My information came from Don and Lillian Stokes' Guide to Bird Behavior, Vol. III--Eastern Bluebird chapter (1989). I notice that Mark Greene recommends 1 1/2 inches. Also note that Dr. David Pitts used 1 1/2 inch diameter holes in his studies of bluebirds and chickadees. So I will defer to David Pitts' and Mark Greene's greater experience on this matter. (What does this say about the Stokes' experience??) Dev Joslin Oak Ridge, TN John Devereux Joslin wrote: > The literature I have suggests a diameter of 2 1/2 to 3 inches. Extension > info > on bluebird house building can be obtained from: > North American Bluebird Society > Box 6265 > Silver Spring, MD 20906 > Doubtless there are also many local sources of information. > > Dev Joslin > Oak Ridge, TN > > stephenson wrote: > > > Canyou remind me of the right size hole for bluebird boxes? Johelen > > Stephenson > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: John Devereux Joslin <jdjoslin@xxxxxxxxx> > > To: <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > Sent: Saturday, June 29, 2002 8:07 AM > > Subject: [tn-bird] Re: Common birds in our yard right now > > > > > > > > The decline in both bluebirds and chickadees suggests a lack of ideal > > > nesting > > > cavities. As I am sure you are aware, both species require cavities, so > > > maybe > > > some new bird houses with right-sized holes along your fence rows is > > > needed? Both species like to use the same sized bird houses for > > > nesting. Or maybe some other species is competing with them for their > > > nest holes? Forgive me if I am stating the obvious. > > > > > > Dev Joslin > > > Oak Ridge, TN > > > > > > FINCH64@xxxxxxx wrote: > > > > > > > Hi all: > > > > > > > > I finally positively ID'ed a Summer Tanager this morning so I can add it > > to > > > > the list of what we have here. I have been hearing that "pit-i-tuck" > > call for > > > > some time and have seen the birds flying quickly from tree to tree. But > > they > > > > are mostly elusive - hiding within the branches. This morning I heard > > that > > > > call and I was at the ready. It was a male and I was sitting on the > > screen > > > > porch. He was sitting on top of it! Right on top of the drain spout and > > in > > > > the mock grape vines which cover that side of the porch. I quickly went > > > > outside and there he was posing as if for a picture. Then he started his > > dawn > > > > song. He let me have a good look at him and then he flew off to continue > > > > singing his song elsewhere. > > > > > > > > These are birds which I either commonly see and/or hear on our property > > at > > > > this time of year (and for the last several months): Indigo Bunting, > > Northern > > > > Cardinal, Chuck-will's-widow, Mourning Dove, House Finch (nesting), > > American > > > > Goldfinch, Common Grackle, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Blue Jay, Northern > > > > Mockingbird, Common Nighthawk, American Robin, Chimney Swift, Summer > > Tanager, > > > > Tufted Titmouse, Eastern Towhee, Turkey Vulture, Red-bellied Woodpecker, > > > > Eastern Wood-Peewee, Carolina Wren (saved a fledgling from our dog and > > > > returned it (hopefully successfully) to its parents last Saturday). > > > > > > > > I have noticed a considerable decline this year in Eastern Bluebird and > > > > Carolina Chickadee. Also I have not seen or heard a Brown-headed Cowbird > > in > > > > at least 2 years (formerly very common in our yard). Maybe there is a > > > > connection between the lack of cowbirds and the arrival of the Summer > > > > Tanager? Also the House Finch comes back to nest here for the last > > couple of > > > > years. > > > > > > > > This is not on our property but just up the road is Stewarts Creek and I > > > > noticed Red-winged Blackbirds for the first time this year. Also for the > > > > first time earlier this month we had a Northern Bobwhite on our property > > > > calling continuously for at least a half hour. > > > > > > > > It's also interesting to watch the feral Chickens (they just showed up > > one > > > > day and have multiplied since then - they roost in the trees at night) > > and > > > > the one Guineafowl (a male) which we purchased. The guineafowl competes > > with > > > > the roosters for hens! I guess he doesn't realize they aren't even in > > the > > > > same family! lol But that doesn't stop him from chasing and sometimes > > > > half-killing roosters who try to invade his 'harem.' > > > > > > > > Anyone is welcome to come and bird our property. Please contact me > > privately > > > > to make arrangements. We have about 21 acres subdivided into 4 lots. All > > but > > > > one have been developed with residences - all family. If you look at a > > topo > > > > map we are on Burnt Knob Road just east of Hwy 102 (Almaville Road) in > > > > Rutherford County. Our property sits between Stewart Creek and Gibbs > > Knob. We > > > > have a good amount of woods, fence rows with lots of trees and a very > > long > > > > drive that has lots of tall grass and woods on the side. That is a very > > good > > > > place to look for birds. There are even some junk piles here and there > > > > including some old junk cars so I will be on the lookout for Bewick's Wr > > ens. > > > > > > > > Barry Jernigan > > > > finch64@xxxxxxx > > > > Murfreesboro, TN > > > > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== > > > > > > > > The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with > > > > first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. > > > > ----------------------------------------------------- > > > > To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: > > > > tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > > > ----------------------------------------------------- > > > > To unsubscribe, send email to: > > > > tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > > > with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. > > > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > > > Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp > > > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > > > Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society > > > > web site at http://www.tnbirds.org > > > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > > > TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN > > > > jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958 > > > > ========================================================= > > > > > > > > > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== > > > > > > The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with > > > first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. > > > ----------------------------------------------------- > > > To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: > > > tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > > ----------------------------------------------------- > > > To unsubscribe, send email to: > > > tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > > with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. > > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > > Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp > > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > > Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society > > > web site at http://www.tnbirds.org > > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > > TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN > > > jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958 > > > ========================================================= > > > > > > > > > > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== > > > > The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with > > first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. > > ----------------------------------------------------- > > To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: > > tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > ----------------------------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe, send email to: > > tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society > > web site at http://www.tnbirds.org > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN > > jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958 > > ========================================================= > > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== > > The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with > first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. > ----------------------------------------------------- > To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: > tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx > ----------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, send email to: > tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society > web site at http://www.tnbirds.org > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN > jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958 > ========================================================= =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. ----------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958 =========================================================