So important to understand the species and environment we are trying to help and care for. We can't just jump in as we can do more harm then good if we interfere in the wrong way. Applies to all native species not just blue birds.
Definitely! You are so right. And yes education and responsibility applies to all native birds in our care. Bluebirds tend to be a sort-of gateway bird for beginners..... then the world of birds and stewardship opens super wide. 💙💙💙💙
I absolutely love your videos. They are always informative and provide exactly what I need to make my yard a better environment for the Bluebirds. This is my second season and it has been great so far. As soon as my husband comes home from work he immediately asks how the bluebirds are doing. Our goal is to continue to learn more about the Bluebirds and provide a safe space for them. Last year, our pair had 14 fledge the nest successfully. This year 10 have fledged so far. We have two left to fledge. On a sad note, this last clutch had one egg that did not hatch. It is still in the nest box.
Thank you thank you so much :). And it sounds like you are having a lot of success. That's incredible! I love that your husband is so engaged and interested too. It's wonderful how it rubs off and is so contagious. The egg not hatching is always a bummer, but it happens often. I think I encounter that with each nest at least once per season. I'm actually not sure what happens there and might look into more of why some eggs are not viable. I suspect they just don't get fertilized or perhaps something went wrong during development. But it is definitely a let down because it's one less potential you were probably counting on. Keep up your tally over the years. Your box might foster 50-100 bluebirds as the years go on (maybe a few decades actually). Again, thanks for the kind comment, and enjoy your bluebirds.
Thank you so much for your very informative videos! Love love love them! Currently on my second season of BBing with blink camera in nest box. Unfortunately last month realized 4 hatchlings were now 1 hatchling. I had a baffle on the pole. What is the most likely culprit in a situation where 1 lucky hatchling is left? Parents were fine. My backyard backs up to a not too dense wooded area. Long story but I took the single hatchling to rehab because he was dehydrated and he’s thriving now…, Just curious about your best guess as to who the heck got into my nest box…??
Thank you very much. And cheers to 2 years. I am not sure what could have gotten the other 3 babies. It's possible maybe a house sparrow got in and harmed 3 out of four. If they were small enough, the parents may have removed them. If the heat where you are has gotten intense and above 100, that could be a cause. They can tolerate a hot box to a point. I strap ice packs around the boxes using bungee sometimes when it's above 100. The dehydration part is strange. If the parents are keeping up with feeding, the bugs would hydrate the babies. But then if heat was the issue, it may have been a perfect storm :( Or It could be a sickness, but if the rehabbers got this baby all hydrated, then im not sure... I'm just as puzzled as you. Those are my guesses. It can be hard to tell sometimes. But don't blame yourself either. Sounds like you're doing all you can. We do our best, but nature is brutal. It's a miracle anything survives.
You're such a remarkable individual! And this was a GREAT piece! Re: 25:30, you didn’t “..kinda help(ed) do that…” you likely made it happen by 95% or more! We know people in the urban & rural Midwest approaching 70 & 80 who’ve never seen a single blue bird in their lifetimes! Love what you do, & hilarious how you ripped on the husband’s bush!
First of all, Thank you - and WOW for making it through the whole video! This was a long one. So I really appreciate you sticking through to the end. As to the plant - I just mentioned that to my husband. He told me I can rip it out any time. The only reason I hesitate at this point is that I am struggling to get the Joe Pye plant going. As to the mention about people never seeing a bluebird in their life - you've hit the nail right on the head there. When I was in college, I saw a bluebird for the first time, and it was like seeing a Unicorn. I had no idea those were actually real birds. I thought they were made up in movies (bluebird on my shoulder). That subtle vision catapulted me into ... this :) Thanks again for staying tuned and for the kind comments.
Spot-on and great video as usual! “My” bluebirds have managed to keep the sparrows away this year without my intervention. This year they have raised 10 plus the 4 that they currently have in the box! Good times!
Thats wonderful! It's also great when the bluebirds keep the house sparrows out. But wow can it be stressful. 10 so far and more to come! It's a really neat thing to say that at the end of the season.
Oh! Yes. Its good to hear you fill them in. PMs just involve a lot, and I might do a similar video for then down the road. Most have no idea about the conservation aspect. Thank you.
@@nesthollow5159 I told someone this about a week back. They will always find people to host Blue birds but not purple martins... In the end the numbers will plummet because no new young people are interested.
