Up north, I clean mine out and refill nesting material in the winter from the ice. Just because it's easy to access the box on a ladder from the ice. But once they're done nesting, clean, count membranes, repair and refill nesting material whenever you want. Sometimes other birds will use the box. Small owls do. But also junk birds like starlings, which I tend to plink with the pellet gun..
Well this is news to me. I guess I should join a birding forum, but,, well I just haven't.
I did not know I needed to put nesting material into the box. I put my box up early, saw wood ducks swimming near it, but it went unused. It might have been rejected due to no nesting materials in the box. It was just an empty wood box.
So, what do I add? How much, and when? And I guess it needs to be cleaned out?
I had blue birds in the box I put up (different box) but when they came back this spring wouldn't use the box. My mother in law told me the box needed to be cleaned out. So I'm going to do that for next spring.
I really enjoy seeing them around. Would love to have wood ducks also.
Thanks, "anyone" you can steer me in the right direction!
