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Nests Too Close to the EntranceDate: Mon, 23 Apr 2001 20:16:25 -0700 I have been a member of the list for almost a year. I have learned more from this list than I ever could have on my own. I don't post often. But I do have a question now. I have a pair of bluebirds that have been inspecting the boxes in my yard ( 6 boxes, 3 1/2 acres). This weekend it looked like they finally settled on one. I left them alone, just watching from a distance. Tonight after work, I found a very nice nest. The only thing that concerns me is the nest seems rather high. It is about 5 inches tall. I can tell there is a nice cup in the center of the grass, but had to gently tip the nest to see if there were any eggs in it. (There weren't) The bottom part of the nest, (about 2-3 inches) is made of larger coarser grasses. The top is very fine grass, and it has a very neat cup in the center. So my question is - should I remove some of the lower part of the nest. Or is it OK that it is that tall. It seems that if the female sits on the nest she will be about the same level as the hole. This is my 3rd year with bluebirds, and I seem to be able to get just one pair to nest in my yard. Although, both years previous, they did have 2 nestings. But I have never seen a nest that tall. So any input is greatly appreciated. And if I need to remove some of the lower nest, I would like to do it before she starts laying eggs. Thanks for being there! Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2001 20:27:15 -0400 Hi JR: ----- Original Message ----- I have been a member of the list for almost a year. I have learned more from this list than I ever could have on my own. I don't post often. But I do have a question now. I have a pair of bluebirds that have been inspecting the boxes in my yard ( 6 boxes, 3 1/2 acres). This weekend it looked like they finally settled on one. I left them alone, just watching from a distance. Tonight after work, I found a very nice nest. The only thing that concerns me is the nest seems rather high. It is about 5 inches tall. I can tell there is a nice cup in the center of the grass, but had to gently tip the nest to see if there were any eggs in it. (There weren't) The bottom part of the nest, (about 2-3 inches) is made of larger coarser grasses. The top is very fine grass, and it has a very neat cup in the center. So my question is - should I remove some of the lower part of the nest. Or is it OK that it is that tall. It seems that if the female sits on the nest she will be about the same level as the hole. This is my 3rd year with bluebirds, and I seem to be able to get just one pair to nest in my yard. Although, both years previous, they did have 2 nestings. But I have never seen a nest that tall. So any input is greatly appreciated. And if I need to remove some of the lower nest, I would like to do it before she starts laying eggs. Thanks for being there! Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2001 22:04:05 -0400 Besides putting predator guards (on the opening and on the post) I would suggest taking away some of the material at the bottom of the nest to make it lower, more like a normal nest (about 3 inches high.) Fawzi from MD ----- Original Message ----- | I am glad you asked this question. The nest mine have built
this year is the Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2001 23:13:16 -0400 (EDT) Hi Jody, being from Ohio i understand your tall nest and concern about bird safety. Many people do remove part of a deep nest to lower the nest cup in the box to get it out of harms way. yes now before eggs is the best time to do this. Be very careful not to mess up the nest cup. many such nests survive without lowering them,it depends on type predators in your area. Your decision. Joe Huber Venice Fl. Charter member NABS, Charter member OBS, Life member OBS Joe
Huber http://community.webtv.net/hubertrap/HOUSESPARROWCONTROL http://community.webtv.net/hubertrap/RoostingBluebirds From: "v. m. straus" v.m.straus"at"mail.wdn.com Jodyrose wrote: So my question is - should I remove some of the lower part
of I'm a *complete* duffer, since this is only my 2nd year having any bluebird box. I now have 2 Gilbertson PVC boxes (the round PVC pipe types). Each has a bluebird nest in it and both nests are exactly the same as you describe -- tall. Last year, I had only one nest and the bluebirds fledged 3 nice chicks. My thought, as a duffer, is minimal intervention. If it fails, then it fails and nature has its way. If it succeeds, then the birds knew what they were doing! Perhaps the tall nest is for chick protection and also for chick climbing help. Who knows? This year's nests, here, as I said, are just like you describe and I am going to leave them alone and hope for the best. The worst thing I see so far is a group of 4 blue jays which, daily, haunt the area around the bluebirds' box and I am afraid that they are going to either, or both, kill the adults and eat the chicks. And I really don't know what to do about that. As far as I am concerned, the farther down the box the chicks are, the better, since the blue jays can't reach them at the bottom of the box Good luck. VMS
From: Lynn Ward lWard"at"pmai.org Hi everyone, Have a female EABL that likes HIGH nests. I was very alarmed when I checked one of my boxes the other day to find a nest built all the way up to about 2 inches under the opening. (This is not a shallow box.) I have seen starlings on top of this box so that concerns me. She had built over an original nest that contained 4 eggs from the first female who disappeared. I thought maybe she just wanted to build her own nest so built what she normally would have. I removed the first nest from the bottom of "her" nest but to my dismay she has furiously built up again to the opening. Any ideas on what to do? I have clean unused nests from last year. Should I wait until she lays an egg and make the switch to one of these nests, hoping that after she starts laying, she won't be in the building mode? Lynn Ward From: "Elaine Whitworth" visionfarm"at"earthlink.net Hi Lynn, ----- Original Message ----- ... From: hubertrap"at"webtv.net (Joe Huber) Hi Lynn, I am surprised the female hasn't laid an egg already.
You can still lower the nest if you can get to the lower part
and take out some Charter member NABS, Charter member OBS, Life member OBS Joe Huber hubertrap"at"webtv.net http://community.webtv.net/hubertrap/HOUSESPARROWCONTROL
http://community.webtv.net/hubertrap/RoostingBluebirds 27.1171494 N Lo -82.4124222 W From: Lynn Ward lWard"at"pmai.org ... Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 21:24:08 -0500 At 10:45 AM 5/23/02 -0400, Lynn Ward wrote: ... If there is not an old nest underneath the new one, I leave it alone. Often the sides are quite high, but the actual nestcup is deep, so the eggs and babies will not be close to the entrance hole. Kate Oschwald Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 21:48:31 -0700 (PDT) --- Lynn Ward lWard"at"pmai.org wrote: ... ===== |
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