Trying to attract younger people is something I want to explore. Get kids interested. A challenge is controlling invasive species is something that we would shield kids from, not because they can't handle or but because some parents may disagree when not fully knowing the situation. But there are all the other aspects of hosting birds we can teach, and I think it's still safe to discuss invasive population control with young people, maybe not show or have them do it though... not unless the parents really understand.
@@nesthollow5159 it took me 20 yrs to get one pair of purple martins, 7 of those years There was a colony of 30 pair across the street. I was in my late 20s back then and I was the youngest person in the local martin landlord circle. We even formed a club back then. I am now 60 and all the old times have passed. There are no young people coming up in this interest and I can go on a huge diatribe why that is. Bluebirds and wood ducks will always find someone to pick up the mantle. In the end it will be Amish communities that continue hosting Blue birds and Purple martins.
I remember you mentioning the flycatcher. Sounds like there was no issue between them and the bluebirds then? That must have been really fun to watch! I was hoping to get a family this year - a pair hung out but I suppose went for a tree instead.
I’ve had the same male bluebird for 5 years. He lost his mate at the beginning of the year but within 2 days had a new mate and started making a new nest. His first wife got taken by a Cooper’s hawk right in front of me because of the horrible location I put the meal worm feeder. Otherwise he has produced 70 fledglings in now his 6th year. I’ve even helped him liquidate male house sparrows that invaded his nest. And I probably spend at least 1 hour a day for the last 6 years feeding and trapping invasive birds.
Thank you for this video. I got 4 babies this year, only with the help of a bluebird spooker i put up after first BB egg laid. The couple would have gone for another brood, but the sparrows were relentless. At my pleading, my handymand has dispatched 5 Hosp babies, one male, and 3 eggs. I have not put out the repeating trap yet. Then it will be on me now to dispatch. I'm going to do it, but it wil be hard. But I;m going to do it. I have another question. I got a part time job at Wild Birds Unlimited. I am so dissappointed that there is no education to the customers about the perils that are lurking for BBs, and there are measures we can take. How can we have more education in the Wild Birds Unlimited stores thrughout the US?
Congratulations on the success, and I have to applaud your handyman for being willing to dispatch! As for your first dispatch... it's always the roughest. Just make sure you've correctly IDed it. Then you just have to do it... don't think. Just do. Dispose, and then process after. It gets easier in time, but it's never something enjoyable, and it's not a thing we should "enjoy." Just a duty. You'll do just fine though. It can help to set up a reward after getting through it, like going out for an ice cream or something. I love WBU, but I share in your disappointment. I also get frustrated that they heavily encourage feeding during the nesting season. But they have to. Selling bird seed is what keeps the lights on, and also keeps people coming to the store for impulse shopping that keeps the store running. It's just kind of misinformation being spread, and that's the part I don't like. For education, talk to management about inviting experts to do regular talks. Heck, if your shop is somehow only within a few hours, id maybe be willing to help. Your state's bluebird society can maybe help you find a speaker too. Maybe start a community effort, finding experienced landlords and newbies and then organize a local mentorship program. I believe WBUs are franchises, and each store is ran pretty independently so long as it conforms to franchise standards. So some stores will do an excellent job informing people about how we can really implement conservation efforts in our own backyard. Others don't, and part of it is just that this takes sooooo much effort and store owners are already so busy. But hey... this seems like a good opportunity for me to plug the coloring book for your store's consideration :) plus it's kind of a decent sales tool nesthollow.com/product/hosting-bluebirds-guide-coloring-book-for-retail-orders/ I think stores can order from book distributors too. Anyway, get creative. I'm sure if you offer to spearhead a lot of this, your manager would be happy to do these things, especially if it brings people into the shop.
I am in orlando . Lucky we have the ritz carlton golf course and tourist everywhere close 😂 but my blues did great again, 3 broods ... i have no sparrows but i did trap dispatch in texas ..so i am prepared ❤❤❤❤
I was thinking about you when it came to tip number 1. I had already filmed this when I saw your other comment in another video about you being in a tourist area. And I was so impressed because that can be so hard to manage. So I really applaud you. Also, I want to thank you for being such a big supporter. As a very tiny token of my appreciation, if you're interested - I would love to send you a copy of the Hosting Bluebirds Coloring Book I put together. If you are interested, please email me at info@nesthollow.com with information on where I can send it :) Thanks again! And yes, you are definitely prepared for all that comes with this :)
I have a pair of House Wrens that come to the same plastic gourd every year, they built just 50 -75feet from some Bluebird houses, and never once have they broken a Bluebird egg.
