Spotted This Week

This week, we spotted bluebirds and more in Natural Lands’ 2021 Nest Box Report.

In 2021, Natural Land volunteers and staff monitored 464 nest boxes. Originally, the boxes were designed for Eastern Bluebirds, which typically build their nests in hollows in rotting trees. As land is developed, these trees are removed, so the folks at Natural Lands set out to create new homes for the displaced birds.

However, they have found that bluebirds are not the only species that likes to make their homes in nest boxes. Staff and volunteers have found Tree Swallows, chickadees and wrens living in the boxes as well.

Last year, 642 Eastern Bluebird babies fledged from boxes on Natural Lands’ properties. Monitoring for 2022 will be underway soon.

To learn more about the nesting box initiative in our area, check out “The Bluebird Keeper,” an episode of the County Lines podcast.