What did you do today

[TimC]

Some success in my efforts to help provide housing for Eastern Bluebirds. Out of 19 nest boxes located in the area one has new bluebird residents and a couple have Tree Swallows. I'd prefer the Bluebirds but I'm OK with any flying insect hunters! Anyway, it was a great start to my birthday on the 16th to see my first Bluebirds and Swallows adopting my nest boxes.

A BRAW (Bluebird Restoration Assoc of Wisconsin) design nest box with a build in progress.


A Gilwood design box showing some Tree Swallow construction.


And a trial version of a mealworm feeder which is "supposed to" favor small cavity nesting birds like Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, etc.

[Tom&Shelly]

Looks great Tim!

While working on some drainage issues around our garage a bluebird (not sure if she's Rocky Mountain or Western) came by to inspect. She seemed satisfied. I hope the county inspector will be as nice!
Tom

[lfhoward]

Very cool nest boxes!

[TimC]

Thanks Tom and Lauren. The top photo is a standard box that is of a design suggested by many state bluebird organizations. The bottom box, a Gilwood nest box, was researched and designed by Steve Gilbertson of Aitkin, MN. I was interested because he is in an area of MN that is just about as north as I am. Both boxes are very easy to build. The Gilwood design has an interesting entrance. It is much larger than is typically suggested and has a wire that can adjust the opening to 1 3/8" high. Here's a link to a page about Steve... http://nestboxbuilder.com/nestbox-article-gilwood.html

Much of the Bluebird info I read is posted by folks in southern or close to southern states. Their information is valuable but the timing of nesting season is way off for us. It's kind of funny because the reaction from many on a forum I have been watching is something along the lines of "You should have bluebirds nesting and little ones fledging by now!" Many areas, even in southern WI, MN and MI, have year round bluebirds. Up here on the WI/MI border we don't see the migrating Bluebirds, Wrens, Tree Swallows and many, many Warblers until mid May (at least this year). Bluebird populations have rebounded in recent years which is attributed to folks building and monitoring appropriate nest boxes. It's said that they outnumbered Robins before invasive species such as House Sparrows and Starlings were introduced from Europe way back when. If you have a yard with at least an acre of occasionally mowed field you have an ideal location for Eastern Bluebirds. Soccer pitches, golf courses and parks are often good spots to build a Bluebird trail. Tom, you'll have Western Bluebirds or Mountain Bluebirds in your area. Lauren, you probably have year around populations of the Eastern species.

I have 19 nest boxes out in my area and now have two pairs of bluebirds and two pairs of Tree Swallows beginning to build nests. All this craziness is a symptom of a very long winter and a friend who put the idea in my head a few months ago. This hobby is all new to me. I'm just getting started learning about them.

[Tom&Shelly]

The bluebirds were here when I got here. They've been hanging around above me while I've worked on the garage drainage the past few days. Not much mowing out here, but we have fields where the trees don't grow.

I tried making some houses for them some years ago, but no takers on my land. Think the design came from the interwebs, but originally a Scouting book from the 1920's. The several families I see here may be well established and build their nests in the same place each year?

Built identical boxes except for the hole size for friends and family for birds they wanted to attract, and they had better success in their yards.

Tom

[twisted lines]

Moved my Solar and added a road shower;
Someone up graded & I couldn't pass
Said be careful it get's HOT.

[twisted lines]

Last three days we have been practicing fiberglass
Removing a bath tub

[tony.latham]

The bottom box, a Gilwood nest box...

That's certainly an interesting concept. I might have to crank out a couple this summer.

Tony

[TimC]

The bottom box, a Gilwood nest box...

That's certainly an interesting concept. I might have to crank out a couple this summer.

Tony

Do it Tony! The blues need our help. With today's harvesting of smaller, younger trees there are fewer tree cavities than ever.

I get the 1x8s from the cull pile at a local Home Depot. 70% off regular prices. I know you are handy with tools but if someone wanted to do just crosscuts you can use 1x8s and 1x4s and build them with just a slot instead of the hole saw entrance with a wire installed like on the Gilwood. I haven't tried that design yet but it works just as well from what I read. BTW, I use 14 gauge wire stripped from scraps of romex. I leave the insulation on which makes a nice firm fit with an 1/8" drill bit.

We're in a drought here in NE Wisco so I'm make sure to provide a watering source close by. Drought is a relative term. Nothing like western states have had in recent years.

In 20 nest boxes located I currently have five confirmed nests with eggs. Another two with Blue sitings in recent days. First nests started mid May here. In addition to building TDs I've found a great new hobby.

[Tom&Shelly]

Today we greeted a few of the native inhabitants



A few minutes after seeing these folks on our driveway, I went down to the basement (without my camera, unfortunately) and met a snake, who was clearly not interested in a close encounter and moved off under some trim. Looked like a desert garter but he sidewinded off. A little more than a foot long, so small for a sidewinder, and no rattling. It was dim lighting, but I had the impression of light brown markings. Sort of hope he moved along, unless he is a garter, in which case he's welcome to share the basement workshop (long as I don't step on him!) and all the bugs and mice he can catch. If he's a baby sidewinder, I'd just as soon he finds another home...

Tom

[tony.latham]

Do it Tony!

I'm on it. Sometime soon. It's been a while since I've added sawdust to my bin.

Thanks,

Tony

[ssrjim]

Put a floor in.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Tom&Shelly]

Today we installed running boards on the Tundra



Shelly ordered them and thought, at first, the 3rd party choice was not so good



until we panned out



So did I mention on this forum how much Carmax sucks these days? Among other things, when we bought the Tundra a month ago, the photos showed running boards. When we test drove it, the running boards had disappeared. They looked at the photos, and the manager agreed we should have running boards. So they ordered running boards--the wrong ones. So one of their folks agreed to reimburse us if we ordered our own. We could have had them install them, but decided it was easier just to do it ourselves. Took an hour or two in the morning before it became too warm. When I got down there, I found when they removed the original running boards, they left the bolts off, which more or less are the only things holding on the rocker panels. We're bringing it in to Carmax next week to get some other things fixed that shouldn't have been broken, so hopefully they honor the reimbursement!

Whenever I hear about rocker panels, I'm reminded of the movie The French Connection, where Popeye Doyle brings a VIP's car to the NYPD impound lot thinking it's full of drugs. They rip apart the entire car...except.., well here it is



Relevant scene starts around 2:33. The mechanic says it so matter of factly!

Tom

[RJ Howell]

Primer paint on the first of many seams to come! Oh ya baby I like flat white

[TimC]

Working on my foamie 4x8 but this week's heat is killing my ambition. 91 today! So while taking a break I decided to check out how my Bluebirds in the garden nest box are doing. I'd say OK!



And the Wrens will be busy soon.