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Bluebird Education & Presentation (Part 3)From: "Keith & Sandy Kridler" kridler"at"1starnet.com Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas At the elementary schools in Mt. Pleasant, for the end of year they have "Career Days" where different people come in and tell about their jobs and talk to the students. They have me come in a talk about the birds. When I went to school here in 1964 there were three elementary schools in the county that went 16 grades and there were only 60 kids in my grade at our school I graduated with 214 in our class in 1973 from a single High School. There are now 6 public elementary schools (three more private schools) and we have three more public elementary schools under construction and they only have K2! If I was a baby boomer what are we going to call this explosion of children? Shawn just graduated 8th grade with over 400 in his class and there are three other public Junior High schools in the county now. Anyway some of the highlights of talking to kids about birds! They brought in three classes of students at a time one K one 1st and one 2nd grade class. These averaged just over 60 students at a time. I have 15 minutes to get these classes to switch between rooms come in sit down and give them something they will remember before I head them out the door. I go with class participation with them "screaming" out the answers. I show the original birdhouses which are gourds and give a little history on the Spanish and Indian traditions of raising and using gourds since half of the students are from south of the border. I start with easy questions like do all birds fly? With Wendell Long's photo of the bluebird sailing to the nestbox. All the classes knew that "all" birds don't fly. When I asked, name birds that don't fly the most common answer was penguin followed by chicken, turkey and Ostrich. The chickens these kids see in our area can't fly! All the kids shouted out "BLUEBIRD" when it hit the screen and about 1/4 the class either fed birds, had nestboxes or gourds up and about 3/4 had looked in nestboxes to see birds. I was amazed that about 1/2 of the students had seen live flying squirrels and some watched them fly at night and were able to demonstrate how the squirrels "flew" to the other kids. I went through 54 slides in 6 minutes showing about 16 species that use nestboxes. I showed the slide of a raccoon dining at "McDonalds" reaching into a nestbox to get his morning "egg McMuffin". Showed the picture of the cat on a nestbox roof. Nearly all the kids had seen cats kill birds. They liked the skunk photo and several in each group had been sprayed. They all knew that owls ate "rats and mice" before I showed the barn owl photo with it holding the deer mouse. When I started giving programs in 1976 I was teaching people how to get bluebirds to come to their boxes, now the programs deal with what to do about the problems of mirror & window attacking. This came up twice and one of the other teachers in each group told how to use Wal-Mart bags over the car mirrors or keep the car in the garage ETC. One of the teachers had 6 pairs of bluebirds out of 10 boxes on his lake lot with other birds also using boxes. One teacher had three pairs of bluebirds in her yard and had gone three summers without being able to use the tube for their newspaper beside their mailbox because of the bluebirds nesting in it each year. Anyway 7 groups and 21 classes of students in a little over 1 hour and 45 minutes and over 400 kids went by the bird nest displays. Each child was sent home with a packet of gourd seeds. Each class was given a birdhouse gourd to be used as a "prize" for the best picture or best story written about birds for one student in each class and the "winner" had to be "good" all the last week of school!. Bill Darnell sent me seeds for gourds last year and Shawn and I grew a whole pile of them, I turned 25 of them into birdhouses in just over 30 minutes for these kids and you have no idea how hard these kids worked to "win" one of these gourds. The other kids were instructed to go home "right away" and plant the seeds at home and at grand parents and neighbors ETC. Two years ago we did this and it was fun driving around and seeing gourds growing on fences EVERYWHERE! Besides my parents, Larry Zeleny, William Duncan personally and John K. Terres through his writing inspired me to become interested in birds and go out and do something for the bluebirds. Think about all those who have gone before us in this effort this weekend and make a commitment to help carry on this effort to help the native cavity nesters in your area. Reach out and touch someone this month and help them help the birds even if it is a neighbor you haven't met yet! No matter how nervous you are or how bad your stage fright might be you CAN get up and talk about things you love. It WILL come from you naturally once you start talking! I want to say a special thank you to all the teachers out there as you are the ones helping these students learn about and care about the world around them! Everyone have a great weekend! KK From: "Randy Jones" randyj"at"enter.net I was over to the County Agent's office the other day to inquire for help on peonies, and noticed all that green grass around it: perfect bluebird habitat. So I asked to see the "boss," and he came out and enthusiastically accepted my offer to put up a pair of nestboxes for him. The one I put up about ten days ago now has a tree swallow nest with two eggs in it. The second which I put up three days ago, is still empty. I left my card identifying me as our county coordinator for the Bluebird Society of Pennsylvania, and encouraged him to put anyone who was interested in touch with me. Another way to spread the word. Randy Jones From: "Randy Jones" randyj"at"enter.net Whenever I go out to dinner, I look over the area around the restaurant, and if it looks like a lot of green turf, I give the manager my BSP card, with my ID as Coordinator of the BSP, my phone, snail and Email addresses, and tell them I'd be glad to help them put up nestboxes at no charge. If they ever accept (none have so far), I plan to leave a couple of extra cards, encouraging them to put anyone interested in touch with me. Randy Jones ... From: "Lee & Jim Johnson" mybuffy1"at"mindspring.com Hello, I thought it unusual that Mom and Dad had not built a second nest in the same box they used for the first brood this year and the two from last year. On a whim, around the end of May, I checked the other box in the yard that they have flown in and out of several times. Sure enough, a nest with one egg, followed by four more in the following days. I feel good in that I have spread the news to several friends/people about the blues; they, too, are putting up boxes and wanting to know about mealworms, good websites, etc. It is so fascinating to watch and listen to people as interested as I am about these little creatures. And when they come to our yard to view them, all seven streaks of blue flying around the backyard------------the wonder and amazement they show! Lee in Missouri From: "ke4fej1" ke4fej1"at"email.msn.com Hi All, This weekend I only skinned up one knuckle...ouwie! That was enough pain. But I got "The Shot." I finished the eight predator guards which are needed to finish my two started Trails. And they are ready for putting up. But my people are not home. I am not in such a rush anymore because there is no need to get the boxes up here. The heat "feels like" index has been 106 most days and the temperature is in high 90's. So far all my 10 boxes will be in full sun. I also am thinking now of getting past September and hurricane season. Last
year we had four very close calls. One storm just under a hurricane rating, had
sustained winds of 36 mph and gusted to high 90's. It lasted for hours and was
