The answers to all your questions can be found at the www.sialis.org website. It will cover everything from dealing with HOSPs to nest box designs. It really is a "must read" if you want to have Blues.You will not believe how much you need to know to provide safe housing. You can also join the Blue Bird forum (I have been there 7 years)there are always folks there to help. Prepare to become addicted! : )

lol knowing me I will be! Thanks lisa!

Sometimes you have to evict the sparrows, by tossing their eggs out until they give up (which can take awhile). some people find that offensive....but if you want bluebirds, it has to be done.
And I would get a raccoon baffle on the pole you're going to put up.
I've had other birds attack and kill the baby bluebirds too........so it can be a challenge protecting them. Good luck!

I dropped in here for the first time because of our wonderful bluebird summer. We have open meadows and although I wanted DH to put up some birdhouses specifically for bluebirds, he didn't get around to it. They must be nesting in old woodpecker holes in the woods. We had a very dry summer so the birds discovered my shallow granite bird bath next to the stone wall and bushes at the edge of the lawn. The side benefit to my vegetable garden was the bluebirds and phoebes loved the metal fencing (old concrete reinforcing panels) I used for sugar snap peas. They perch and watch for a tasty insect. I also planted spreading cotoneaster and a viburnum shrub next the the kitchen window and walkway. The contoneaster is loaded with berries and I wondered why nothing seemed to be eating the berries. I wondered too soon. This morning my husband called me to the window to see our bluebird family feasting on the berries. What a delight.

Thanks for posting about the bluebird forum. I'll have to find it. I think the water, shrubs plus fencing helps attract the birds to our yard. We have other wild shrubs around that have berries so they might be eating those, too.

I still want some bluebird houses.