# The Bluebirds are Back!



## firebroad (Apr 6, 2012)

Was home sick, took these out kitchen window.  Had these guys last year, too.


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## Eatonpcat (Apr 6, 2012)

What kinda bird is that??


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## firebroad (Apr 6, 2012)

Eatonpcat said:


> What kinda bird is that??


Eastern Bluebird


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## Eatonpcat (Apr 6, 2012)

firebroad said:


> Eastern Bluebird


 Thanks, that's a pretty bird...Haven't seen one in Ohio!!
Will do a little research.


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## firebroad (Apr 6, 2012)

To be perfectly honest, I have lived in Maryland all my life (60 years), and only saw my first one a few years ago when I moved to the "country".


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## GAMMA RAY (Apr 6, 2012)

Oh I love those birds. I used to buy mealworms to put out for them.
I have a cool bird feeding "pole system" from The Wild Bird store. It is a custom "build your own" setup. You can really add anything you want to it. I have many hooks on mine and I even had a heated bird bath for the winter.
However, it was knocked over by a bear the other day so I think I have to stop feeding now dammit.


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## firebroad (Apr 6, 2012)

GAMMA RAY said:


> Oh I love those birds. I used to buy mealworms to put out for them.
> I have a cool bird feeding "pole system" from The Wild Bird store. It is a custom "build your own" setup. You can really add anything you want to it. I have many hooks on mine and I even had a heated bird bath for the winter.
> However, it was knocked over by a bear the other day so I think I have to stop feeding now dammit.


 
Dumb question, do the mealworms come dead or alive?  The bloody squirrels eat everything else, or the deer get it.  Don't have bears, thank goodness!!


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## Eatonpcat (Apr 6, 2012)

firebroad said:


> Dumb question, do the mealworms come dead or alive? The bloody squirrels eat everything else, or the deer get it. Don't have bears, thank goodness!!


 
Not yet, wait till they figure out you have meal worms!


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## GAMMA RAY (Apr 6, 2012)

That's not a dumb question Sue. I would buy both the freeze dried ones and sometimes the live ones.

You need to get a squirrel baffle for the pole. It is a cylinder device that prevents the squirrels from climbing up the pole. I also have a squirrel proof feeder I got from Walmart. It has a cage held by springs on the exterior. I have that for the squirrels that jump from surrounding trees. When the squirrel jumps on the feeder, the cage part is pulled down by the weight of the squirrel and closes off the holes where the seed is.
Here is a link for you to see it...
http://www.birdfeeders.com/store/wild-bird-feeders/336c

I had one of those feeders that would twirl the squirrel around and whip him off if he jumped on it but the bear knocked it down and broke it...and that was in the winter dammit.

I usually only feed the birds in the winter because of the bear problem here. I do miss watching the birds on the feeders.


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## firebroad (Apr 6, 2012)

Yeah, I have one of those spring feeders.  They are nice until the springs break.  I'd like to get a pole baffle, the little SOB's always try to figure a way to get at the food and chase the birds.  Except for bluejays, they don't take no Sh## off any anybody.  I have see a bluejay beat up a squirrel for a peanut!  
Gotta get me some of those worms.  I don't think there are too many bears in this part of the state, but not unheard of.


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## raybonz (Apr 6, 2012)

Bluebirds are beautiful! Get them here on occasion but not too often.. Orioles and Cardinals are favorites too with Cards being more common here.. Great pics! I should put up a Bluebird house sometime..

Ray


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## Freeheat (Apr 6, 2012)

Eatonpcat said:


> Thanks, that's a pretty bird...Haven't seen one in Ohio!!
> Will do a little research.


 
My parents have some that have nested in the same house for 3 years and the live in grafton so not far from you

JIM


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## fishingpol (Apr 6, 2012)

Here is a neat bluebird website for ya.  It is very informative and no, it is not an e.d. medication advertisement.  I have a nest box at work, a few lookers, no takers.

http://www.sialis.org/


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## billb3 (Apr 7, 2012)

the squirrel pole baffles that look like an upside down coffee can do work fairly well.
I haven't had much luck with closing shutters or dropping cages, the squirrels here learned bombing the feeder sprays enough on the ground. I was tempted to mount impaling spikes on the feeder roofs last year but figured I'd have to pull them off still wiggling.


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## ironworker (Apr 7, 2012)

I have a bunch of them in my bird houses, but when the Swallows show up the poor birds get thrown out.


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## Eatonpcat (Apr 7, 2012)

es332 said:


> My parents have some that have nested in the same house for 3 years and the live in grafton so not far from you
> 
> JIM


 
Hey Jim...I'm practically neighbors with your parents, Grafton is only about a mile from my place.  Maybe I should put up a couple of houses and try to attract the Bluebirds!
Where do you live??


