Hi All:

I have three bluebird boxes at my house. One was here when I moved here in
spring of 2003. The other two I added in 2004. I currently have a pair of
Tree Swallows in two of the boxes and house sparrows in the other.

In 2005 and 2006 the local Great-horned Owl (unknown if a pair) ate all the
Tree Swallows over a couple of nights. In 2003 and 2004 I had tree Swallows
and they just disappeared. I assumed at the time that they gave up and moved
on.  But now I assume it was the owl.

In 2005 the owl(s?) also took out at least 4 Killdeer nests I had found and
probably another 3 or 4 in the area I knew of but had not physically
located. The one closest to the house was on the dirt at the edge of the
driveway within 20 feet of one of the two Tree Swallow boxes. Since they are
just sitting on the ground on the eggs all night, they are easy picking for
a silent flying, well visioned owl in the night. The Killdeer are also
pretty active on many nights, flying around and calling, which I would
assume does not help their longevity here. I do not know about the sparrows
as I do not check this box.  I clean it out each year but neither the
bluebirds nor the swallows seem to want to have anything to do with it.
Right now I still have all 4 Tree Swallows using the two boxes and House
Sparrows coming and going from the third.

In the early spring I get bluebirds that go in and sort of start with
nesting but never keep at it. Not sure if they are practicing or the owls
are eventually getting them too.  I have had no Killdeers close by the last
two years once the migratory period is over. I see and hear one or two (a
pair I guess) flying around so there is an active nest somewhere I am sure.
This is farm area and the Killdeers just scrape out a depression in the dirt
and stones and lay the eggs. But many of these nesting efforts get taken out
by farming efforts/machinery, although I would assume the adults get away
unless the female stays and is run over. Grasshopper sparrows were nesting
in the area when I moved in but they usually get "mowed" too. None for the
past two years.

I do seem to have a lot more of the Tree Swallows this year. The first
several years here, once the migration was over I only had an occasional one
along with the 2 pairs in the boxes, while they lasted.  The swallows ignore
Starlings, Red-wings, Cowbirds and me in the yard but have a problem with
the Grackles. The spend hours diving on them, one Grackle at a time, until
they move it away form the immediate area. Many other tree Swallows from
some where nearby come and join my two pair in harassing the grackles. So
maybe the owl(s) are gone or if the swallows make it to a certain point,
maybe there is easier picking for the owls rodent-wise.  Hard to imagine
though that the owls would give up such a lucrative food source.

There is also a resident Barred Owl in the area and I would assume Barn Owls
cruise the area too. Have not seen these but there are some around.

I have a Purple Martin house also with probably two House Sparrow
occupancies and about 6  martin pairs, maybe 7. This is out of 14 "apartment
units."  The martins do not seem to suffer any losses and do not seem to
have any problem with the Grackles or any other thing in the yard (except
myself).

Mike O'Brien
Fairfield, Adams County PA                     GOT BIRDS?

On 6/16/07, Kerry L. Stone <> wrote:
>
> A friend of mine has had her hummingbird feeder emptied the last three
> nights. There is no sign of damage - just an empty hummingbird feeder.
> Any ideas as to the culprit?
>
> Kerry Stone
> Takoma Park
> 
>