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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,934 Likes: 2
Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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OP
Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,934 Likes: 2 |
An update on the bird housing.... The wood duck houses and the mallard nesting tubes show no signs of apparent activity. The smaller chickadee houses dispersed in the woods are mostly vacant, but a couple have wrens living in them (wonderful, easily identified song). The Peterson bluebird houses, tho, are NO VACANCY. Unbelieveable response. We put up six, well spaced and away from the timberline (per spec for attracting bluebirds). 3 have Tree Swallows and 3 have bluebirds. I know that so much of attracting birds is the species and the region, but from my 'hood, these cedar Peterson BB houses are the hot ticket.
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,934 Likes: 2
Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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OP
Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,934 Likes: 2 |
an update to a REAL old project that never got completed.... - about 6 years ago, as part of building a buncha bird houses, I also put together a bat house. As goes many of my projects, I came outta the gate like a race horse, but about the 3rd turn, I got distracted and never finished the race. The bat house has been in storage ever since....until now. - It all started here back in 2007. - ...and winds up here, some 6+ years later. Inspired by Loretta's post: ...I bought a mesh tray that's made for organizing silverware and mounted two snall 90 degree brackets about 18" beneath the bat house on the eave....Bat babies often fall out of the house and the tray catches them and allows them to crawl back into their house....
I added the bat baby catcher to the bottom of the house and provided a trellis of hardware cloth to allow ascension back into the cozy bat abode above. And, finally, the 2" tubing pole is set into concrete and the new bat digs are displaying a vacancy sign.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,100 Likes: 287
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,100 Likes: 287 |
I like the baby catcher. I built one about 5 years ago. No bats yet.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 68
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 68 |
Any idea why Dave?
My wife really wants a number of them (2-4) on our 30 acre hay field but the project will get pushed off if we arent going to see any results...
Give a few country boys a little money, beer, an arc welder and power tools and great things can happen...or someone is going to the hospital or jail.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,100 Likes: 287
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,100 Likes: 287 |
I don't know. I put in an old barn with no results. I occasionally see bats but not many. Of course, it might just be my house building skills.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,188 Likes: 29
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,188 Likes: 29 |
It could also be the disease going around killing bats that hibernate in caves. Drastic reductions here in Upstate NY. I have two bat houses up under the eaves of the house for three years running, and no takers. I do see a few flying about, but not like it was 5 years ago.
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,358 Likes: 4
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,358 Likes: 4 |
Location really matters for bat houses. If you don't have bats after 5 years, you should consider moving the house. Generally speaking, they like heat. This site has good info: http://www.batmanagement.com/Batcentral/batboxes/choosingsite.htmlIt says that in southern locations, mount the houses outside, on a pole, back to back. That way when one side gets too hot, they can move to the other side.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,687 Likes: 892
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,687 Likes: 892 |
When I had bats in the loft of my barn, they'd move from the East side to the West side depending on where the sun was.
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 573 Likes: 3
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 573 Likes: 3 |
I face my bat houses south. Initially it took a couple of years to get returning residents.
Nice looking set up Brettski!
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Moderated by Bill Cody, Bruce Condello, catmandoo, Chris Steelman, Dave Davidson1, esshup, ewest, FireIsHot, Omaha, Sunil, teehjaeh57
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Algae
by Boondoggle - 06/14/24 10:07 PM
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