James, you're doing it all right then. And there are those cases where it just doesn't work between the both of them. But somehow - with a good attitude and a lot of luck, you have some amazing peace! I mentioned this to another commenter here - but you have been so supportive for such a long time. And I wanted to send you something as a token of gratitude for your continued support. I would love to send you a copy of the Bluebird Coloring book I worked on. If anything - just a memento and a thank you. If you are interested, you can tell me where to send it by emailing info@nesthollow.com. Thanks again for all of your stories and comments! Keep up all the work you're doing.
That's a tough one. I still think they aren't quite as aggressive as a house sparrow. But one unalived one of my female blues over winter break, and I have a 2 minute video of one attacking a female in the box. That second female blue escaped thank goodness. On both occasions, the aggression happened when the Eurasian Tree Sparrow became highly interested in the box. They also are more aggressive with littler birds like chickadees and house wrens. They are fully protected in the state of Illinois so if you live in IL, you can't do anything. In MO, the Missouri department of conservation does not protect them since they are an old world sparrow. Some states regard them as invasive. I believe Wisconsin does not protect them, but you'd want to double check if that's where you are. I would call your state's conservation department and then check with your city or county. I still think they aren't quite as aggressive as the house sparrow, but they are still a danger and definitely outcompete natove birds in certain locations.
Yep. For some people, this is absolutely true. It's a big conservation effort that not many realize. Better not to put a box out than to put one out and not properly manage it.
So important to understand the species and environment we are trying to help and care for. We can't just jump in as we can do more harm then good if we interfere in the wrong way. Applies to all native species not just blue birds.
Definitely! You are so right. And yes education and responsibility applies to all native birds in our care. Bluebirds tend to be a sort-of gateway bird for beginners..... then the world of birds and stewardship opens super wide. 💙💙💙💙
I absolutely love your videos. They are always informative and provide exactly what I need to make my yard a better environment for the Bluebirds. This is my second season and it has been great so far. As soon as my husband comes home from work he immediately asks how the bluebirds are doing. Our goal is to continue to learn more about the Bluebirds and provide a safe space for them. Last year, our pair had 14 fledge the nest successfully. This year 10 have fledged so far. We have two left to fledge. On a sad note, this last clutch had one egg that did not hatch. It is still in the nest box.
Thank you thank you so much :).
And it sounds like you are having a lot of success. That's incredible! I love that your husband is so engaged and interested too. It's wonderful how it rubs off and is so contagious.
The egg not hatching is always a bummer, but it happens often. I think I encounter that with each nest at least once per season. I'm actually not sure what happens there and might look into more of why some eggs are not viable. I suspect they just don't get fertilized or perhaps something went wrong during development. But it is definitely a let down because it's one less potential you were probably counting on.
Keep up your tally over the years. Your box might foster 50-100 bluebirds as the years go on (maybe a few decades actually).
Again, thanks for the kind comment, and enjoy your bluebirds.
Thank you so much for your very informative videos! Love love love them! Currently on my second season of BBing with blink camera in nest box. Unfortunately last month realized 4 hatchlings were now 1 hatchling. I had a baffle on the pole. What is the most likely culprit in a situation where 1 lucky hatchling is left? Parents were fine. My backyard backs up to a not too dense wooded area. Long story but I took the single hatchling to rehab because he was dehydrated and he’s thriving now…,
Just curious about your best guess as to who the heck got into my nest box…??
Thank you very much. And cheers to 2 years. I am not sure what could have gotten the other 3 babies. It's possible maybe a house sparrow got in and harmed 3 out of four. If they were small enough, the parents may have removed them. If the heat where you are has gotten intense and above 100, that could be a cause. They can tolerate a hot box to a point. I strap ice packs around the boxes using bungee sometimes when it's above 100.
The dehydration part is strange. If the parents are keeping up with feeding, the bugs would hydrate the babies. But then if heat was the issue, it may have been a perfect storm :(
Or It could be a sickness, but if the rehabbers got this baby all hydrated, then im not sure... I'm just as puzzled as you. Those are my guesses. It can be hard to tell sometimes. But don't blame yourself either. Sounds like you're doing all you can. We do our best, but nature is brutal. It's a miracle anything survives.