one of the most frightening storms we have ever had here. And I Also started into motion this week was getting BB materials into our local libraries. I called Manatee County and found they have one buyer for all the libraries. I was told to tell him what I would like. The branch manager, I talked to said that most any book you ask for they will buy. Isn't that something! So tomorrow I will be calling, and I have my list ready. She said it might be possible for them to be purchased before August. And if not that I would be able to tell the Audubon groups that the books are on order. What the Library does not buy, I will be asking the three Audubon groups to supply with a donation of books. In Sarasota County, I called the main library office and talked with the lady who purchases. After she heard what I have done and what I am going to do she said write a paper to tell about this BB Project. She thought it quite possible to immediately find some "extra" money to purchase a few books and a video. Another branch which is brand new, also said they still probably have beginning funds to purchase with. And that Library is right next to a huge Bird Preserve. So I think we should have books or the promise of them soon, for at least three libraries. I was also asked if I would like to be on a list that would talk at the Library to special groups. And then they also would like posters and talks to those using the library. Things are moving along! Of course I could not resist finding a little adventure. I drove to the Hi Hat Ranch which is a 60,000 acre, mainly used cattle ranch. I can never get them on the phone. Well, my anxiety level started to go up and I started, and did turn around. I traveled on a dirt road with barbed wire fenceing, and telephone poles for as far as I could see. And that was seeing with binoculars too! The land is all flat grass land. It appeared there might also be a Sod business there too. Of course nobody was using this road. And in all my years I never ever had heard what this ranch ..really.. did. I just could not go any further in this heat and not knowing what or who I would find. I waited at the main gate looking at other birds and hoping someone might
come down the road. Then unexpectedly a car turned in. You know I am good at
flagging down people and I got them to stop. And this was different too. This
young man who I prayed was going to be nice had an old car all fixed up The people who run the ranch live seven miles down that dirt road. I never would have made it. The only down side to all this fence line is the dust when the vehicles fly by. Do you think the dust could be a problem? I would put the holes away from the road. Later Christy Sarasota, FL From: "ke4fej1" ke4fej1"at"email.msn.com From: "ke4fej1" ke4fej1"at"email.msn.com Hi All, Another busy week down South. First I heard from Joe Huber and he is glad to be back home but is not on the BB List right now. Checked on the golf course and I have to wait a few more weeks for their answer. My Sarasota Trail is reporting they think they see and especially hear a pair of BBs above the boxes we put up. It was too misty to see for sure. The news letter for Myakka City area came out, but the calls and e-mails have
been few. I have one, who wants to make 5 boxes with guards to my I also found two more BB Trails in Tampa, FL. After calling the Trail monitor, he told me that there is a 70 and 30 box Trail in two locations in Tampa, which has been there for 15-20 yrs. It was put up by the Audubon Club and their monitoring consists of cleaning the boxes once a year. Oh my. They report the findings to Swift Mud which is a nickname for this areas state water department. They report only what type of nests are found at the end of the year. Most boxes are mounted on their water wells and 25% are on poles. None of the boxes have predator guards. The Trails are on county owned parks, which are miles of asphalt looped roads for bikes or people. No vehicles allowed on them. I told him a bit about monitoring and predator guards and posts. They had never thought of doing anything more, but now realizes the value of frequent monitoring. And will be looking into finding others to monitor. I also turned in a 22 page Booklet on BBs I created for our county 4-H. It is like the other project or activity booklets the boys and girls pick for projects each year. The 4-H in the state already have two Bird Units booklets to learn of birds. This one is specifically geared to Bluebirds and our other cavity nesting birds which could use a BB box. I never did anything like this before, but I am trying. I figure a lot of our 4-H er's grow up on cattle range land which is a great place to put up the BB boxes. And since us South Floridians are not educated on BBs, I thought this would be a good way to introduce them to BBs, and using birdhouses properly. Building for me is on hold. All of these new people want to build their own setups. They want to meet this week to get started. Ok....I'll be there. Christy Sarasota, FL From: "emcooper" emcooper"at"bayou.com I sent this to a person on Bluebird-L and he said I should send it for the List to read. Subject: BLUEBIRD RECOVERY PROGRAM AT WORK Today was a wonderful experience for Sheryl and me. We gave our presentation to 85 4th graders at Matty Akin Elementary School in Greenville, Ms. The children never took their eyes off the film we presented. They were mesmerized. When Sheryl and I gave our talks about the bluebird, they really got into it. They asked all sorts of questions. One little girl asked us if we liked the Redbird too and we told her we did, but the Redbird builds its nest in a bush and Bluebirds don't. So, we explained that we support all cavity- nesting birds. When we finished, there was a big round of applause for us and I always feel surprised and grateful! Sheryl had cut out 9 nestboxes and purchased the screws to put them together and presented them to the 4th graders. We recommended that they use boiled linseed oil to protect them before installing them on the school grounds. Several teachers were with the groups and they were all excited about the project. This is the key, if the leaders are excited about it and committed, it will work. This is the first presentation that our team has given to children and I am still glowing just thinking about the look on the children' faces! I took lumber to the Delhi Middle School this afternoon for them to get started on their project. We will require all these different schools and organizations to send a report monthly to us so that we can see the progress made and to be sure that the nestboxes are being properly monitored. We insist on this so as not to be putting out nestboxes for sparrows and starlings to nest in. We will also make periodic inspections. Evelyn Cooper From: "Dottie, Hickory Hollow, Brown County, Indiana"
yumyumkatts"at"voyager.net We had 10 people in my Garden Club Bluebird educated this past Wednesday thanks to Dan Sparks who came out and gave us a wonderful Bluebird presentation complete with a neat 15 min. Bluebird video. Two gals joined the Brown County Bluebird Club and several bought boxes, etc. I'm sure there will be a few more BB boxes up next year and a few more people know a lot more about our beautiful Bluebirds thanks to Dan . Dottie, Hickory Hollow Date: Sun, 24 Nov 2002 20:42:54 -0800 Linda Violett - Yorba Linda, Calif. Christy, who were you responding to that wrote "Don't go down the path of
'educating the kid . . . " ??? Ask them to post to the List so we can get the
