Lewis Road Riding Ring Bluebird Trail Update

Eastern Bluebird by Michelle Brosius

By Kurt Miske, Bluebird Project Coordinator

We have had a decent year so far, with five of our nine boxes being used by native birds. Here is the run down: 

• Four of five Tree Swallow eggs in Box #2 produced hatchlings which grew and fledge approximately 6/26. The box has been cleaned and is ready for use.
• Five Tree Swallow eggs in Box #4 all hatched. The hatchlings have all grown, fledging approximately 6/27. The box has been cleaned and is ready for use.
• Four Eastern Bluebird eggs in Box #5 have all hatched. The young have grown and fledged approximately 6/20. The box has been cleaned out and is ready for use.
• Box #7 is housing 5 young Tree Swallows, due to fledge approximately 7/10. The box is sporting a sparrow-spooker. All of our sparrow-spookers have so far been effective in keeping House Sparrows out of boxes with nests.
• Three Eastern Bluebirds were raised on Box #8, fledging approximately 6/7. So far this year we have not had major issues with house sparrows. Knock on wood!

We just received the final report regarding the 6 Tree Swallows found dead in boxes earlier this year. ODNR found the birds to be emaciated. Perhaps this was due to weather conditions earlier this spring being unconducive to building a sufficient population of insects for the birds to survive.

Monitoring continues at least twice per week. While we have not had any birds start a second brood in the 3 years the trail has been active, we are still hoping for additional broods!