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I now have four eggs in a front yard box. I've had a lot of success with this particular box which usually does two or three clutches of eggs per season and fledge rate is very good.I believe it does so well because my front yard is very open...no trees anywhere around. There are overhead power lines and Blue Birds love perching on these over their box. I wish my backyard box did so well, but I believe the wood lot behind is too close. Tips: I never allow other birds to nest in my Bluebird boxes. I place other boxes around with smaller entrance holes for the wrens, chickadees, finches and such. Bluebirds are territorial. They won't nest close to another nesting pair...at least 200 ft. apart. I never hang my boxes on trees. I like metal poles with predator guards.
Congratulations, Poggly! Bluebird families are so much fun to watch!! I have only one box and I, too, protect it from predators...one bad experience with a black snake taught me a valuable and sad lesson. Bluebirds were regular visitors in our yard until it was time for nesting, then they seem to have disappeared. I am afraid it's because a pair of hawks is nesting for the 2nd year close-by. A chickadee has built in the box. I'm wishing I'd had another box with a smaller entrance hole, but I will not run the chickadees out.
Congratulations, Poggly! Bluebird families are so much fun to watch!! I have only one box and I, too, protect it from predators...one bad experience with a black snake taught me a valuable and sad lesson. Bluebirds were regular visitors in our yard until it was time for nesting, then they seem to have disappeared. I am afraid it's because a pair of hawks is nesting for the 2nd year close-by. A chickadee has built in the box. I'm wishing I'd had another box with a smaller entrance hole, but I will not run the chickadees out.
Yep...I too learned the hard way about black snakes years ago...and hawks, they increasingly becoming a problem with backyard birding. They were snatching my birds at my feeders so bad I took the feeders down. I do only hummingbirds now.
Location: (Orginally From Ann Arbor, MI) Now reside in Evans, Georgia
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here in GA I have my bluebird in their claimed boxes..last year I had to relocate my nesting boxes because we have too many stray cats about. So I recreated favorable nesting and feeding zones for them to return. I planted elderberry and hawthorns near by, I put up predator guards, I put up winter roosting boxes as well as a trail box . now I have 4 pairs with babies this spring. looks like it worked =)
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