"Bluebird Love"

Howdy Friends!
 

February is the time to start getting Bluebird nest boxes ready for the summer. Although in most parts of the country Bluebirds may, and often do hang around all year and use the nest boxes for nighttime huddling, as many as 6 or more snuggled in a box. February is when the males begin checking out and claiming boxes for the summer. Our daughter used to call those eager males the Bluebird real estate agents!

Bluebirds can and do bring real love and joy to us. There is an old saying they carry the blue of the sky on their wings. I like to say they have the magic to make every day, a Bluebird Day!

If you’ve never experienced the joy of Bluebirds nesting in a box you’ve put up for them, you’ve missed one of the sweetest treats a person can enjoy. They love their nest boxes and will reward you with much fun, tenderness and beauty. For over 20 years I had the pleasure of talking about on tours, and erecting and monitoring Bluebird Trails in PA State Parks when I served as a volunteer for the PA DEP. Oh the friends I made and the beautiful sights I saw. And the joy I had. That was some years ago, but her in VA I still maintain a Bluebird trail on our tiny spot of heaven.

Nothing much compares to the sweet sound of a male Bluebird singing his springtime tunes perched high on a branch or wire. Or the tender beauty of 5 little brand new naked babies snuggled in the nest box—or those same babies launching from the box a few weeks later on their first flight.

Friends, if you’ve never had the fun and thrills of welcoming Bluebirds into your world, I strongly encourage you to! It is really very simple. Nothing difficult or challenging about it.

There are really only a few basic guidelines that when followed will bring those sweet little beauties to you. The first bit of advice is, keep it simple. That’s important.

Now for the box, just a simple flat roofed box (about six inches tall and 4x6 size) with an inch and a half hole, no perch. Here is a picture of the plan I have used for over 35 years. Works like magic. I do recommend roughing up the inside of the front wall so the fledglings can get a toehold as they scurry up to launch. Also I make larger ventilation slots than the plan shows, just under the roof, on all four sides.

Click on picture to enlarge - This is all you need! One six foot 1x6 per box! Simple and inexpensive! I'll bet I've made close to 1,000 of these over the years!

Erect the boxes in wide open places at least 300 feet from woods, brush and buildings, on steel posts 4 to 6 feet from the ground. Closer to brush and buildings invite predators such as house sparrows and wrens, who will kill the mammas and babies on the nest.

If you are doing a trail, they need to be at least 350 feet apart—unless you also have Tree Swallows which are also a delight, then I recommend putting pairs of boxes. Two boxes about a foot apart every 350 feet. Tree Swallows and Bluebirds are great friends and Tree Swallows will defend both boxes.

4 little Bluebird eggs in a nest of grass

Monitor your boxes at least once a week. Keep a journal; you will delight in watching your broods grow! Yes it is okay to touch the eggs and nest, the Bluebirds don’t mind, and often sit right there with you. Best to do your monitoring early in the day, so your track is not there for predators to follow overnight. I once took part in a survey to monitor nest building and incubating and feeding and checked the boxes every hour in the daylight to record activity and nest construction. What a fascinating and learning time that was!

4 little babies about 5 days old. Look at those tiny blue feathers!

Clean your boxes after each batch of babies. You can usually count on 2 nests a year, but 3 is common and we’ve often had as many as 5! It takes about a week or 10 days to build the nest of soft grass or pine needles—though if in a hurry they will complete it a day or two! Another week to lay their 3 to 5 eggs, and about a week days to hatch. They will grow quickly and fledge in about 15 to 20 days. It can be great fun to sit and watch the busy parents feed their growing brood. I once placed a bowl of mealworms about 20 feet from the box and counted 50 trips to the box in half an hour!!

That’s about it. I hope you’ll give it try this year, you’ll love it. Takes little to no money, and the rewards are boundless! Feel free to ask me any questions and there are lots of books out there, and info on the internet ... But remember, “Keep it simple.”

You can find a wealth of information at THE BLUEBIRD SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA  

I hope you’ll discover Bluebird love, if you haven’t already.

Gitty Up, Dutch Henry

Jack's Back Yard – 12-29-13

Howdy Friends, 

As often as possible on Saturday mornings I listen to "Jack's Backyard" a talk show hosted by "Accidental Naturalist," and wonderful gentleman, Jack Holcomb, all about birds and nature on WEEU "The Voice Of Berks County" streaming on the internet HERE . 

When we moved to VA in '06 I missed that show, and Jack, a lot, until they started streaming 2 years ago. Now by golly I have regular visits with old friends and hear all the birding updates from areas I used to haunt. What a treat! And the birds they chat about are the same species we have right here in Appomattox, and most of the East. – I encourage you to have a listen next Saturday at 8AM Eastern! 

Saturday, Jack had a guest on his show, the volunteer coordinator for French Creek State Park, who spoke of nature trails, activities and the beauty of the park, bringing back sweet memories.

For over 20 years I'd helped manage a Bluebird Trail there with a dear friend. We maintained a trail of about 40 nest boxes and fledged about 100 young annually. One year 125! Other species use the Bluebird boxes too and their activity was also recorded … In later years, as walking became a little difficult for me, I got permission to check the trail on horseback. Riding with a clip board to record activity, and saddle bag full of repair tools and nest box parts, each week was a splendid adventure. Sometimes I gave talks about Bluebirds there and other State Parks. I was a DCNR volunteer for 25 years. I called Jack's show regularly with updates and info .... His show helped encourage lots of folks to start their own Bluebird Trails, which was important for in the early 70's Bluebirds were becoming quite scarce. 

