Hi Tiffany
Recommend installing a squirrel baffle around the pole below the box.
Will discourage a number of predators. If the box is not on a pole
(such as 3/4" metal conduit) would be safer to move it to one, if not
now, then after this brood is fledged. Ideal hole size for future
chickadee houses is 1 and 1/8 inches. The smaller hole size will also
keep out some predators/competitors. Good luck.
Best,
Bob Reilly
On 3/17/2012 11:28 AM, Tiffany Truax Anhalt wrote:
We put up our nestbox several days ago, and a chickadee is already building a
nest. I think the house/hole is sized for bluebirds. Last year, we lived here
(in VA) and had house wren babies. The past years in Texas, Arkansas and Kansas
we've had bluebirds (we're military). Is there anything I need to do to the box
or otherwise, to assist or help protect them? We lost a bluebird nest many
years ago to an unknown predator and it's haunted me ever since! Would
appreciate some advice. I will leave it alone until I'm absolutely sure of what
to do or not to do.
Tiffany
Falls Church, VA
_______________________________________________
va-bird mailing list
http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird
Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of
Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO.
http://www.virginiabirds.net/
