This page is for monitoring the Bluebird Houses at Marian University. These were installed in the Spring of 2009 to the area east of campus around the baseball stadium.
It is very important to monitor bluebird houses to prevent House Sparrows, an invasive species, from nesting in them. House Sparrows will outcompete the bluebirds, and in some instances have been know to attack bluebirds, killing both the adults and nestlings as well as destroying eggs. If House Sparrow nests can be removed prior to laying eggs, hopefully they will get frustrated and move on. Once House Sparrows have laid eggs, then our practice will be to damage the eggs by piercing with a needle so that the eggs won't develop, but it will keep the House Sparrows busy with an unsuccessful nesting. After 2 weeks, then the House Sparrow nest will be removed.

The house numbers are written near the screws to allow access. Please contact John Morris if interested in helping with the monitoring

HOSP = House Sparrow TS = Tree Swallow BB = Bluebird

Date	Monitored by	House 1	House 2	House 3	House 4	House 5	House 6	House 7
May 7	Sally St. Peter	TS nest w/no eggs	HOSP nest & 5 eggs-punctured	Partial HOSP nest w/no eggs	Male HOSP perched nearby, 4 HOSP eggs-punctured (2 removed)	Partial HOSP nest – discarded
May 9	John Morris	TS nest w/no eggs	No Action	Empty	No Action	TS nest w/no eggs	Empty	HOSP nest & 4 eggs-punctured
May 15	John Morris	dead TS, removed nest	HOSP nest no eggs, removed nest	HOSP nest no eggs, removed nest	TS nest, no eggs	HOSP nest, 3 eggs removed	TS nest, 3 eggs	HOSP nest 1 egg, removed both
May 20	John Morris	HOSP nest no eggs, removed nest	TS nest, no eggs	3 HOSP eggs, pierced & replaced	TS nest, no eggs	HOSP nest no eggs, removed nest	5 TS eggs	3 HOSP eggs, pierced & replaced
May 20	Sally St.Peter	Empty	TS nest, no eggs	3 HOSP eggs, pierced & replaced	TS nest, no eggs	Empty	5 TS eggs	3 HOSP eggs, pierced & replaced
May 25	Sally StP	3 HOSP eggs; 2 pierced & replaced, 1 broke	TS nest, 2 eggs	4 HOSP eggs: 3 pierced previously & 1 new, all pierced again	TS nest, 3 eggs	2 HOSP eggs; 1 pierced & replaced, 1 broke	5 TS eggs	HOSP nest no eggs, nest dumped
May 29	John Morris	3 HOSP eggs, pierced	TS nest, 5 eggs? (female on nest)	HOSP nest removed	TS nest, 5 eggs	4 HOSP eggs, 2 punctured and replaced, 2 broken	5 TS eggs	3 HOSP eggs, pierced & replaced
June 3	Sally StP	HOSP nest no eggs; removed nest	5 TS eggs under nest - cold; replaced 4 eggs, 1 broke	small amount of indeterminate nesting material	6 TS eggs	HOSP nest no eggs; removed nest	5 TS nestlings	4 HOSP eggs, pierced & replaced
June 9	Michele K.	empty	Four TS eggs	empty	6 TS eggs; parents very protective	empty	Couldn't count the number of nestlings; should be ready to fledged in a week	Female HOSP flew from nest; three pierced eggs
June 15	Michele K.	empty	TS parents very protective; only saw two eggs	empty	New hatchlings	HOSP nest; no eggs; cleaned out box	Young TS are more alter; one young was looking at me	Female HOSP still on the nest
June 20	John	TS nest	5 TS eggs	empty	4? TS nestlings	4 HOSP eggs, punctured	TS nest, empty	3 HOSP eggs, repunctured
June 25	John	HOSP nest 2 eggs (probably wrong id on June 20) punctured.	TS on nest	empty	6? TS nestlings	3 HOSP eggs, punctured	TS nest, empty	HOSP nest removed
June 29	Sally	4 HOSP eggs-pierced	5 TS eggs	empty	#? TS nestlings, close to fledging; good parents - very protective	1 HOSP egg, pierced	TS nest, empty	HOSP nest removed
July 6	Michele K.	2 HOSP eggs	5 new hatchlings of TS- Parents very protective	Start of a HOSP nest - cleaned out	no activity- cleaned out nest	HOSP nest- no eggs cleaned out	Cleaned-out box	6 HOSP eggs - pierced
July 11	Michele K.	no HOSP eggs - cleaned out nest box	Young have start of feathers - parents very protective (4 adults)	No activity	No activity	No activity	No activity	Still active with HOSP - were 4 eggs broke one now 3
July 16	Michele K.	empty	Young have feathers; close fledging	No activity	No activity	No activity	No activity	3 pierced HOSP eggs
July 21	John	empty	old TS nest	empty	old TS nest	old TS nest	empty	3 pierced HOSP eggs still there.
Aug 2	Michele K.	No activity	No activity	No activity	No activity	No activity	No activity	3 pierced HOSP eggs
Aug 21	John	No activity	No activity	No activity	No activity	No activity	No activity	2 pierced HOSP eggs