Sunny weather and warmer temperatures meant it was time to get out and rehab some nest boxes in Boyce-Mayview Park. We worked on boxes in two fields over the past two days. The box pictured above had been cleaned out and was waiting for it's new, shiny baffle. The baffle is a piece of stovepipe attached around the mounting post which will "baffle" predators, and block their access to the nesting box.
Predators are a major reason for nest failure in nest boxes. As you can see from this photo, the wide post allows various predators easy access to the nest box. Although there was an existing predator guard, (hardware cloth) around the opening of the box, raccoons and cats would still be able to reach inside to grab nestlings or brooding birds. Snakes also are a big threat to nests and many snakes are able to climb. Installing the baffles around the poles will keep most predators out.
Not everyone cleans out nesting boxes each year, but I like to so that the birds have a nice clean home for their time spent in the box. Cleaning out the box removes overwintering parasites as well, so the new breeding birds will have a better chance at success.
It was a little challenging to figure out how to engineer the materials to fit around various configurations on different boxes in the park, but we soon developed a good system and efficiently put baffles on eight more boxes. This should increase productivity and I am excited for the breeding season.
Looks like we were finishing up just in time. Some nasty weather was rolling in. It's beautiful habitat for Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows!
The engineer at work building a predator guard in the field.
Hopefully, this year all of the paperwork will come through to allow me to color band the nest box birds. This means that if you pay attention to the color combinations of bands on the birds' legs, you will be able to figure out if you are seeing the same birds at different times. Color band marking will allow me an easier way to gather data on the productivity, survival and return rates of many of these birds. Watch the blog, (or the birds!) for new developments!