other half of the discussion. ke4fej1 wrote: From: "Mr Tony" mrtony8"at"mchsi.com That would be me, and is my opinion. I have worked several years at "educating the kids," and dont take it the wrong way, because it is necessary to introduce them to the wonderful world of birds. How else may we have a new generation to take our places? On the other hand, I have seen kids over and over, get excited about bluebirds and their nesting activities, only to crash on me later, leaving me with the unpleasant task of cleaning up after them. Out of 100 kids, you may end up with 1 or 2 who will carry on. Maybe it is worth it to get just one kid who will devote time to the birds. It can be frustrating. Phil Berry ----- Original Message ----- ... To: Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu Christy, I think you are doing a superb job promoting our Bluebirds. Not many people have put the time and energy in to education that you have. You have my admiration! I would like to be able to do more than just monitor my own 26 boxes, but at this time in my life, I just don't have the time. I do talk to people whenever I have the chance, and have given information to people who are interested. When I hear of people who have nest boxes up, I do try to be sure they know to monitor them. I too, belonged to a 4-H club for nine years. 4-H does teach great work ethics, values, and practical skills. I took gardening, cooking, preserving, clothing, poultry and horses. Unfortunately, to be involved in many of these projects, one has to have access to a farm or a rural setting. I was unable to get my own daughter to join a 4-H club. It seems that kids aren't interested in such things, and if the friends don't belong, it is hard to keep your child interested. I feel that 4-H taught me great skills for life, and I enjoy doing these things today. I think a Bluebird project in 4-H would have much more success in teaching kids to set up and continue to monitor a trail, because as you said, 4-H is a continuous experience over many years, not just a one time project. The Bluebird project could evolve each year to keep records of how many eggs were laid, how many hatched and fledged, what contributed to success or failure etc. just like we keep statistics on our trails. When one 4-H member moved on, another could take over the trail and continue the process. You are right when you said it is hard to imagine the impact this could have across the country! Again, Christy, keep up the good work, and don't let one or two people
discourage you from the great effort and persistence you have shown in helping
our Bluebirds. You have done more than you know to inspire the rest of us! Mary Roen, River Falls, WI From: "emcooper" emcooper"at"bayou.com Our organization is 6 months old. We have 5 projects, 2 schools, 2 Campfire Boys & Girls, Boy Scouts and one Nature Walk Trail. We are drafting a proposal/plan for each project and requesting that at anytime the nestboxes are not monitored anymore, they be taken down. We also require a monthly written report from the organizations. As for this thing of saying "no" to them, that is hard to do. I watch their faces as they are watching the video and they are fascinated. My hope is that even if they do loose interest, maybe in their adulthood, they will come back to it. Evelyn Cooper ----- Original Message ----- ... From: "Kathy Clark" lilbirdie2u2"at"hotmail.com Kathy Clark New Cumberland,PA Yes Bruce I agree with all of your "cyanical" reasons :), but if I didnt try I would feel worse. Everytime I reach somebody in some way that's progress.. People are more concerned in general about other things..most of them "instant" as you say. I saw Phil or somebody chirpin n about schools etc. and if we want to teach I just basically tell the kids the way it is.. Some get it and lots of times it is the teachers who don't monitor for the summer. I have a tape of such a "research trail" We can't help everyone, but after watching his approach and helping som of his students privately the last few years to "get it" I know I made an impact.. They said in 2 hours I taught them more than they learned in a semester. The teacher's ambitions were admirable.. but I wouldn't let him on my trail! Some of the key to this is the joy the fun of seeing the birds in different environments. He tried but maybe "rules of the school" stop him from having a real trail. I thought these kids are missing so much. Just my 2 cents. Kathy To: Keith K., et al, ... From: sbassie"at"bellsouth.net In one of the school projects mentioned below, We have set it up starting with 4th graders. (The school is k-6). The project is the "property" of the Science and Math Lab teacher. Kids coming into the 4th grade will be introduced to the project, and will work on it through the 6th grade. This way, there will always be a new group coming in every year, and a group dropping out when they move on to Junior High. One of the goals is to expose the students to data collection through the monitoring of the trail over the long term. I believe the true key to this is having a dedicated teacher who sees the opportunity as more than just helping provide habitat for BB's (As important as that is!). This trail is part of an Urban Wildlife Refuge Project on the school campus spearheaded by this truly dedicated teacher. From the beginning, She has understood that the nesting season will continue after school is out, and that monitoring will have to continue. She and I have agreed to share that responsibility. (Since she is also a close friend, we jumped at the idea of some time through the summer months that is dedicated to doing something together, without our "better halves" getting in the way!) I believe that educating children early on is the way to teach them to love and respect all of God's creatures, but, just giving a child a nestbox, without supervision and following through isn't enough. I have made the commitment to stay with this project on a long term basis, as has the teacher. Hopefully, some the children will take from this a life-long love of birding. All, I believe, will benefit from an early exposure to learning to collect data, do research, and finding ways to solve problems that will certainly come up along the way. I believe that this project has a good chance for success, because of the key ingredients: Dedication and commitment from both myself and the teacher involved. I'll be keeping you posted! Sheryl Cooper Bassi ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- ... From: "Mr Tony" mrtony8"at"mchsi.com I think if an elementary school wants to initiate a project whereby bb boxes are built and/or installed ON SCHOOL PROPERTY, and monitored by the students, I am wholeheartedly behind them. It is when they want to do good for the community and install loads of boxes, then walk away from them, that I part company with them. I run across these "projects" frequently, in our area, as we do our birding. I will be doing the CBC (Christmas Bird Count) here in less than three weeks, and I usually find several of these kind-hearted projects, all unmonitored, scattered around the county. And I don't want to pour cold water on anyone, but putting boxes up willy nilly ---- without committments from dedicated monitors---- is irresponsible. That is the crux of my argument, as stated previously. These people do far more harm than good. It is almost as if--when I am gone, who will take over my trail? Have any of you ever asked a friend to take over your trail while you took a couple weeks off? It is almost impossible to get an affirmative answer. I am a long-time member of the Audubon society, have known the local members and birded with them for years, and not one would step forward last year when I went to Alaska for the month of May. Only poor Billl Davis --- not a member -- volunteered, and he faced a long drive each way to accomodate me. In MHO, if you put up 100 boxes, you darn well better be ready to monitor every last one of them. So make it easy on yourself. Phil Berry ----- Original Message ----- ... From: "Keith & Sandy Kridler" kridler"at"1starnet.com Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas 47 science students constructed 107 nestboxes from 9 AM till 2 PM. We had a total of 10 adults helping during the day and we worked one on one to get the nestboxes correctly built. Don ran the final inspection station to insure the nestboxes would open smoothly and easily and re-built or added nails at this station before the nestbox "passed". 80 nestboxes constructed from 1&1/16" thick cypress lumber planed on one side were built for a major bluebird trail at a 900 acre city park. Each student signed the box bottom with an indelible pen and will look for "their" boxes on the Coleman Park trail later this summer. 