As I write this, the roofers are working hard over my head. Home maintenance is important and that applies to our Bluebird nest boxes as well. Our first year of nest box monitoring has ended for the most part. Here are our final stats:
2013 Year End Stats
As you can see, we did well for our first year. Yes, we had more House Wrens than Bluebirds, but the success rate of the Bluebird attempts is very good. We will be having one final meeting to go over our data and discuss how we can improve things, evaluate nest box locations, and attract more volunteers.
Ah, but what about the boxes? Boxes should remain out at the end of the nesting season, as they sometimes provide winter shelter for various species of birds and other wildlife. Clean nesting materials may be beneficial to wildlife using boxes in the winter and can stay in the boxes at season’s end. The boxes should be cleaned of all nesting materials in the spring, however, before the start of the nesting season. This will give a fresh new start for the new arrivals.
If we are lucky, we will have a mild winter. That will mean more insects for the birds come spring. If we happen to get any news about winter residents, we will be sure to post it. For now, we will have to find a warm place to snuggle down and wait.