Sun Apr 05, 2015 1:31 pm
True, perhaps a few kids would benefit from putting up and watching a racoon raid a box or squirrels nest in it. I think Rob even mentioned that.
But in reality I am a realist. There are enough natural cavities for them, so if one is going to make an effort, do the best that you can to minimize predation to assure a none raided or disturbed nest.
But then again 95% are clueless when the hen was killed what does the nest even looks like after the fact.
I know guys that claim a "successful' nest because there were eggs in it or egg fragments. Huh?
Lets put it this way, if you have whole eggs in it and none hatched and they were partially incubated, the hen was killed. It there is nothing but egg fragments, the nest was raided. If there are some very small holes in the whole eggs--it was predated likely by a Starling. The key is evidence of egg membranes if they hatched to be claimed as a "successful" nest.
Also--what about when the hen was considering using the box but here came Rocky Racoon knocking on the door, and she managed to get away so the box sat empty. It is like an attempted robbery when you were home but the perps boogeyed before they got in to do you harm. So how safe did you feel after that encounter? (those that have been robbed or burglarized know exactly what I am talking about). Do you really think a hen is any different? Heck she is out of that neighborhood looking for a safer place to raise her family just like any sensible human being would do. Or the hen was just starting to lay an egg and the squirrel looking in at you while you are in the bedroom (peeping Tom). Not too many women would put up with that now would they? Or she is checking the box out - but Mr or Mrs Squirrel was in there and it made a raucous it was now its home.
My point is predation takes many forms, including attempted predation and disturbances. So when I and others are promoting boxes being on posts away from trees and with a guard if on land or shallow water, it is to eliminate Mammalian predation and their disturbances. It is to give the Woodies the best shot of pulling off a successful nest, the 80% success VS the 20% in the wild. And again, if going for the status quo of 20% success, why even bother as there is enough cavities for the Woodies in MN.
So instead of building a box and throwing it up on a tree with a kid, please instead of that go take the kid fishing or teach him how to carve a decoy or take them on scouting trips on the marsh in Aug or on a goose hunt in Sept, etc...
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God, help me be the man that my dog thinks that I am.