30 nestboxes were constructed from exterior plywood for the students who returned a parents signed "contract" allowing them to be part of the "backyard" research comparing the nesting success of a large trail in one area to find the advantages of scattered nestboxes over a county wide area. They are also going to compare shades of paint and the LRV (light reflective value) by buying and installing their own temperature data loggers to check the different shades for the lethal inside the nestbox temperatures. They are setting up a school "Project Feeder Watch" program to report back to Cornell. OK lets back up a little as this DID NOT happen over night. We started giving bluebird programs several years ago in Sulphur Springs. In just the last two years over 150 nestboxes were given to the 6 different groups we talked to from retired teachers union to church youth groups. Of these about half of the people coming to a "bluebird slide program" already had nesting bluebirds. In October, Texas Bluebird Society TBS was contacted about helping set up a bluebird trail for the students. By the end of October through e-mails and a face to face evaluation of the teacher we convinced them to get the city parks board involved and several birders in the area and select adult monitors for at least a three year project. Kate Oshwald and I went and gave about a three hour slide show, hands on displays of boxes, predator guards, actual eggs/nests from the 7 species they are likely to find in their nestboxes. We discussed anything 5TH graders can think up about birds! The responsibility we impressed on the students actually scared the teacher into wondering if they could fulfill what the bluebirds will need! The students are going to experiment with passive and active controls of House Sparrows. Kate and I drove through the park twice and then Sandy, Shawn and I went a week later to evaluate the park again and look for native cavity nesters and natural cavities. Unfortunately nearly every dead tree near roads and ball fields are being cut down for safety reasons. More e-mails, many more, were sent before the nestbox styles/lumber selections were made. Don and I then helped with construction and again toured the park during a cold rainy day. We will install the nestboxes with all the students in a couple of weeks. The local TV station came out and filmed the students nailing together the nestboxes. The interviewer said he LOVED bluebirds! His dad has up 15 nestboxes on 30 acres and had 12 pairs of bluebirds last year....Until you see the pride these students put into this project and hear the chants of "BLUEBIRD-BLUEBIRD" ringing down the halls you simply have not lived. THIS made an impression even on the teachers not involved because the excitement this has generated for the students for almost two months now. Even if they only check nestboxes for a single year they WILL remember this. They asked the kids in the school video why were doing this and you would be amazed at what the students remembered from the program over a month ago....Give me a description of what a successful bluebird trail should produce the first year! In five months we will see if this trail passes. KK From: "emcooper" emcooper"at"bayou.com Keith, we let the Matty Akin Elementary School that Sheryl Bassi was writing about use our display in their science room for several days. It is a nestbox on a stand complete with a predator guard and an echo roof. She told me students from the whole school came in and viewed it even though this is a 4th grade project. One part I like best in our presentations is the time we give the students to ask questions. It is amazing how many GOOD questions they come up with and how they take part in it. Overall, I think we must be doing something right as the Bluebird Recovery Program is on the upswing. I do believe though, that we will have to supply nestboxes from now to eternity because of the continued decrease in habitat. We certainly need to involve and educate our younger generations. Thanks, Keith for your good posts as always, Eveyn Cooper ----- Original Message ----- ... Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 07:54:55 -0800 (PST)
Christy and others, It certainly is. Ain't it funny, we're all talking bluebirds but it's more
like discussing politics or religion. I try to stay away from most debates for
that reason. We are what we are, believe what we believe and we do what we do.
It's hard for me to accept that there is only one truth and "they" have it. My
only advice is to listen to all the opinions but follow your own path with
courage and conviction.
From: "Bruce Burdett" blueburd"at"tds.net I have always gotten a very warm, surprised, and delighted reception whenever I ask landowners' permission to locate my Bluebird houses on their property. I've never been refused, and many of these folks start out as total strangers. Right now my houses (72) are located on the properties of 28 different local taxpayers. And they are only too willing to have me do all the monitoring and other maintenance. One such citizen has even given me the combination for the electronic gate on the entrance road to his 127-acre lot. (I can't call it a 'driveway' because it winds through the forest for almost a mile.) There are also incidental benefits. I have received, through the years, homemade berry preserves, fresh raspberries, bottles of wine, books, homemade furniture and knicknacks (sp?), maple syrup, honey, carrot cake, cookies, a batch of chicken 'cacciatore.' (hunter style) and even some rides on the lake in a magnificently restored 80-year-old canopied 24-foot electric launch, - a vintage Elco. The most pleased people of all are those who have never seen a Bluebird, or who hadn't seen one since their childhood, or whose children are into nature stuff. So give it a try. No harm in asking. All they can do is tell you to get lost. Bruce Burdett SW NH Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 12:19:03 -0800 Linda Violett - Yorba Linda, Calif. We've received some good reports of monitors who are placing nestboxes in a responsible manner. A particularly encouraging concept was presented by Sheryl Bassi with school nestboxes being monitored by fourth graders so that most children in the area are exposed to the program as they pass through the school system. She, Evelyn and others are also building in adult co-leadership and followup; and Keith's current projects are good as long as box retrieval plans are in place because habitat and commitments *do* change. In my area, many nestboxes are being "thrown out" without any follow up. House sparrows seem to watch native birds use a newly-placed box during the first nesting(s). And the first year is during height of excitement for new box owners and all seems well. Then house sparrows, fueled by ample food from our urban environment, start taking over. A few days ago, Keith wrote: In my neighborhood, there is no bad weather to cull out house sparrows, there is no lack of food (seed), there is no lack of water (sprinklers, water fountains). All good bluebird habitat is already part of my trail. Marginal areas (front yard strips) will also raise some bluebirds *IF* specific conditions are met and maintained. But if those specific conditions are not met, boxes will ultimately help house sparrows. Yesterday, a complimentary copy of the Bluebird Monitor's Guide was given to the local high school wood shop teacher that is building nestboxes. I've asked to track the results of those boxes so they can be compared to boxes on my monitored trail. This may provide impetus to put unmonitored "bluebird" box-distribution programs in check--at least for this area. My request, once again, is for monitors to stop and think about the long-term
affects to native birds before embarking on any action or program. Keith & Sandy Kridler wrote: ... From: "Mr Tony" mrtony8"at"mchsi.com "...stop and think about long term..." How right you are, Linda. In our area,
