Just a reminder that we’d like to start monitoring this coming Monday (March 24).  Please sign up if you can help out!

With the generous support of John Adair, Ellis Maxey, and Cindy Schulz, who spent hours helping me over the last few weeks, all the boxes have been repaired and soaped to discourage wasps from nesting.  And just in time—Carolina Chickadees are already building nests in area boxes!

I have a couple of updates, mainly some new hardware and one relocated box:

• We’ve replaced stripped out floor retaining screws with longer screws.  The extra length allows them to bite into the wood.  Note—when re-installing the screw, you don’t need to sock it in really tight—just snug it slightly (hand tight would be fine); a portion of the screw will likely stick out.  If you really drive it home you risk splitting the floor.

 

• We’ve replaced some of the roof retaining nails with double-headed nails.  My theory is these will be easier to grasp and remove.  They are also longer than the original roofing nails, so they stick out a bit more—again hopefully making them easier to grasp.  Let me know what you think and I’ll replace more of the old nails. 

• Finally, you may recall that box C3BL1 was set way back in the trees—very hard to find.  We moved it to get it clear of the trees; it is now on the left side of the course prior to the tees.

Please reply if you have any questions.  Thanks to all of you for your support last season.  Here’s to looking forward to a productive 2025 breeding season!

Regards,

Bill Boeh

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, As of April 6, nesting status is as follows:

Breeding Summary (year to date; includes data from all attempts, even if not yet completed).  Detailed summary attached.

• 52 Total Nest Sites

• 7 Total Nesting Attempts (all Eastern Bluebird)

• 0 Total Eggs

• 0 Total Young

• 0 Total Fledglings

 

Of course there are no completed attempts as of today.  Interesting that we’ve seen no Carolina Chickadee attempts yet.

 

Issues & notes:

 

• Thanks to Jane Frigo, Kathy Akridge, John Adair, Helene Drees and Robert Drees for doing these early-season box checks.

• Course issues:  None.

• Monitoring kits:  Nothing new.

• App techniques and issues:  Seems to be an issue with setting the species.  I called NestWatch and they are aware of and working on the issue.  In the meantime, if you have problems setting the species, just put it in the notes section and I can set the species via the website.  You can use the abbreviations “EABL” and “CACH” for Eastern Bluebird and Carolina Chickadee.

• Box issues:

• General note(s):

Of course as always, please email me with questions, issues, and suggestions!

Thanks for all you do,

Bill