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Roseland Park Bluebird Trail

Roseland Park Bluebird Trail.
Click on image above for larger version. In 2008, this trail consists of 8 boxes.

See trail description. I"adopted" this trail in 2008. I put small squares of "Bounce" fabric softener sheets in boxes that had mice in 2007/2008 as a deterrent. All boxes were cleaned and caulked on 3/23/08. No boxes have baffles, but all are mounted on metal poles, about 5 feet off the ground. I expect House Wren problems, but will wait one year before moving boxes.

2008 Roseland Trail Log
ID   2007 USE 2008 Attempt #, Species & Fate Dates Notes
NABS 28 lakefront, trees, lawn, paired w/15 EABL BCCH
6 eggs
3 chicks
5/16: 1st egg
6 eggs, 2 unhatched, 3 chicks or 2?
2 fledged?


4/15, 20, 26: empty
5/11: BCCH start, no cup
5/17: 2 eggs, added wren guard
5/30: 6 eggs
6/7: 2 unhatched eggs (rmd), 3 chicks
6/12: 2 large chicks?
7/26: Empty
NABS 15 lakefrong, trees, lawn, paired w/28 Mouse/
Bumblebees
HOWR F 5 HOWR 4/10: mouse. Added Bounce sheet.
4/15, 20. 26: empty
5/11: 1 stick
5/17: empty
5/30: HOWR dummy, removed
6/7: HOWR, no eggs, rmd
6/12: HOWR 6eol
7/26: 5 HOWR fledged prematurely
SLOT 10 near brambles, woods Mouse Mouse?
HOWR S
2 HOWR 3/23: mouse? removed.
4/7, 4/13: circle of grass, left in place; 4/15: removed
4/20, 26: empty
5/11, 17: HOWR dumy, remvd
5/30: HOWR 3er
6/7: HOWR dummy, rmd
6/12: HOWR dummy, rmd
7/26: 2 HOWR, fledged prematurely
SLOT 3 near brambles, woods Mouse HOWR F NONE 4/15, 20, 26: empty
5/11, 17: HOWR dumy, remvd
5/30: HOWR dummy, rmd
6/3: HOWR dummy, rmd
6/12: HOWR dummy, rmd
7/26: empty
NABS 19 near entrance Not there HOWR S 4 HOWR eggs, 2 fledged, 2 unhatched eggs 5/17-6/7: Installed, empty
6/12: HOWR dummy
7/26: 2 HOWR nestlings
7/? HOWR - fledged, 2 eggs unhatched
NABS 23 lawn, garden, 40? ft from 22 EABL? HOWR EABL 4/14: EABL 1st egg
5 eggs total.
5 hatched and fledged

6/12: 5 EABL eggs (1st 6/5)
5 fledged

3/23: EABL pine needles? left.
3/30: EABL nest 1/2 done
4/7: nest complete, no egg
4/10: mouse in nest. Removed, removed grass addition.
4/13: no egg, no bluebirds around. Placed plastic bottle baffle on box.
4/15: 2 eggs!
4/17: 4 eggs, installed wren guard.
4/20: 5 eggs, male perching. Two fell out, replaced. Fed mealworms.
4/26, 5/1: 5 eggs, doing fine
5/11: babies about 1/2 way at least, eyes open
5/17: babies fine
5/30: All fledged, cleaned, blow flies.
6/7: 2nd nest, 3 eggs, put wren guard back.
6/12: 5 eggs!
7/26: fledged

NABS 22 lawn, garden, 40? ft from 23 ? HOWR S 5 HOWR 4/15, 20, 26: empty
5/11, 17: still empty, rmd bounce square
6/7: HOWR 3d rmd
6/12: HOWR, 6eol
7/26: 5 HOWR, 1 jumped out, returned to box
TROYER 9 lakefront, lawn New in 2008 HOWR F
EABL S
EABL 4 eggs, 4 hatched, 4 fledged

4/15, 20: empty. Box moved to center grass island.
4/26: HOSP? Not sure. Feather
5/1: no feathers, no other change
5/11, 17, no change, rmd
5/30: HOWR, few sticks, removed
6/7: empty, but EABL perched
6/12: HOSP?
7/26: 4 bluebirds ~ 1 week
fledged (moved from NABS 10T?)

NABS 10T lakefront, lawn New in 2008

EABL S
2 nestlings fledged, 1 unhatched egg.

EABL F

4/29: 1st EABL egg.
5/1: 3 eggs total
5/15: 2 nestlings, 1 unhatched

Second nesting - 1 egg, missing later - assumed F

4/15: empty
4/20: Male bluebird seen, partial nest.
4/26: no eggs, complete nest
5/1: 3 eggs
5/11: 3 eggs.
5/17: 1 unhatched, 2 nestlings
5/30: Babies still there.
6/7: fledged, nest remd, 1 unhatched egg.
6/12: new nest, 1 egg!
7/?: 1 egg
7/26: Empty, not flattened. Moved to Troyer?

Notes:

  • Mice are clearly going to be the biggest challenge here, along with House Wrens. No HOSP seen.
  • 4/15: saw female bluebird. No action other than mice in other boxes.
  • 4/26: heard a HOSP by barn. Realized there are a bunch of boxes on the golf course too! All had mouse, paperwasps, some HOWR and 3 with flying squirrels, one with EABL nest.
  • 5/1: removed Bounce, may be deterring birds.
2008 Roseland GOLF COURSE Log
ID 2007 USE (forensic guess) 2008 Attempt #, Species & Fate Dates Notes
?
Bluebird and HOWR      
25
Flying squirrel Flying Squirrel    
4
Mouse? Bluebird? EABL F 4/26: 4 eggs
5/11: at least 1 hatched
4/26: dropped all eggs on ground while cleaning out mouse part
5/3: 1 egg hatching - see photo
5/11: 1 broken egg, 1 broken partially developed, no baby
5/17: empty (a little mouse/FS? material?
1
Mouse and HOWR      
29
Bluebird in past, Mouse and HOWR      
30
Ants and Mouse      
7
Mouse/squirrel      
20
Flying Squirrel Flying Squirrel    
16
Flying Squirrel Flying Squirrel    
26
?nest     4/26: PW
21
Mouse/Flying Suqirrel      
12
Mouse   4/26: 4 eggs 4/26: dropped all eggs on ground while cleaning out mouse part
5
Mouse      
8
Mouse and PW     4/26: PW
17
Mouse and wasps     4/26: PW
6
Mouse and wasps     4/26: PW

 

SUMMARY OF ANNUAL RESULTS - Number of Nests /Eggs
YEAR # boxes EABL TRES BCCH HOSP TUTI HOWR
2007 (not monitored)
6
1/3?
None?
None?
None?
None?
?
2008 (monitored)
8
2 pair, 4 nestings, 1 failed, 18 eggs, 16 fledged
0
2?
1 attempt?
0
4 nests, assume 14 fledged

When Nature made the bluebird she wished to propitiate both the sky and the earth, so she gave him the color of the one on his back and the hue of the other on his breast, and ordained that his appearance in spring should denote that the strife and war between these two elements was at an end. He is the peace-harbinger; in him the celestial and terrestrial strike hands and are fast friends. He means the furrow and he means the warmth; he means all the soft, wooing influences of the spring on the one hand, and the retreating footsteps of winter on the other.
John Burroughs, The Bluebird, 1867

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Last updated August 27, 2008 . Design by Chimalis.

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