it seems every other house has a martin house in the yard, virtually all of them
loaded with HOSP during season. I spend a lot of time "educating" these
irresponsible home (martin) owners, using the literature from the martin group,
about monitoring and cleaning these HOSP factories. When I can, I convince them
to let me take them down. Martins are nowhere to be seen here in recent years,
at least during nesting season. It must seem "cute' to put these apartments up
initially, then human nature takes over. Phil Berry Gulf Breeze, Florida ... From: "Bruce Burdett" blueburd"at"tds.net Christy, Occasionally I get a call from someone who's heard of my project by the grapevine, or read about it, or heard about it on the radio (no TV yet) and they ask if I'll come out to see if their place is suitable for a few houses. But good clearings are few and far between in our mostly wooded township, and most of the time I have to say no. I do, however, always give them one of my free info/suggestions packets in case they want to go for Tree Swallows, Chickadees, Wrens, or something. I wish you every success in your wonderful effort. Gradually you'll figure out the best thing to do in your location, and you'll do it. Just don't hesitate to give up on things that simply aren't working, - and concentrate on the things that do. Bruce Burdett, SW NH Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2002 19:32:01 -0800 Linda Violett - Yorba Linda, Calif. While we are out on our trails, it is surprising that the folks we briefly meet will sometimes contact us after a great deal of time has elapsed. Today, a teacher I had met on the trail, wrote and asked if I would speak to his class about nestboxes. In light of the recent discussions about school nestbox projects, the List might be able to glean some alternate ideas for school projects from the excerpt (below) of my response: (Excerpt): 1) Fall months: have each student canvass their own neighborhood and ask homeowners if the student can monitor and report on which species uses EXISTING and feeders and EXISTING nestboxes during the school year. 2) Winter months: have students report back which species are attracted to and helped by the feeders (as observers only--no interference, no recommendations or guidance) 3) Spring months: have them monitor homeowner nestboxes just the same as I do with my bluebird trail--noting the species, counting/dating eggs/hatch/fledge--but they should be observers. No nestbox interference, observation only. 4) End of semester: have them report back to the class what they observed as a result of the homeowner feeders and nestboxes and whether it is helping/hindering our declining native species. NOTE: House Wrens are native (protected), but on a huge increase because of nestboxes and House Wrens have the habit of going around to all other nests in their territory and destroying eggs. So even though House Wrens are native, they have proliferated to "pest" populations but they are still a native species under full protection of federal laws and should not be harmed. After this class project, you could have them do their "community service" work by turning those EXISTING boxes/feeders toward helping a declining native species with active eviction of house sparrows, etc. Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2002 20:52:12 -0800 Dear Friends, Linda's suggestion for educating our youth has merit and I'm sure most of us will chime in on this one. However, this post is about putting dead cavity nesting birds that we inevitably will find along our trails to a useful purpose and how they can be resurrected from the dead to educating our youth. By law it is illegal for any citizen of the USA to have in possession (dead or live) any migratory or native bird without a proper permit. I know these laws were meant to protect our avian friends (and I'm not disagreeing with it), but like most bureaucratic blunders there is little room to get around the rigidity of these laws no matter how well the intentioned they are. I always thought it was silly to just toss a perfectly good Bluebird specimen (and old friend) into a vineyard for the worms or ants to dine on when it could serve a useful service even after death. For those of you that would like to resurrect Old Mr. or Mrs. Bluebird, try talking to some science or agricultural teachers at your local schools and see if they would be interested in having a mounted Bluebird or Barn Owl specimen in their classroom for education purposes (this is one of the only ways that a native dead bird can be preserved legally; for educational purposes.) If they are responsive, then offer to have the bird stuffed (the cost of taxidermy fluctuates around the $160.00 (+ or -) with case for Barn Owls and half that for Bluebirds), and mounted (say to nest box) with the stipulation that you can barrow the specimen for your own lecturing endeavors. Most teachers are willing to go along as they are not putting up their own money (their pockets are empty anyway) and there is a big swing in our schools to enlighten our kids about conservation. Next, contact your local office of the United States Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. Tell them why you are contacting them and ask them to send you the Federal Fish and Wildlife Licence/Permit Application Form (OMB No. 1018-002) which they will be happy to do for you. Next file out the A, B and C sections of the form date and sign the form. Next you will need to review questions #1, #2, #4, #6, and #7 on the Information Questioner, Special Purpose - Education and Possession Dead Specimens (50 CFR 21.27) and your answers to these questions needs to be a formally typed reply (which is just a formality.) Once everything is completed mail the works back with a "$25.00 processing fee" check made out to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and that's it. Now that is what I call recycling at it's best, plus the joy Old Mr. or Mrs. Bluebird will bring to the kids will be immeasurable as most have never seen a Bluebird in any capacity (just go to any inner city where a live goat or a cow gets these kids excited.) However, with Linda's help (and others) they may indeed see those beautiful blue flashing wings dancing through the air again. Happy Bluebird Trails To You, From: "Keith & Sandy Kridler" kridler"at"1starnet.com Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas Shawn and I went up early to Kate and John's again to asses their total acreage for more nestboxes....GEEZ you guys! In East Texas if you can see the back fence or the tree line past all your nestboxes you NEED a FEW more!!! Seriously the pick up load of boxes they hauled last week in the picture is NOT going to be enough....They have perfect habitat WAY back from the road that will pull many species from the hundreds of acres surrounding their property to come to new nestboxes. For example a single dead willow tree had three different woodpecker sized cavities drilled in the trunk within 4 feet of each other. Maxey House 8th? annual bluebird day! Judy had the bluebird flags flying out along the street and parking lot, When we got there at 11:30 for the 1 PM till (??) event. She had 20 call or write to reserve space when the temperatures were 75* and sunny the week before....Judy had four bluebirds in this "downtown Paris Yard" the week before! Kate, Shawn and I were representing TBS/NABS and Judy had called in seven volunteers to cut out and build nestboxes, help people register and whatever is needed at one of these events....Larry Calvin (8th year?) from TP&W was there to show them how to cut out and build a GOOD and SIMPLE $3 nestbox... The "outside program" turned into an indoor event as soon as we opened the truck door....It was still FREEZING! Well all 10 of us were still sitting around at 1:05 and felt that the cold day and predicted snow/sleet rain had made everyone cancel their plans to attend the "Maxey House Bluebird Day". A car pulled in at 1:06 and we