You're such a remarkable individual! And this was a GREAT piece! Re: 25:30, you didn’t “..kinda help(ed) do that…” you likely made it happen by 95% or more! We know people in the urban & rural Midwest approaching 70 & 80 who’ve never seen a single blue bird in their lifetimes! Love what you do, & hilarious how you ripped on the husband’s bush!
First of all, Thank you - and WOW for making it through the whole video! This was a long one. So I really appreciate you sticking through to the end. As to the plant - I just mentioned that to my husband. He told me I can rip it out any time. The only reason I hesitate at this point is that I am struggling to get the Joe Pye plant going.
As to the mention about people never seeing a bluebird in their life - you've hit the nail right on the head there. When I was in college, I saw a bluebird for the first time, and it was like seeing a Unicorn. I had no idea those were actually real birds. I thought they were made up in movies (bluebird on my shoulder). That subtle vision catapulted me into ... this :)
Thanks again for staying tuned and for the kind comments.
Spot-on and great video as usual! “My” bluebirds have managed to keep the sparrows away this year without my intervention. This year they have raised 10 plus the 4 that they currently have in the box! Good times!
Thats wonderful! It's also great when the bluebirds keep the house sparrows out. But wow can it be stressful. 10 so far and more to come! It's a really neat thing to say that at the end of the season.
Ps. Cool channel! Love that you have prairie chicken footage!
@@nesthollow5159 Sure thing! if you have a second, check out my livestream here on youtube. You’ll see the 4 I was talking about! :)
@@nesthollow5159 I live in Kansas! We have both greater and lessers! :)
@@birdsofray that's really neat to have both varieties. The midwest is kind of nice with the central location and wide access.
Thank you for this video. I tell people the same things in regards to purple martins.
Oh! Yes. Its good to hear you fill them in. PMs just involve a lot, and I might do a similar video for then down the road. Most have no idea about the conservation aspect. Thank you.
@@nesthollow5159 it took me 20 years to get one pair of purple martins. 11 years later I'm up to 124 as of this year it took a long time
@@nesthollow5159 I told someone this about a week back. They will always find people to host Blue birds but not purple martins... In the end the numbers will plummet because no new young people are interested.
Trying to attract younger people is something I want to explore. Get kids interested. A challenge is controlling invasive species is something that we would shield kids from, not because they can't handle or but because some parents may disagree when not fully knowing the situation. But there are all the other aspects of hosting birds we can teach, and I think it's still safe to discuss invasive population control with young people, maybe not show or have them do it though... not unless the parents really understand.
@@nesthollow5159 it took me 20 yrs to get one pair of purple martins, 7 of those years There was a colony of 30 pair across the street. I was in my late 20s back then and I was the youngest person in the local martin landlord circle. We even formed a club back then. I am now 60 and all the old times have passed. There are no young people coming up in this interest and I can go on a huge diatribe why that is. Bluebirds and wood ducks will always find someone to pick up the mantle. In the end it will be Amish communities that continue hosting Blue birds and Purple martins.
I had a great crested flycatcher nested close to my blues ❤❤❤❤
I remember you mentioning the flycatcher. Sounds like there was no issue between them and the bluebirds then? That must have been really fun to watch! I was hoping to get a family this year - a pair hung out but I suppose went for a tree instead.
I’ve had the same male bluebird for 5 years. He lost his mate at the beginning of the year but within 2 days had a new mate and started making a new nest.
His first wife got taken by a Cooper’s hawk right in front of me because of the horrible location I put the meal worm feeder.
Otherwise he has produced 70 fledglings in now his 6th year.
I’ve even helped him liquidate male house sparrows that invaded his nest.
And I probably spend at least 1 hour a day for the last 6 years feeding and trapping invasive birds.
It's so rough when that happens, especially once you've known them for so long. But it is so wonderful to hear he found a new mate so soon.
Thank you for this video. I got 4 babies this year, only with the help of a bluebird spooker i put up after first BB egg laid. The couple would have gone for another brood, but the sparrows were relentless. At my pleading, my handymand has dispatched 5 Hosp babies, one male, and 3 eggs. I have not put out the repeating trap yet. Then it will be on me now to dispatch. I'm going to do it, but it wil be hard. But I;m going to do it. I have another question. I got a part time job at Wild Birds Unlimited. I am so dissappointed that there is no education to the customers about the perils that are lurking for BBs, and there are measures we can take. How can we have more education in the Wild Birds Unlimited stores thrughout the US?
