All of our six bluebird nests boxes are active. Two have bluebirds nests within and four are being utilized by Carolina chickadees.

The Cow Pasture nest box contains a nearly complete bluebird nest. It was empty last week but the fair weather has apparently motivated a pair of bluebirds into action.

The ETW nest box, located at the foot of a service road on the back side of our Outdoor Exhibits Loop contains a not quite completed chickadee nest as it did last week. We’ll have to wait till next week to find out if the chickadees intend to actually nest here–bluebirds may build over top of their cozy looking moss and fur nest.

The new Bungee nest box which is located at the site of the now closed Bungee Jump has one chickadee egg snuggled in amongst the fur lined nest. These birds are committed. Unless some sort of disaster occurs at this nest, I expect to see an adult incubating the anticipated 5 – 6 speckled eggs by next week’s inspection of the nest box.

The Mist nest box, at the dirt road that services Into the Mist, has the start of a chickadee nest inside its cedar walls. There’s just a touch of fur is inside the nest, so the birds are still building.

Across the street from the Main Museum building, and just off the pathway to the Woodlands Classroom, another chickadee nest is in progress. At the time of the inspection on Tuesday (3/21) there was only a layer of moss in the nest box. Will the chickadees continue building or will bluebirds take over the nest box? We’ll have to wait till next week to find out.

Finally, the Butterfly House nest box. I’ve never found anything but bluebirds using this nest box. The tradition continues with 3 bluebird eggs staring back at me when I opened the nest box Tuesday.

This is just the beginning. I think we’re off to a good start.