I cleaned the box out good, let it dry out for a day and put the door back on it late yesterday afternoon. I have cleaned wren twigs out of the box four times since then! They are persistent.

Anyway, about 7PM tonight I went to clean twigs out again, and there was a bluebird sitting on the box! After he flew off, I figured I'd best get the wren twigs out of the box so maybe the bluebird would build a nest there again. I opened the box, and there was the beginnings of a bluebird nest! Wow he worked fast. It had only been about 4 hours since I had last removed wren twigs. I am soooooo excited! By the way, we ARE putting a baffle on the box on Saturday.

I really wanted to say your box should be mounted on a slick metal pole like conduit not a wooden post. The baffles that are put on birdhouses should be wobbling baffles to keep the raccoons out (and I agree it sounds like a raccoon that got your babies). Problem is with a wooden post you won't get much wobble out of a stovepipe baffle. If you do keep it on the post, which I advise not to, make sure you have at least an 8 inch stovepipe to put on there. The conetype baffles do not work for raccoons.

Oh and if you saw a male bluebird, he is not the one to build a nest, the female is the sole nestbuilder however the male will put a piece of grass or two in the box to entice the female. You have a whole new problem though if you have wrens around as they will destroy the bluebird eggs/hatchlings if they get a chance.

Check out sialis.org for lots of infor on Bluebirds and other cavity nesting birds. It has tons of info on how to properly offer proper nesting boxes and to deter predators.

Good luck!

Donna

I have been on sialis.org a lot. It's how I got the link to this forum. :)

NEW PROBLEM! I saw a house sparrow land on the post right after the male bluebird went inside. I ran out and chased it away. A little later a sparrow flew into the box. I never once saw a sparrow even near the box when the 1st clutch was laid and hatched. I only use black oil sunflower seed and Nyger seed in my feeders, just to keep sparrows, grackles and crows away. Something else to worry about. I really am a worrier!

We plan to build a sparrow spooker to try and deter the dang sparrows, but wrens are around the neighborhood too. I don't think moving my nesting box would make any difference. My yard is only so large, and we placed the box at the edge of the property facing east toward the large open area.

Question: Do we wait for an egg to be laid before adding the sparrow spookers to both boxes? What if she never comes near because of the sparrows in the vicintiy?

My neighbor's box had one egg in it today! Being that they are out of town, I am monitoring their box. We put up a baffle (metal stovepipe) and made and installed a sparrow spooker today. It is quite the spooker too! We actually bought fringed mylar and stapled it to the dowels after priming and painting them so they will hold up in the weather. We made three spookers, hoping I will need one and made one for another neighbor too.

Question: Is there anything we can do to keep the wrens away?

Boy friends mother LOL :D

Good luck!
Linda