If you've followed my posts, you would know that about 2 weeks ago my bluebirds began laying eggs when something destroyed them.

HOSP and TRES were the possibilities. I decided it was HOSP.

Today, I saw small birds on the box. I automatically thought..is that HOSP??

Waiting for more eggs to be layed, I approached the box and saw a small bird perched. It flew off and I then knew it was HOSP. Meanwhile, my TRES are sitting on the other box AT THE SAME TIME doing NOTHING! $#*&%!

Visible from the outside, the sparrows built over the bluebird nest and added their tunnel to the nest. The Swallows did NOT attack it. Both the bluebirds and swallows have been in the area. The blues were also fending off a lone rogue swallow and my thinking is that they shifted their focus to the TRES and the HOSP took an opportunity.

It was a matter of time. The blues didn't lay soon enough for me to put my spooker up. Unfortunately I had to remove the nest while I put the Van Ert in. I had to work from 4-9 so I had to have my brother help. He killed the Male HOSP late this evening. The nest is back in the box, but mangled and out of shape.

The main question is...how could the Swallows AND bluebirds allow this to happen?! I'm sure having a mate helped the male HOSP. The TRES seem unconcerned about anything but their nest only. Yet they'll dive at me all day. I'm sure if I were to leave the HOSP would easily be able to ALSO kill the TRES/ take over their box. Of course, the blues are the ones to take the hit!

I saw the Male Bluebird for a brief time, and he was loudly singing. Perhaps he lost his mate?? For all I've seen, she could be alive still too. I was gone 95% of the day. There is one other box un-occupied at this site at my other pair.

So what is the initiative to remove the bluebirds nest when the attempt fails, even though it is intact and useable? I'd hate to waste their time by removing the nest just because of some cosmetic damage.

DO I JUST HAVE AWFUL BLUEBIRDS/SWALLOWS OR SOMETHING? Last season they kept switching boxes and not incubating and it wasn't until June or July that they finally hatched and fledged babies. 3.

It seems like every spring I suffer some setback that results in less fledgings, delayed nesting, etc. This despite me doing ALMOST EVERYTHING right and I just about have the war against HOSP won over here. It will never end though, I know. So I've done my job, but my natives AREN'T!

I want to hear from those with experience with a takeover in this stage of nesting. Do you think the bluebirds will return and nest in this box again? the Male HOSP is history. I wish I could have been the one to take him out! I was SO MAD! I wanted to snap that birds neck the second I found out about this!! I've crippled their population around here, and yet somehow 1 pair manages to take over ONE nestbox with Bluebirds AND Swallows in the area all day.

~ A troubled Tim ~