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## jtakeman (Apr 7, 2012)

Pretty birds, Thanks for sharing.


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## Freeheat (Apr 7, 2012)

Eatonpcat said:


> Hey Jim...I'm practically neighbors with your parents, Grafton is only about a mile from my place. Maybe I should put up a couple of houses and try to attract the Bluebirds!
> Where do you live??


 
They live on Robson rd , I live off Chestnut in Elyria


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## Eatonpcat (Apr 8, 2012)

es332 said:


> They live on Robson rd , I live off Chestnut in Elyria


 

Always good to hear from the locals!!


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## firebroad (Apr 9, 2012)

billb3 said:


> the squirrel pole baffles that look like an upside down coffee can do work fairly well.
> I haven't had much luck with closing shutters or dropping cages, the squirrels here learned bombing the feeder sprays enough on the ground. I was tempted to mount impaling spikes on the feeder roofs last year but figured I'd have to pull them off still wiggling.


 
Ha ha!  BillB the Impaler...Actually, I don't mind if they shake a little to the ground for themselves, it's when they completely trash the whole set up to pig out on the whole stash that gets my goat, the little hoodlums...


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## firefighterjake (Apr 9, 2012)

billb3 said:


> the squirrel pole baffles that look like an upside down coffee can do work fairly well.
> I haven't had much luck with closing shutters or dropping cages, the squirrels here learned bombing the feeder sprays enough on the ground. I was tempted to mount impaling spikes on the feeder roofs last year but figured I'd have to pull them off still wiggling.


 
I'll let the squirrels only eat so much . . . until the point when they start to clear me out in just a couple of days . . . and then I start trapping them . . . and giving them a chauffered trip to various points in the county . . . I figure they might enjoy the change of scenery.


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## skyline (Apr 9, 2012)

firefighterjake said:


> I'll let the squirrels only eat so much . . . until the point when they start to clear me out in just a couple of days . . . and then I start trapping them . . . and giving them a chauffered trip to various points in the county . . . I figure they might enjoy the change of scenery.


 
I hear you Jake. We never had a problem until 2 years ago. That's when I had to start my own "Squirrel Translocation Program". (15 the first year)

These aren't recent but thought I would include a couple pics of the Western Blue Bird. These guys stopped by the first day after I put my perch up, just to let me know I did good, I guess. I had never seen them before or since that day, but they are pretty rare around here.


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## firebroad (Apr 10, 2012)

skyline said:


> I hear you Jake. We never had a problem until 2 years ago. That's when I had to start my own "Squirrel Translocation Program". (15 the first year)
> 
> These aren't recent but thought I would include a couple pics of the Western Blue Bird. These guys stopped by the first day after I put my perch up, just to let me know I did good, I guess. I had never seen them before or since that day, but they are pretty rare around here.
> 
> ...


 
Oh wow, look at those!  I have never seen ours congregate, but they are similar, aren't they?
Also, just to mention, around here it is illegal to relocate wildlife.  Just saying.


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## Eatonpcat (Apr 10, 2012)

firebroad said:


> Oh wow, look at those! I have never seen ours congregate, but they are similar, aren't they?
> Also, just to mention, around here it is illegal to relocate wildlife. Just saying.


 
Illegal to relocate probably true everywhere, I guess I will have to wait until squirrell season and turn them into gravy!!


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## firebroad (Apr 10, 2012)

Eatonpcat said:


> Illegal to relocate probably true everywhere, I guess I will have to wait until squirrell season and turn them into gravy!!


NOW your talking!  Yum.  Pressure cooker gets them really tender.


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## skyline (Apr 10, 2012)

firebroad said:


> Oh wow, look at those! I have never seen ours congregate, but they are similar, aren't they?
> Also, just to mention, around here it is illegal to relocate wildlife. Just saying.


 
I should have looked at this before. I checked into Oregon and it's not illegal but you do need a permit. Several of our species or invasive from the East....., Thanks for nothing!!
But more than that, it is highly NOT recommended. To quote:

Writing in 1997, the Humane Society of the United States called relocation "one of the least understood and most problematic wildlife 'control' practices we know of. Not only might the trapping and movement of the animal cause it harm or even bring it death, but the activity might adversely affect other wild animals as well."

More information to those interested (no matter what state you live in) here: 
http://audubonportland.org/backyardwildlife/brochures/relocation

They make some good points.


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## firefighterjake (Apr 10, 2012)

I don't relocate the squirrels . . . I just treat them to a ride to another town . . . I cannot help it if they opt to not get back in the cage when I stop to let them out for a bathroom and snack break. 

Honestly . . . moving a few squirrels from one area to another is probably far less of a problem for them and for me. The alternative is death . . . which I would think most of them would not opt for given the choice.


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## fishingpol (Apr 11, 2012)

squirrels =  hawk snacks


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