Congratulations on the success, and I have to applaud your handyman for being willing to dispatch!
As for your first dispatch... it's always the roughest. Just make sure you've correctly IDed it. Then you just have to do it... don't think. Just do. Dispose, and then process after. It gets easier in time, but it's never something enjoyable, and it's not a thing we should "enjoy." Just a duty. You'll do just fine though. It can help to set up a reward after getting through it, like going out for an ice cream or something.
I love WBU, but I share in your disappointment. I also get frustrated that they heavily encourage feeding during the nesting season. But they have to. Selling bird seed is what keeps the lights on, and also keeps people coming to the store for impulse shopping that keeps the store running. It's just kind of misinformation being spread, and that's the part I don't like.
For education, talk to management about inviting experts to do regular talks. Heck, if your shop is somehow only within a few hours, id maybe be willing to help.
Your state's bluebird society can maybe help you find a speaker too. Maybe start a community effort, finding experienced landlords and newbies and then organize a local mentorship program.
I believe WBUs are franchises, and each store is ran pretty independently so long as it conforms to franchise standards. So some stores will do an excellent job informing people about how we can really implement conservation efforts in our own backyard. Others don't, and part of it is just that this takes sooooo much effort and store owners are already so busy.
But hey... this seems like a good opportunity for me to plug the coloring book for your store's consideration :) plus it's kind of a decent sales tool nesthollow.com/product/hosting-bluebirds-guide-coloring-book-for-retail-orders/
I think stores can order from book distributors too.
Anyway, get creative. I'm sure if you offer to spearhead a lot of this, your manager would be happy to do these things, especially if it brings people into the shop.
I am in orlando . Lucky we have the ritz carlton golf course and tourist everywhere close 😂 but my blues did great again, 3 broods ... i have no sparrows but i did trap dispatch in texas ..so i am prepared ❤❤❤❤
I was thinking about you when it came to tip number 1. I had already filmed this when I saw your other comment in another video about you being in a tourist area. And I was so impressed because that can be so hard to manage. So I really applaud you.
Also, I want to thank you for being such a big supporter. As a very tiny token of my appreciation, if you're interested - I would love to send you a copy of the Hosting Bluebirds Coloring Book I put together. If you are interested, please email me at info@nesthollow.com with information on where I can send it :)
Thanks again! And yes, you are definitely prepared for all that comes with this :)
I have a pair of House Wrens that come to the same plastic gourd every year, they built just 50 -75feet from some Bluebird houses, and never once have they broken a Bluebird egg.
James, you're doing it all right then. And there are those cases where it just doesn't work between the both of them. But somehow - with a good attitude and a lot of luck, you have some amazing peace!
I mentioned this to another commenter here - but you have been so supportive for such a long time. And I wanted to send you something as a token of gratitude for your continued support. I would love to send you a copy of the Bluebird Coloring book I worked on. If anything - just a memento and a thank you. If you are interested, you can tell me where to send it by emailing info@nesthollow.com.
Thanks again for all of your stories and comments! Keep up all the work you're doing.
it only takes once
@crzrck hey Rick, I understand that.. just saying it's never happened to me..
I love your videos❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Thank you
Can you tell me if we should treat the Eurasian sparrow the same as the house sparrow? If you know what I mean?
That's a tough one. I still think they aren't quite as aggressive as a house sparrow. But one unalived one of my female blues over winter break, and I have a 2 minute video of one attacking a female in the box. That second female blue escaped thank goodness.
On both occasions, the aggression happened when the Eurasian Tree Sparrow became highly interested in the box. They also are more aggressive with littler birds like chickadees and house wrens.
They are fully protected in the state of Illinois so if you live in IL, you can't do anything. In MO, the Missouri department of conservation does not protect them since they are an old world sparrow. Some states regard them as invasive. I believe Wisconsin does not protect them, but you'd want to double check if that's where you are.
I would call your state's conservation department and then check with your city or county.
I still think they aren't quite as aggressive as the house sparrow, but they are still a danger and definitely outcompete natove birds in certain locations.
Perhaps it’s best just NOT to set up any bird boxes in the back yard, so as to ease the convenience and safe time and money buying bird seeds.
Yep. For some people, this is absolutely true. It's a big conservation effort that not many realize. Better not to put a box out than to put one out and not properly manage it.