Perhaps disturbing an active nest is technically illegal even if in this particular circumstance when done properly it is beneficial to the birds. The laws which a century ago ended the collection of eggs, nests, feathers, etc., without permits are still in effect. --Dave Nutter
On Monday, February 08, 2010, at 01:41PM, "Alan Mapes" <[email protected]> wrote: >Kurt - Tell me why changing the nest is not good. I've done this for 20+ >years, and find it increasing the survival of young very nicely. The >adults will show concern while I remove the 10-12 day-old young from the >nest, sweep out the box, and replace the nest with dry grass. But the >parents go right back to feeding the young like nothing happened. I have >yet to see any down-side to this procedure. > >Alan Mapes >Delmar, NY > >Kurt Falvey wrote: >> >> Over the past few years (since I moved back from Texas) I have been >> buying a few cedar blue bird houses and every year we have several >> pairs of blue birds. Unfortunately all too often we find dead baby >> blue bird…even our friends 20 miles away thought about taking their >> houses down because they are tired of finding dead babies. In most >> cases blow fly larva were found under the nest. >> >> I have read about adding bay leaves under the nest, changing the nest >> out…which you are not supposed to do even though it works and I have >> tried the wire mesh thing which kind of worked. The problem with the >> wire mesh idea is you can’t effectively install it high enough above >> the bottom of a stand blue bird house. >> >> So this winter I have built all new blue bird houses adding about 5 >> inches to the height but installing the wire mesh where the bottom >> would normally be. This way the nest is far enough above the floor so >> if and when the blow flies fall to the bottom they won’t have anyway >> to get back to the nest. In addition I removed all the existing blue >> bird houses and reduced the hole size so blue birds will no longer be >> able to use them. We put those in the woods for chickadees, wrens, >> nuthatch, etc. >> >> So once and for all I will find out if the wire mesh idea really >> works. I will keep you posted. >> >> *Julie & Kurt* >> >> *Broken Road Farms* >> >> *www.BrokenRoadFarms.com* >> > >-- > >Cayugabirds-L List Info: >http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME >http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES > >ARCHIVES: >1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html >2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html >3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds > >Please submit your observations to eBird: >http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ > >-- > > -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
