Completed Four Projects

[Dr. Zack Jennings]

This is My neighbor, Edna, standing in front of her new Peterson Bluebird house. I made four of them today:
<center>http://zackjennings.com/3791Edna.jpg
I got the plan here: USGS Website (http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/tools/ndblinds/peteblue.htm) ...If you read the article accompanying the plan, this design offers less problem with predators and nusiance birds. The slanted front has saw kerfs in the inside to allow the fledglings a sloping ladder up to the hole for their first flight. The depth of the box is too deep for a racoon to reach the nest.
Construction hints: Start with a cedar (or barnwood) board 10 1/4" X 20 3/8". Cut it on a diagonal. This makes 2 sides. Print the plan from the USGS site and measure each piece. It was easy. The following photo is the bird ladder:

http://zackjennings.com/3788BirdLadder.jpg

The front hinges on 2 brass screws. Pull a pin on the side and the front flops down for cleaning. The holes high on the side are 3/4" vents.

[Dr. Zack Jennings]

Bluebird Houses

<center>Bluebirds readily accept manmade homes and they have been helped by well placed and properly managed nest boxes.

Location- An area that bluebirds frequent in spring or summer is an ideal location for a bluebird nest box. If no such place is known, place the box in fairly open grasslands with scattered trees and brush. Orchards, pastures, hay fields, open waste lands, large lawns, cemeteries and golf courses are satisfactory. Fence rows are ideal because they offer convenient perches along the fence.

Mounting - Fasten the box with nails or wire to a wooden or metal post at a height of 4 to 5 feet. Face the entrance away from roads and toward an open area with a tree, large shrub, or fence at a distance of 25 to 100 feet. The young birds have a good chance of reaching this perch on their first flight.

If more than one box is erected, place them at least 100 yards apart to encourage maximum use. Nesting bluebirds are highly territorial and will not usually tolerate a closer box, unless something in between prevents them from seeing it.

Maintenance - Bluebird boxes should be up before March 1. Nesting may begin soon afterwards. Bluebirds usually lay from 3 to 6 eggs. Incubation of the eggs requires around 14 days and the raising of the young about 16 days. The progress of older nestlings can be checked by gently tapping the box to make certain the adult has left and then slowly opening the top. Remove the nesting material as soon as the young have left. This will increase the chances of another brood. Successive broods in the same box may continue until mid-summer.

The box should be inspected, cleaned and repaired, if necessary, in February of each year making certain that drain holes in the floor are open. CONCIENTIOUS MANAGEMENT OF THE BOX IS ESSENTIAL.

Potential Problems - The common house sparrow, an introduced foreign species, is serious competition for nest sites with the bluebird. Place the box away from where sparrows congregate. If they take over the box anyway, remove the sparrow nest immediately. Their bulky, feather-lined nests may have to be removed repeatedly during the nesting season to give the bluebirds a chance.

I got these instructions from 1 site. A friend who is into this says have the house face east if possible. He uses a pipe flange to mount his boxes on 1/2" pipe [He builds a traditional box house. The Peterson may require a 3/4" pipe]. The "Bluebird Book" says to face the house East or North in Hot Climates.

[Jim Becker]

Originally posted by Dr. Zack Jennings
Bluebird Houses

The common house sparrow, an introduced foreign species, is serious competition for nest sites with the bluebird.

We unfortunately had trouble with a pair of house sparrows this week...they destroyed at least three bluebird eggs that we know of. This weekend we're checking the house more closely to insure that the little "feathered rodents" have not moved in and taking some other steps we've found on the web to discourage them from bothering the bluebirds. (house sparrows and starlings are the only birds NOT protected from even "strong methods" of discouragement--they are not native to the US)

Shown below are two of the bluebirds that showed up a "little early"; however, they certainly enjoyed our heated "bird spa" on the deck!

[Dr. Zack Jennings]

Great Photo......
Thanks Jim

I'm not sure that I have a great yard for Bluebirds but I have 4 houses ready to go. I will probably, for the time being, be giving some houses away to close friends. I sure enjoyed making them.

[Jim Becker]

If you look "up" in that picture from the nose of my Tundra to the corner of the garden, you can see the nest box on a pole. It's a little fuzzy due to the manipulation I had to do to the photo to adjust contrast so you can see the birds are actually blue. While bluebirds seem to like some open area around the nest box, they seem perfectly happy on our mosly wooded property. Of course, I'm sure they are not at all happy with the house sparrows at present...justifiably so.

