Top Photo: Bluebird eggs from a nest in 2024.

We have activity in two of our six bluebird nest boxes. We also moved one of our nest boxes to a new location.

The area on the south and west sides of the Butterfly House is currently a construction zone. The nest box that was located behind the Butterfly Conservancy has been moved to an area on the southwest side of the Sail Boat Pond in Catch the Wind.

We currently have six nest boxes located around our 84 acres, mostly out of view of the public, though a few of them can be seen from the main path that meanders through Explore the Wild and Catch the Wind.

Their locations are: Cow Pasture near the train tunnel, Explore the Wild at beginning of the service road on the back side of the outdoor loop, Sailboat Pond at Sailboat Pond, Into the Mist on service road to Into the Mist, Parking Deck East on the east side of the parking deck, and Parking Deck West, between the Picnic Dome and the parking deck.

The Cow Pasture, Explore the Wild, Sailboat Pond and Into the Mist nest boxes are all empty. I’ve seen bluebirds in the vicinity of those nest boxes as well as birds inspecting one of the boxes (Sailboat Pond), but no nest material has been brought in yet.

The Parking Deck East box has a nearly complete bluebird nest inside.

The nest box on the west side of the parking deck has just the beginnings of a bluebird nest.

So, after our first nest box inspection of the season we have four empty nest boxes and two with pine needles and grass applied, both the work of bluebirds. As always, things change quickly during the nesting season. A bluebird nest one day may be taken over by a chickadee the next, or the other way around. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

Until next week, enjoy!

Ranger Greg