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Today I checked all my nestboxes.
Of the 10 bluebird/tree swallow boxes;
- 1 box with 5 bluebird eggs
- 1 with a nearly finished tree swallow nest, as evidenced by white feathers
- 2 others with almost complete nests, but no feathers. One of these was a previously abandoned nest with 2 bluebird eggs, which I had cleaned out
Other nestboxes:
- 2 Flicker boxes, which the starlings keep trying to claim
- 2 Great Crested Flycatchers boxes, one of which was claimed by starlings. I haven’t seen any Great Crested Flycatchers yet, but may have heard one this morning
- 2 screech owl boxes with no apparent activity. However, while checking one of these, a Northern Flicker flew up, landed on the box and almost knocked me off a small step ladder, then flew away. So maybe they’re going to nest there. I’ve been hearing them call from that area, so I’ll have to watch it from a distance.
On House Wrens, I typically place 15-20 bird house gourds with a 1 1/8 inch hole, around the yard, on the edge of treelines. The wrens readily take to them and I think it helps keep them out of my bluebird houses. This year, I couldn’t get gourds, so I built a bunch of small nestboxes instead. One has been claimed by chickadees and so far, they haven’t been displaced by wrens. There are lots of wrens calling from different parts of the yard.
Pretty fun little hobby!
Dan Getman, Kirksville, northeast MO
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The Missouri Birding Society's Wild Bird Discussion Forum
