Hey Michelle and Cathy, I love the TRES too (had seven pairs nesting here last year!) but since TRES are so prevalant here it is more exciting to get a Bluebird pair, kwim?? I have noticed though that until the TRES start nestbuilding they will defend the house they chose and any houses near it and when they start a rucus all the TRES in the area come to join in. The TRES were MIA yesterday with the sudden drop in temps and only one pair is around today. Just this morning a male Blue was sitting on the house that I took the pic of the TRES on and he was singing away. I think he is alone trying to find a female. Hopefully one shows up before the TRES return which I am sure will be on Wednesday. Supposed to be pretty yucky today and tomorrow yet with cool temps but back up to 60 by Wednesday. I would just like at least one Blue pair either here or at the park along with all the TRES. =) Donna

I'm sorry to hear that Liza! We have too many of them here! The blues have 1 or rarely 2 pairs locally seen and then we get a swarm (5-6 TRES) near a box with the main pair defending it's box and territory. And Kendra, at my paired sight there is a lake on the next property over and 3 on the property behind it. Site #2 has lakes but you have to move a few properties away. Okay so I was there again today. Swallow pair #1 has a completed nest so that box is locked up. At box #2 I approached to see Mr and Mrs. blue perched on the fence behind it. But of course later on I was again dive bombed. (so annoying! I just stood there in protest) Only a couple of pieces of grass in the box. I still haven't decided. Do I wait to see if the blues win out or double it up? I like the TRES, but it's really irritating that everywhere I go for bluebirds the swallows want every box and always seem to outnumber the blues. It doesn't make any sense. Even Dorene Scriven's "bluebird trails" mentions bluebirders giving up hope of having boxes only for the bluebirds. Ever since waging all out war on the HOSP the TRES have shown up. They can't steal a box from the HOSP but if it concerns the bluebirds, of course! They decide to come take it. UGH! The things just irritate the heck out of me! And this property has hardly any space for multiple boxes. There's too many trees and a fence in my way. Ugh. rather depressing nesting season. I've had enough of these TRES.

I went out today to check the TRES house to see if another egg had been laid. As I stood next to the house, I could hear the Mother flitting about inside. So I knocked on the side of the house to see if she would fly out. She stuck her head out and looked right, then left where I was standing. She staired at me for maybe 30 seconds (as if to say, "yes, may I help you"). She disapeared back inside. Again I knocked. She stuck her head back out and looked straight at me for another 20 to 30 seconds. She went back in, so I opened the box and looked in with my mirror. She was hunkered down on those eggs and nothing I could do was going to pry her off. She had some real moxie, some real chutzpah. I closed the box and walked back to the house. I am still smiling and laugh out loud every time I picture this in my mind. Can you imagine the nerves of steele it took for this little bird to protect her eggs from this big hulking monster (me) looking at her and her eggs. What an inspiration and life lesson these little birds can teach us. Phil

I love these birds. I am worried about mine. We have been cold and rainey, froze last night. I did see a bunch of them down at the lake yesterday with temps near 60. They have been here long enough to recover from migration and I did see a few dragonflys out yesterday. Lots of small bugs hovering over puddles. With last night being 29 im afraid all those bugs are gone. Today may get to 62 and sunny. She has not been in the box much the last couple days but has been spending the nights with her two eggs, she is in there now, looks like she is laying her 3rd egg. Poor thing. I hope they have enough energy to make it though this. It is going to rain again tomorrow afternoon and into the night. At least I can keep a watchful eye on the eggs with my cam box while she is gone for long periods trying to find food. I just checked, she was looking out the hole and she was panting heavily, I assumed she had laid but there are still only 2. Im am afraid for this bird.