bluebird and box heat faq

http://www.sialis.org/heat.htm

That's an excellent article, Kurt with lots of good ideas for cooler nest boxes.

Thanks Kurt, I hadn't even considered overheating was an issue. Ann's box does appear to have a nice vent slot in the front of the box though. Good on you Ann!

Ann, if you can grow some sort of a vine on that pretty trellis fence, then by next year the box will have some good shade and be much cooler. How about a pipevine for the butterflies?

First off..... thank you so much for that link Kurt! Some great info. there.

I purchased these nest boxes from either HD or Lowe's - I forget which. Made of 3/4" thick cedar. Yes, as Robin pointed out, there is a good area of ventilation in the front there under the overhang. There is also ventilation in the rear which you can't see. There is some as well in the bottom but I know heat rises not sinks so I'm not counting that ventilation for much value.
Can't get any hose there & not sure that would do much anyway. I think it would be a very temporary benefit.
Right now I'm not going to do anything. Mama is there sitting on eggs. I don't want her to desert the nest. Many, many broods have been successfully raised in that box over the last 3 years.
Elaine, I do have a gloriosa lily starting to climb that lattice. However, that probably won't make any difference this year as I suspect this is the last clutch for the year. Next year though, the lily will be established & by this time of year will be shading the box.
This winter I will paint it white and drill some more ventilation holes in the top sides.

I just thought about something with that nest box. The ventilation at the bottom does serve purpose. Air is carried up through that & out through the ventilation in the upper front & rear.

One must remember too that this is an unusually hot June. Normal temps. this time of year here run around 85 degrees. This year every thing & every one is boiling or broiling.

I am sure they are doing fine Ann , mama bluebird choose that box and location.

I've noticed my little Pheobe who is currently nesting under our porch, is also sitting on her nest and panting in the afternoons. I was saying the same thing the other day about needing to sit on those eggs as hot as it is. Nature's creatures usually know what they are doing. Everything should be fine.

krobra said:I am sure they are doing fine Ann , mama bluebird choose that box and location.

True Kurt.

And we must all remember that clutches are not always successful. There are "young parents" building their first nest and laying their very first eggs. They are inexperienced. Some don't work out. I figure this is how they learn just like how we learn ~~~ by our failures. Every single year, sometimes twice in the same year, a bluebird couple builds a nest in the mailbox post. It's one of those plastic numbers where you put in a 4x4 but it doesn't have to be tall & then slip the PVC cover down over it & then slip the decorative PVC ball post cap on that. You guys know what I'm talking about. Anyway, sometime before we bought the place some critter chewed a hole in the PVC near the top of the upright post. As I was saying, every single year, a bluebird couple tries to raise a family in there and every single time it's a failure. First, the darn thing is DARK brown. Second, all manner of critters can gain access to it. Third, it's only about 3' from ground level. I've found abandoned eggs in there, eggs that ants got to, eggs that have been cracked by some critter, eggs broken by some critter. It's just not a good place for a nest but some young inexperienced couple tries it every year. We may not like it but that's nature & we can't possibly save them all. They have to learn and I bet they don't make the same mistake again for the rest of their lives.

Bird's tempetures are a little higher then our 98.6 f , more like 106 f , I think and I am sure she is regulating , both shading and incubating when needed.
I am sure mama can and will get water if she gets too hot.

Hope all the baby birds are okay....
The feeders are busy with more titmice and house finches waiting patiently for their turn.

Very pretty GC , the house finch in the tree

Just lovely photos as always, Char. I'm very partial to the titmice, myself although your finch is really pretty.

Ann, on the Gloriosa vine - not sure it will ever get tall or bushy enough to shade your nest box. Mine tops out at about 5ft. then starts blooming and doesn't go much higher. They need some strings to cling to as well, won't twine through the lattice unless you help them, and be careful because the stems are brittle. It's the tips of the leaves that cling onto stuff, so some narrow strings hanging from the lattice will help it to go upwards. But, they also die right back to the ground every fall and start again from nothing in spring. Mine have been in the same spot for years, return faithfully each year and still never get above 5ft.

Something like coral honeysuckle will climb to the top of the fence, and then make a bush and ramble along the top with lots of leaves and flowers.

Thanks Elaine. I wondered why they hadn't wound around the lattice yet. They are about 2.5' tall now & already have buds. I can't wait to see them! I'll have to hang some strings.

Hunted up a picture for you, Ann. See how the leaves above the flower have grabbed onto the string at their tips? Sometimes it helps to guide the plant to the strings, too. I'd tie strings across the openings of your lattice for them, to give them lots of things to grab - one string diagonally across 4 or 5 holes, and up the lattice fairly high, so the wind won't blow them down. They look really sad if they flop over on the ground.

I see! Thanks! As soon as it cools down enough not to rip the hide off of me I will go take care of that tonight.

We're still hanging @ 98.

Was able to catch this Carolina Chickadee this afternoon. I also tried to get a Cedar Waxwing in the neighbors shrbs eating berries, but missed that one!

I tried to get a picture of Phoebe sitting on her nest but every time she jumped out of the nest and flew to the garden...