mobbed them:-))) By 1:15 we have 1215 coming in. By 1:30 in was a zoo and 21 had paid the $3 "program fee" and most paid $5 for the chance to build a cedar kit box made by/from some of Judy's, "volunteers". Judy was bubbling over with "the Bluebird of Happiness" as she opened the program and Kate followed with the TBS/NABS pitch and what we are doing as a group, what we WANT to do as a group what we NEED to do as a group.... I didn't realize how much we are getting done but how MUCH still needs DOING! Kate can share the "first" question she had to answer:-))) I "thought" this was supposed to be a "get the novice started with a single nestbox day". It turned out that of 24 people for my first program that 4 couples of them already had read The Bluebird Monitors Guide. Most of these people came as couples or by three's....ONLY two people, a couple, did NOT have nesting bluebirds!!!! People with four or five pairs of bluebirds nesting at one time was common....Golf course trails, 200 acre ranch trails, backyard trails all types of habitat! When you plan on novices in the audience showing up only from Lamar county (Around Paris) that only need the "basic" stuff like "This is a picture of a bluebird! This is what is called a "nestbox! This is a ----" and all of a sudden you have these people with HUNDREDS of nestboxes, they have already fledged thousands of bluebirds, they have been doing this for YEARS and they start showing up from Texarkana, Clarksville, Durant Oklahoma, Sherman and Dennison TX and cover 1,500 square miles of these states (or more) you have to reach deep into your hip pocket and pull out a TOTALLY different type of "bluebird Program!!!!" It scared me when about 10 minutes into my spiel/slide program I was losing some of the standing room only crowd at they started slipping out the back door and into the hallway.....I didn't find out till later they were calling friends and neighbors telling them they NEEDED to come QUICK.....People just kept dropping in all afternoon...... After the first half of my slides we broke up with building kit boxes, how to lay out a good nestbox, how to protect against Texas heat and sparrows and predators and ----and ----and----. Looked like a small army building nestboxes, They had Kate backed into a corner of another room and she was being mercilessly pummeled with questions and although I could not see her I heard the answers coming back....Barnes our nestbox builder from Lamar county dropped in for 7 nestbox labels for a few minutes.....He said "GEE I committed to building 25 nestboxes by sometime in March....Looks like I better HURRY!" Judy ran out of kits.....Judy ran out of finished nestboxes in the gift shop....I don't know how many bluebird guides I had to sign.....Shawn was our designated photographer and printed information wizard.....He held the collapsible folder with printed matter and when possible we handled individual questions with "read this" to speed things up....It is VERY hard keeping up with who got what and where it is even in a single folder.....We left some people out like the interpretive "working" ranch owners who drove 60 miles for help with setting up a cavity nester trail..... Kate thought they talked to me I thought they talked with her...Ended up they gave BOTH of us printed material on THEIR ranch and neither of us remembered them during the melee..... Shawn only got a few pictures, he "claims" he was too busy sprinting from the house to the parking lot and getting more TBS nestboxes for those who needed more than Judy had! He can't remember how many labels he stapled on the nestboxes. He said he had to switch to only two staples per label to keep up.....He is not sure even how many boxes he unloaded! We could not see out the back of the truck going but we moved enough that we could on the return trip! After the nestbox building/bluebird question feeding frenzy was over we settled back into the last half of my program. Everyone starting winding down and some said their good byes and began long drives home. The die hards started back into really tough questions.....Kate and Judy came to the rescue when I started "fudging" on some of these......Dang some of these issues are complex..... We finished up with the "mad Bluebird" and some pretty neat stories from those attending and we were starting to look like a group of people sitting around the TV after pigging out on Thanksgiving dinner....I really think we would still be sitting there had Judy not cried "UNCLE". She stood up and said "For goodness sakes people, lets save some of these questions for the NEXT "Bluebird Day!" The ritual after one of these is for "Hugs all around" the exchange of phone numbers and e-mail and come see us..... I keep telling you guys this is not so much about the bluebirds as it is about the "BLUEBIRDERS"! KK Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2003 08:45:45 -0500 Hi Everyone, I just resubscribed to bluebird-l after taking a break since November when things had quieted down on the list for the season. It's nice to see some new names as well as the familiar ones, and more discussion now. I thought I'd write something about my birding activities during the off-season. Since I consider education to be one of the most important benefits of activities such as nestbox monitoring and bird-feeding, I started a 4H birding club last September in our town. I had never really worked with kids before, so I kept the group small--six children ages 6 to 9. In the fall we set up 15 bluebird boxes, most on town conservation land and a few in a nearby wildlife management area. Then, with the help of the woodworking club and some very generous parents and friends, we built another 15 nestboxes which we will set up in the spring. The children in the woodworking club are now curious about the birds that will nest in their creations, and so I've invited them to come along monitoring one day this spring. My own group will be monitoring with me all season. During the past few months, we spent most of our time indoors (it has been a horrendously cold winter here in Mazzzchusetts). We did set up some bird feeders on school grounds and hoped to do Classroom FeederWatch, but that didn't work out, due to some technical difficulties with the school administration. So instead, I've had to come up with other activities through which the kids could learn something about wildlife and ecology. I relied on a couple of different environmental curricula for children, consultation with a teacher friend, and my own ideas for activities. Some activities have been wildly successful, while others failed miserably. On the whole, I think the kids are having fun and are learning something--at least they keep coming back to the meetings. What has really amazed me is how moved some children are when they learn about the effects on wildlife of widespread activities like pesticide use and habitat degradation. They are sincerely distressed when they hear about the declining numbers of some species, and, unlike many adults who perhaps know too much to be optimistic, they seem to immediately want to channel their boundless energy into something positive. For some reason adults often view any discussion about what people have done to the environment as too much of a downer, while children feel empowered to react constructively. Two of them like to talk about their plans "to make a wildlife sanctuary" when they grow up. I know it's too soon to say whether anything I've done with them will actually make a difference, but maybe I've helped them become more environmentally aware, and maybe someday one of them will do something significant for the natural world. If anyone has any experience in environmental education for children, I'd love to hear some suggestions. The trick for this age group (especially for the boys who can't sit still for more than three seconds) seems to be to keep the activities fun and fast-moving. I'd like to continue doing this next year, but I'm running out of ideas, especially for the winter when we're