Greetings bluebird lovers and nature fans. Happy March 2017 – the new nesting season along the trail has commenced! This winter went by so fast. It was a milder one, but March has roared in like a lion! My first checks for the Season 2017 — March 9 and March 12, 2017.
First…I have nests … 6 to be exact all bluebird except for one. No eggs yet. I think the females know it’s still too cold. This beloved and therapeutic hobby of mine of monitoring nesting Eastern Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, Carolina Chickadees, House Wrens….and more…commences again as of March 9 (Thursday). The Woolwine House Bluebird Trail now has 44 nestboxes is located in the Blue Ridge Highlands elevations 4 miles south of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Currently, the trail has 6 boxes active with bluebird nestings. One nest has the nest cup perfectly and deeply formed ready for the first egg of the 2017 season. If we get any early eggs laid prior to this upcoming winter blast and snows scheduled here starting Monday night, March 13 and continuing for two more days, the good news is that nestbox has the ventilation plugged to deter frigid air dropping down from the top by the roof to the nest cup. One box has another native species building, the House Wren, but it could be a “dummy nest”. I will watch it closely. If it is a dummy, it will be removed very soon so another native bird can use that nestbox. Seems a tad early for the House Wren since it is a migrator, but the males may be arriving now and are stuffing any cavity they find with sticks. For me, this is one of the fun parts of landlording a bluebird trail; that is, the observational troubleshooting variations from year to year. I am hoping to add a few nestboxes soon. My goal is 50 nestboxes max for the trail. Only 6 more to install and I’m there! I am including 4 pictures. One picture is one located along my trail and just up my own road…photo taken last year on March 10, 2016. This nestbox was the first one on my trail to have the FIRST EGG LAID in 2016, Nestbox #27. That Mrs. Blue is resting safely inside the entry hole guard (called the Noel Guard). The next set of pictures shows Mrs. Blue entering a “winterized nestbox” still from the winter. In November I add pine needle bedding for roosting birds during the cold nights and winter weather. I also plug the ventilation holes and slots at the top of the box to keep cold drafts out. I leave the ventilation plugged through mid-April. The photos inside this nestbox show the white pine needles I put there in November and the pine needles she just added to build her early nest. This is one of the 6 boxes that have active nestings going on as of my trail check March 9, 2016 and then again on Sunday, March 12 – THANKFULLY NO EGGS YET. All final nesting records of the trail are shared annually in September with three ornithology organizations…the scientists use them to compare the nesting and population trends. OK, so here we go into the new nesting season. I’m excited, as always.
Such a beautiful setting for a bluebird couple to raise a family.
My added needle bedding in November is shown here under the nest Mrs. Blue built. I winterize my trail boxes, thus I add the natural pine needles to help keep bellies warm when using the boxes for shelter during the winter months. The boxes are plugged at the top in the ventilation holes and slots and will remain that way until mid-April.
I am glad no eggs are laid yet. A wintry arctic is here and a storm is coming for the next two days!
Hi,my name is Robert. Just moved out to the country and have several bluebird nest boxes. One question is why would a bluebird choose a box attached to a tree (previous owner did this) as opposed to a free standing box on a pole? Love bluebirds!!!!
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Bluebirds are opportunists and will nest if the female accepts the location shown to her by her mate. I have NO ISSUES of bluebirds accepting my boxes with two predator guards on poles. Tree trunk box installations are dangerous to the nesting family as it’s a highway to lunch or dinner to many predators. NOT RECOMMENDED!
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I am relatively new to burding. I have up 2 boxes. The first i call the Condo….it has 4 eggs in it…but seems to have been abandoned. No activity.
The 2nd box I called the Green House….lots of activity…Mom & Dad in & out lots. Mom spends a good deal of time on the nest with her head poking out the entrance hole. When i looked inside a week ago I couldnt see eggs. Are they usually visible or hidden deep in the nest? How safe is it to look inside? Please direct me to info concerning when & how to clean a box.
TY for sharing….pics are gorgeous & info helpful.
Sandra Bledsoe
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Other birds species can remove competitor birds eggs and young. Sometimes they are buried inside the nests. Chickadees put hair over their eggs to hide them until incubation starts.
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We have a 40 acre farm in KY and I would like to add a bluebird trail. Can you recommend any books or information on how to start one? We have some bluebird houses out but I’ve never monitored anything (new to this).
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Hello Rhonda. Yes, I can link you to some websites about how to start a trail. Do not install more boxes than you can monitor once a week. It is not good to put up boxes and leave them unattended. Be sure to use poles and use predator guards, or the birds will fail raising young. I will link you here. The birds are starting to nest now, so if you install boxes, you may miss the first broods and the males may not find your boxes for second broods. The males hunt out the nest sites and shows his mate. Good luck!! I am starting you with the Sialis.org site on how to start a bluebird trail: http://www.sialis.org/startingatrail.htm
NABS Fact Sheets: http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/Fact/bluebirdfacts.htm
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Thanks Christine for sharing. Seeing your nest boxes is getting me excited, cannot wait to see the bluebirds return here in Pa. I generally get them around April to start building here in PA. Nice hearing from you.
Sincerely, Harry Schmeider BSP Webmaster thebsp.org & Meeting Place Manager & Speaker Bureau Chairman Personal Website http://www.ambassadorforthebluebirds.net/
On Mon, Mar 13, 2017 at 12:00 PM, This is the WOOLWINE HOUSE BLUEBIRD TRA
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Hi, Harry! It is ALWAYS a pleasure to hear from you, sir! Wishing you the best this year. Hope to keep in touch, too!
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