.

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by Birding Bunch

I recently read that any grassland less than 40 acres is a sink for Bobolinks. That was the reason, we stopped having our neighbours take the grass for hay. The pasture is maybe 6 acres of our property. As far as we could tell, the Bobolinks nested here for two years, but not this last summer. They did bring their young by, so I got to see mom feeding them near our recently fledged Barn Swallows. All along the fence. This was just as well, since I always fear for the ground nesting birds with the neighbour's cats. The Western Meadowlarks had a successful brood this year.

How wonderful for you! I am glad that you are providing a place for them. I hope they nest successfully there again.

Originally Posted by Birding Bunch

What bothers me to pieces is every thing is about money, so they do not see the value and usefulness of insects and birds.

That is very sad...you make a great point.

[Birding Bunch]

After two full years of HOSP not even looking at the nesting boxes, we have a determined pair this year. They never cared before this. I have to wonder if they came from the neighbour's about a mile from here as the crow flies. They've let their Martin houses be taken over by HOSP.

We are told they do not like the Gilberton's BB box, so one is being put in the south yard. We had already paired a Gilbertson's with a Tree Swallow box in the north yard and both were used by the intended last year.

To put the boxes in the best locations for the birds, they are out of shooting range for my gum-chewing child. We have the trap again baited with white feathers glued to a small block. We just cannot risk putting any food in it while the Juncos and others are still here. Country HOSP do not recognize white bread and popcorn as food; we've tried that, even outside the trap to see if they'd eat it.

[havalotta]

White feathers glued to a stick. How CLEVER! Bet it works too!

[Birding Bunch]

It has, in the past. We got eight males in at one time. Since we opened up the boxes, they went elsewhere and have no interest in these feathers. We'll keep trying to move it around.

They really do not like those Gilbertson boxes. They have not gone anywhere near them even with them so close to the opened boxes.

[dapjwy]

I did a search to see what a Gilbertson on box looked like, and I came across this link which not only does NOT recommended them, but states that any box with a floor 4"X4"or less should not be used. I'm guessing mine is only 4"X4".

Here is the link: 2-Holed Bluebird Nest Boxes [floorsize]

[Birding Bunch]

Hmm... back to the drawing board. We want to do what is best for the birds, so will see what we can do this season yet. I never heard anything wrong with the size before. That was news. We knew they were too small for Tree Swallows because they are aerial feeders and needed to exercise their wings.

[Birding Bunch]

My husband said that 6" diameter pvc pipe is not hard to find. I like the design of this, so if we could do the same, just bigger, I'd rather do that.

Oh, at least one native bird does not like HOSP. I wish I got photos of the event. I was watching a female Red-belly and a male Flicker on the big branch that has a hanging suet feeder. I wanted to see how they were interact with each other. They were several feet apart. A male HOSP landed between them, interested in that suet, as well. I was just in the process of thinking how to scare him off without scaring the woodpeckers. (Because the HOSP are so wary of us, sometimes all it takes is a look. ) The Flicker hopped right next to the HOSP and THUNK! gave the little alien a peck on the back and you should have seen that bird flee.

[EllenW]

I love your Flicker and HOSP story BB. So glad you are actively trying to get rid of the HOSP. I have an upsidedown suet feeder and I put bottle caps in the bottom then the suet on top so the HOSP can't reach the suet. It looks like I have finally discouraged the HOSP. I am not seeing them anymore. They are so persistent as are the Starlings. They Starlings started building a nest in the barn overhang and I threw mud on top of it this morning. I thought I had successfully blocked it already.