often stuck indoors. Anyway, I thought I'd post something positive before involving myself in controversy, before you have a chance to think "good grief, not her again". No doubt you'll get that oportunity one day soon! :-) I'll try (but can't promise) to make my next post shorter. Oh, and thanks to everyone who engaged me in on- and off-list discussion last year. I learned from every word of it and enjoyed it all tremendously. Looking forward to more of the same. Now if you'll all excuse me, I have to go feed my "sparrers". The poor little dears look so chilly out there! :-D Janet Pesaturo From: "Keith & Sandy Kridler" kridler"at"1starnet.com Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant Texas We are working with nestbox builders across our state and lumber prices seem to be skyrocketing, lumber quality is dropping and mom and pop lumber stores are disappearing fast, leaving mostly large chains with limited selections and prices. Municipal household/resturant garbage collections in the US ran over 160 million tons last year or more than 2,000 pounds per "city" person. Industrial waste runs hundreds of millions more tons a year, which often includes lumber and metal conduit/pipe which can often be had for FREE and we would be keeping this from reaching the local landfill. EVERY "people" house being built has enough lumber left over to build dozens of nestboxes. EVERY plumbing job has short pieces of PVC pipe left over long enough for a nestbox. The first 6" diameter PVC nestbox I built in 1975 is STILL being used by bluebirds! Wafer board is now coming with a long term wax/oil cellulose coating to make it a very durable exterior nestbox material IF you seal the edges. There are now hundreds upon hundreds of "wafer board" plants across north America. Did you know that the "standard" size wafer board plant is producing over 30 acres of 7/16" wafer board a day and enough to cover over 10,000 acres a year? Did you know a "small" plywood mill requires over 10,000 acres of mature pine trees a year to operate! These are facts and figures that you can share with children and they can see the impact local businesses can have on their world. Did you know that according to 9 th grade world geography books that Iraq & Kuwait combined have 600 billion barrels of oil reserves, Saudi Arabia has 900 billion and the US & Alaska have only 39 billion? Did you know 10 laying hens drink one gallon of water a day? Did you know an 8 piece chicken dinner at KFC is one chicken. Did you know it takes 5 gallons of water to process a live chicken into an "8 piece dinner?" Did you know the "high protein" chicken "by-products" in your high dollar dog/cat food are usually cooked, ground up, powdered chicken feathers? Same goes for "high protein" cattle and livestock food.... Anyway Sandy and I will be talking with 75 fifth graders, their teachers and any invited adults that show up on Wednesday so I better go make some nestbox kits and polish my cavity nester/predator and environmental impact sermon....I have to cut it down to a "three hour limit" & it has to be geared and worded to hold the attention of all of these hyper boys and girls who have a "three minute" attention span. KK From: "Snoopy" snoopy"at"wmis.net What a great idea... THANKS!!! joy in the boonies in michigan Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2003 12:27:59 -0500 I know the value of environmental ed. for kids and have done one Saturday workshop where we built 35 nestboxes in three 40-minutes sessions (with electric brad nailer in hand). My question is this. Some sources say if you aren't willing to monitor properly, that you are more likely to do harm by increasing the house sparrow population. We, of course, discussed monitoring and handed out instruction sheets in our kid-workshop, but are kids likely to monitor their boxes and DOES this matter in the grand scheme of things? Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2003 14:48:22 EDT Hi, Janet, Ranger Rick magazine also used to have lots of science program teacher's handbooks--I know there is a good one on birds, which I've used in my classroom for years. I don't know whether you could still locate these books through the National Wildlife Federation, which puts out Ranger Rick Magazine. Lots of crafts, hands-on activities, etc. Kids *love* bird identification books--mine get well-thumbed in the classroom
(g including the Birds of Great Britain and Northern Europe!) I have one book
which came with a tape of bird-songs; I usually have it as a learning center,
kid on a beanbag chair, book open, one species to a page, and the Rhonda Watts -------------------------------------------------------------- ... From: "Chris Turnbow" cturnbow"at"midsouth.rr.com Would you all give me some suggestions as to how to get people interested in BB conservation. I had hoped to encourage our neighbors to put up BB boxes and maybe mealworm feeders. If we all put up two BB boxes and one mealworm feeder, it would make quite a difference. We have scores of BBs out here, but this area is undergoing a major growth serge, and these open fields won't last forever. Not to mention the starling population is on the rise!! The boxes and mealworm feeders will encourage the BBs to stick around and hopefully have more young. We're still out in the country. Why are people so disinterested? I just don't get it. I sent out a letter proposing the idea, got a meager response. Sent those who emailed me the info I had, and now they don't seem interested either. My presentation was good, the interest just wasn't there. They are not environmentally inclined or educated. It just isn't a blip on their horizon. So how do we change that??! I really care about the BBs and I'm worried about them. What will happen when the rest of these lots are sold. They are large lots and if coaxed (boxes and feeders) I don't see why the BBs couldn't stay on. Need all the suggestions and help you can give me here!! Thanks! Talia From: "judymellin" judymellin"at"netzero.net Chris- You may think that what you are asking is not much but it is quite a commitment. And, in my opinion, to ask people to let YOU put a box on their property and maintain it is quite different from asking them to do the work AND to feed. I don't know where you are located geographically but, if you have been on this list for any length of time, you'll know that feeding is regarded by many as totally unnecessary. So maybe you might want to change your focus and ask your neighbors for permission to put up a few boxes on different properties. Then, if bluebirds use the boxes, you will probably have instant converts when folks realize what a wonder these birds are. But please don't condemn your neighbors. Being a landlord is time-consuming and can be heartbreaking. And you would not want them to make a commitment and then stop doing it. That would only allow more nesting sites for house sparrows and starlings. Start small and see if you cannot arouse interest by bringing those wonderful birds to peoples' lives. Judy Mellin ... From: khussie"at"localnet.com Chris, Chris- You may think that what you are asking is not much but it is ... From: "Fawzi P. Emad femad <at> fpemad <dot> com Dear Talia, I have asked my neighbors to allow me to mount nestboxes on their property since my property is already saturated. So far, it has been quite successful, but the weather has been quite nasty, so I have not yet mounted any boxes in their yards. Here is how I do it. First I have printed a letter (in color, see it at:)
http://audubon-omaha.org/bbbox/BBpermission2.pdf This year I plan to put up six new boxes. I'll put six more next year. I think I want to test it six at a time... Fawzi Fawzi Emad in Laytonsville, Maryland ----- Original Message ----- ... Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 23:28:24 -0800 (PST) Hi all, Having said that, I also feel that there needs to be a written agreement
between the landowner and yourself. I have come to this thinking after having