[David LaRue]

My mother was a big fan of blue birds. Since I was about 10 we used to build and maintain a blue bird house like the one that you have Jim. I was very difficult to attact the birds, but once they are there, you need to keep the bird house free of other nests. Then they come back.

My daughter and I just built a blue bird house for a school project. We researched the opening, floor height etc from a web site. Anyway, my daughter has now decorated the house with gell paint, butterflys ...and little plastic jewels. The neat thing is that we put an inspection hole in the side that is coverd with clear plastic, and has a door over that. The idea is to be able to look in and see the nest. So even if we don't get blue birds (I hope.. but not likely) we got the chance to build another bird house together in the shop. It is now proudly displayed in the yard. :)

BTW: My dauaghter and I also made a butterfly house and planted flowers that are suppost to attact them. I'll post pictures later when I get a chance... :)

Dave

[Terry Hatfield]

Zack,

Those are too cool!!! I'll have to build a couple. Thanks for the link.

Bet Edna is tickled with you...especially since she's an internet star now.

Terry

[David Hayes]

Monitoring for bluebirds is a great way to get the kids interested in their natural surroundings. My plant has a bluebird trail that consists of 21 boxes. Last year, we fledged over 160 bluebirds.

When you are putting up the boxes, keep in mind that bluebirds are territorial - boxes should be at least 80 yards apart. The bluebirds will nest amongst other species however.

Jim - when you saw the bluebirds during the winter - most do not migrate. Bluebirds tend to feed off of berries and what few insects they can find during the winter. They will also eat suet - peanut butter & lard works good for me.

Dave in West TN

[Tom Gattiker]

Zack
Is that box better than a regular one at excluding house sparrows? We have a million of them (sparrows) in our neighborhood.

[Jim Becker]

Originally posted by Tom Gattiker
Zack
Is that box better than a regular one at excluding house sparrows? We have a million of them (sparrows) in our neighborhood.

Just so you can be sure what you have, house sparrows are the ones with the "red" heads.

[David LaRue]

Here are the pics of the Blue bird and butterfly houses my daughter and I just made. :)


Blue Bird House "Decorated" :)

http://home.attbi.com/~mywoodshop/Bird-House-250.jpg

Butterfly House

http://home.attbi.com/~mywoodshop/Butterfly-House-250.jpg

Dave

[Jim Becker]

Originally posted by David LaRue
Here are the pics of the Blue bird and butterfly houses my daughter and I just made.

David, just be aware that bluebirds don't prefer painting or coloration on their nest boxes. If you find you are not attracting a pair to that box, put out a naturally finished one as an alternative. That being said, your and your daughter did a terrific job!

[David LaRue]

Originally posted by Jim Becker
David, just be aware that bluebirds don't prefer painting or coloration on their nest boxes. If you find you are not attracting a pair to that box, put out a naturally finished one as an alternative. That being said, your and your daughter did a terrific job!

I mentioned that to her, but my daughter thought the the female birds would find find it quite attractive! Not one to argue with good logic, I went along. :)

I really like the barn siding one above, and that would have gone wonderfully old yard, but our backyard is mainly for the kids. So, no matter what kind of birds it attacts (hopefully something) she and wife will deam it a success.

I'll let you know later in the year how we have done! :D

Dave

[Dr. Zack Jennings]

Zack
Is that box better than a regular one at excluding house sparrows? We have a million of them (sparrows) in our neighborhood.


I really don't know. I've been reading a bluebird forum & there are lots of different tricks & different house designs. Sparrows are a problem... so are House cats, Racoons & snakes. Edna had an old standard house in this location that was falling apart. She had BB (Bluebirds) in the old house.

Humorous thing : Edna did make the remark that she was sure this house would outlive her. I hope not. Maybe I'll still be around to make her another on in 10-15 years.

[Dr. Zack Jennings]

Sucess: Bluebirds are Here

Less than 24 hours and a pair of BB's are checking it out. I hope they move in. I'll call um Clyde & Cathy

http://www.zackjennings.com/1/3809BBMontage10May03.jpg

[Jim Becker]

That's wonderful, Zack!

We cleaned out the crap that the house finches put in our box after destroying the bluebird eggs and moved the next to a different location. Blues were back today checking it out and calling "artfully" all day. It was great spending the day in the shop and watching them cavort around in between sawdust creation sessions!