As of todays' nest check I have 11 nests containing 11 babies and at least 31 eggs. One baby has disappeared since the last nest check, it presumably died and the parents removed it. I have one new nest with 2 eggs and one nest I couldn't count all eggs in because the mother wouldn't leave the nest and I didn't want to spook her. I still have a nice new nest with mud but no eggs. It's getting kind of late for new starts so I don't know if this one is active or not. I have 6 ASY pairs, 1 ASY/SY pair, 4 SY pairs. Lots of eggs due to hatch this week.
Patrick
Update from Fort Worth...
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Guest
Well Patrick it appears all your hard work and sparrow hunting has paid off to the fullest, just as a comparison, how does this years pair count stack up against last year?
dick
dick
Dick,
I had 9 pairs last year to this year's 11 (12 if you count nest-building non-layers). I fledged 34 last year from 9 pairs...not a high number. I'm hoping modification of Trio houses and addition of gourds will raise my clutch size and fledge rate. I've already lost one very young nestling to subbie curiosity, I'm afraid. I found it's tiny mummified body underneath the house today. I blame it on subbies because believe it or not, I've been sparrow free for about 4 days! I hated to lose the little one but that happens from time to time. Just wish I had seen it when it was first tossed out.
Patrick
I had 9 pairs last year to this year's 11 (12 if you count nest-building non-layers). I fledged 34 last year from 9 pairs...not a high number. I'm hoping modification of Trio houses and addition of gourds will raise my clutch size and fledge rate. I've already lost one very young nestling to subbie curiosity, I'm afraid. I found it's tiny mummified body underneath the house today. I blame it on subbies because believe it or not, I've been sparrow free for about 4 days! I hated to lose the little one but that happens from time to time. Just wish I had seen it when it was first tossed out.
Patrick