many What do you think? ===== From: "Bruce Burdett" blueburd"at"tds.net Dan Sparks, et al, No landowner has ever "tampered" with the boxes, though sometimes they will call to report activity. A couple of old boxes that I took over were liberally peppered with bird-shot, and had to be replaced. They were improper boxes to begin with, and improperly located. You're certainly right about asking permission in advance, however, and I doubt that any of my landowners (except Charlie) would have any interest in doing the work themselves. Some would be absolutely repelled by the very thought of it. It's a foregone conclusion that I'll do all the work. Some landowners, hearing of my project, have asked ME if I'd put houses on their land. One of them was our local wildlife warden, and I had to refuse him because his tract is too wooded. On the legality question, nobody has ever questioned my activities from a legal standpoint. For years I've had a sample nest, complete with eggs, as part of my Bluebird presentation. (All had been abandoned by the birds, needless to say.) Bruce Burdett, SW NH P.S.: A lady in our town believes that there are only two species of birds, -
"Robin red-breasts" and "Tweety-birds." She thinks that all these other names
people use are "just a pack of foolishness." ... To: b4bluebirds"at"yahoo.com, Bluebird-L"at"cornell.edu Dan and all, I also agree. Unless a landowner understands the necessity of monitoring, having him/her put up boxes will probably do more harm than good. We all have seen abandoned boxes that turn into house sparrow homes. By agreeing to, and seeing the right way to care for the nest boxes, they may be willing to take the boxes over themselves at some point, and then there is some assurance that the motivation will be there to protect the Bluebirds. Mary Roen b4bluebirds"at"yahoo.com wrote: ... From: "judymellin" judymellin"at"netzero.net I guess there are good and bad aspects to both formal and informal agreements. I have been monitoring on public land for 13 years and got a letter just yesterday that the Forest Preserve District of Cook County now wants us to be licensed to check nest boxes. While at this point the process does not seem onerous, it does mean more rules and more accounting. And, of course, more questions- many without answers- about what we can and cannot do. For example, "voucher specimens may not be collected unless explicitly stated on the FPCCC permit. All voucher specimens must be deposited with the Illinois Natural History Survey unless otherwise permitted." Now, we don't know yet if that means that ALL material at the end of nesting season has to be boxed up and sent to a state agency or what we are to do with dead adults/young found during the season. I'm sure that, the more questions that are asked, the more regulations we will have! Judy Mellin ... From: "Burnham, Barbara" Barbara.Burnham"at"zzz.zzz Talia, If these people are so disinterested, would you really want them to have a bluebird box, only to be inhabited by HOSP? Or worse, bluebirds killed by HOSP? If there is a glimmer of interest, perhaps you could volunteer to monitor a box on their property. However, realize that many uninformed people are appalled at trapping or otherwise interfering with any species. If you volunteer to monitor boxes for other people, make sure they understand up front what must take place, and YOU own the boxes. Then, if they become HOSP hotels, you have the right to remove them. Keep territory size in mind, too. Mealworms can be very expensive, and not many people are inclined to grow their own. Would they be feeding the growing starling population? As you must know, it not just a matter of putting up a BB box or a feeder. Minimal interest in bluebirds can be just as harmful. My neighbor, for example, puts out "extra seed" for my "blue jays" especially when she knows there are babies in the box. Some people you just can't help. If anyone expresses an interest in blubirds, I give them a copy of "The Bluebird Monitor's Guide" to read. I buy them by the carton. If they decide to go ahead with bluebirding, they have an appropriate reference, and they will have questions. Otherwise, they can return the book. Keep trying Talia! Barbara Burnham -----Original Message----- ... From: "Bruce Burdett" blueburd"at"tds.net Judy, or anybody, As a Conservation Commissioner I have to abide by and even enforce State and local wetlands regulations. But those regulations are mostly very necessary and reasonable. Without them, our wetlands would be catastrophically misused on a daily basis, mostly by developers. How I choose to dispose of the inevitable dead birds and abandoned nests and eggs in my houses should not be the State's business. Bruce Burdett, SW NH ... Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2003 08:01:49 -0800 Dear Friends, Kind of reminds me of the "Wilderness Pass" (issued during the Clinton
years), that imposes overbearing rules on visiting a National Forest lands (I
think it In short, you could drive through a National Forest, but you had to stay
inside your car and couldn't walk into the National Forest without having a Without the "Wilderness Pass" a ranger would tag you, but most rangers that I spoke with told me that they thought "The Wilderness Pass" was a "silly idea" that "the people own the parks" and they "should have the freedom" to "enjoy these parks without restrictions." Also "The Wilderness Pass" turned the park rangers into traffic cops and they didn't like that very much. Happy Bluebird Trails To You, Bruce Burdett wrote: Judy, or anybody, ... Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2003 09:27:55 -0800 Linda Violett - Yorba Linda, Calif. It may not be necessary to to have a formal written agreement when placing nestboxes with landowners, but at least a clear understandings between the monitor and the landowner should be made before placing a nestbox. In addition to all the great posts, such as Barbara Burnham's, I like to add that boxes in HOSP areas require a clear understanding that HOSP nests and eggs will be removed. If the homeowner has children, you might want to monitor problem boxes during school hours. Some homeowners ask for a box while thinking of those beautiful blue birds fluttering around their property. After nestbuilding begins in our crowded urban conditions, homeowners face the reality of fecal deposits on their cars or sidewalks. In my area, properties are only about 60 feet across and I've had to relocate homeowner boxes because the *neighbors* had fecal deposits on their cars. Therefore, an understanding of timing is critical up front. Any active boxes should remain on the property and removed only after the season has ended . . . OR at your discretion, Another part of the understanding should be feeders. One homeowner decided to mount a millet seed feeder directly below the hanging box. In our urban area, millet seed brings in house sparrows. The cooperative homeowners changed to safflower seed, but rats came in. Another part of the understanding should cover a change in occupancy. A wonderful homeowner loved her bluebirds nesting in the front yard tree next to a park. A few months ago she leased the house to a new occupant. When the new occupant saw me monitoring the box, he asked that the box be removed so he could trim the trees. The box was removed--but no trimming was done. :l It is good to see that more monitors are retaining ownership of their boxes. Generally, homeowner boxes and feeders in this urban area are not helping native cavity nesters. Indeed, they are the source of our HOSP/rat problems. Therefore, box ownership is critical. If a problem occurs, or an understanding is breached, the box can be pulled back without question. If a homeowner of unsuitable bluebird habitat asks for a bluebird box, why
not put up a small-holed box to see if their yard might attract
chickadees/nuthatches . . . or a large-holed box for owls/flickers. "Burnham, Barbara" wrote: ... Bluebird Education & Presentation (Part 4) |
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