Daddy Bluebird feeding young

I called the show Saturday morning and had a fun chat with my old friend Jack. Old friends, birds, nature, and horses all rolled together in a delightful happy morning. And of course I had to share the happy with our Coffee Clutch family!  

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry …. P.S. Remember to check his show next week.

" Pt 2 - Bluebirds-They Carry The Blue Sky On Their Wings"– Nest boxes and Bluebird Trails-

Howdy Folks,

Bluebirds love to be loved. And they will repay you with countless hours of beauty and fun. They are what is called cavity nesters, that is to say they select nest sites in cavities of trees, fence posts and other locations that offer shelter. They do not create the cavities, rather they just find and occupy holes made by nature or woodpeckers or other creatures. They readily accept man-made nest boxes. Since the mid 60's Bluebird trails have really helped bring the beautiful little bird from dangerously low numbers. Their numbers decline was largely blamed on loss of habitat and nesting locations.

 For 25 years I volunteered with the PA Department of Environmental Protection to monitor a Bluebird Trail at French Creek State Park, and conduct bird walks and talks, and I thought it would be fun to share some of what I learned there. I was introduced to the project by a wonderful environmentalist, Pat Magnus and we enjoyed many years of birding and studying nature together. Pat went to Heaven last year, but all she put in motion will live on forever. Including great Bluebird trails!

I used to check my Bluebird trail on horseback in French Creek all 50 boxes over 3 hours of riding. At one time for a few years I had 3 different trails going in different locations! Kessy and I check our trail here in VA on horseback, all 4 boxes! I've scaled back some.

Starting and maintaining a Bluebird trail of one nest box, or many boxes is easy and fun to do. Nest boxes are readily available to purchase or you can find plans to build your own on the internet here at the North American Bluebird Society's site-  http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/index.htm then click on "Fact Sheets" then on "Nest Box Plans". The simplest are the best. I recommend the "Carl Little Bluebird box" http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/nestboxes/carllittle.htm you'll find there. There is wealth of information on this site, too.

First, you need a good location. It really is true, "if you build it they will come." But you must have the correct location. As with most of the guidelines for successful Bluebird trails, or just a single box in your yard, the basics are indeed basic and to complicate them with nifty strategies will set you up for heartbreak and disappointment. So please keep it simple. Most important is "LOCATION."

1)- They like their nest box in the open, preferably 100 feet from the woods edge or trees. Closer to the trees Bluebirds might well accept and build, but Wrens are big predators and might kill your Bluebirds to steal the nest.

2)- Do not mount your boxes near buildings, barns etc where house sparrows are seen. They are huge Bluebird predators and will kill the mommas and babies right on the nest. House Sparrows and Bluebirds do not mix and the Bluebirds will always loose. There are all kinds of guards, gimmicks and tricks, but ultimately they end up not working. It's best for the Bluebirds to just find a place away from House Sparrows.

3)- Mount your box on a smooth metal pipe or post. If snakes are a problem slip a PVC pipe around the post before driving it in. This will also detour raccoons etc. Bluebirds are territorial to each other and want their boxes at least 300 feet apart.

4)-  Tree Swallows and Bluebirds DO get along nicely, and will use the same type box. In fact we found putting 2 boxes about 5 feet apart worked fabulously. Bluebird in one, Tree Swallow in the other and since Tree Swallows are great home defenders and the Bluebirds benefit from a home security guard!

5)- Monitor your boxes weekly. It's fun to keep records and important that you know what's going on ... It takes about a week, or if they are in a hurry, a few days to build a nest. Then 4 or 5 days to lay the eggs. Then 14+ days to hatch. 17 to 20 days to fledge. The parents will feed the fledglings for about 7 to 12 days. I used to sit with my horse and watch the parents feed the babies in the box. They take turns and each return with insects about every 3 minutes!

6)- Clean the box after each fledging so it is ready to go again. Depending where you live you will get 2 to 4 nestings ... If you had predation consider what it was, must you move the box or just clean it and let them try again. If you had babies or eggs and everything disappears with no damage to the nest it was a snake. Be sure to install a PVC pipe around your mounting pole to prevent it.

Bluebird nest with 5 eggs

 7)- Nests – Bluebirds do neat little circle nests of dry grass or pine needles. Tree Swallows not so neat and add a few feathers. House Sparrows messy and lots of feathers and even paper trash. Wrens do tall nests of small twigs and will stuff several boxes full just to command the area.

8)-Predator guards – Great idea, use them. Also no perches on the outside as this allows predator birds to sit there.

9)- Have fun, keep notes and take plenty of pictures. You will learn a lot about wildlife and nature on a Bluebird trail. Cornell University and the North American Bluebird Society have programs you can join to send in your records. It's great fun!

Well those are the biggest tips to successful Bluebird trails or boxes. There is a lot more information you can gather at the website above. But again, proper site location is the single biggest, most important thing to consider. If you would like to talk to me about Bluebirds and trails please feel free to email.

May you have many Bluebird days! ~ Dutch Henry.