| | Birding
Page 1 - Nest
boxes et al -
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No jokes with this red-tailed
hawk. He got a net wrapped around his feet - but luckily freed
himself after an hour or so
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We got
these photos after he freed himself and sat to consider his next
move.
While doing so, the
red-shouldered hawk to right came to complain about territorial
invasion. Never a dull moment at Magnolia.
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These
guys are the real reason for all the bird boxes - plenty of little
prey means raptors will come.
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The
dilemma whether to get them all down annually for cleaning is resolved - we MUST
get them down to remove insect infestations!
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At left, a trusty helper shows off 55 boxes - the
last 6 were too late in the season to get action (Also see next row)
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We had 100 percent occupancy,
most with two hatchings - not always the same species, however
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To left, box 'VI' was
taken over by yellow jacket hornets, who were understandably annoyed
when asked to leave. No humans were damaged.
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At left, the birders pose
for the camera |
At right, 'WI' was the odd man
out - wasps poured out - but no wasp nest.
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At left, all the boxes are open for checking
& counting. |
In about 1out of 7
there were insect infestations (after the nesting) which would
probably have prevented nesting next year: regular ants, micro-ants
or wasps. This proves to us at least, we must clean out the boxes
every year.
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Things are never as they seem:
KY was invaded by sparrows 10 days after the shot below; and when
the first sparrow brood fledged from TK bluebirds took it over.
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Here the house martins
are about to fledge - later the same day and the next. A new brood
appeared 10 days later |
This heron is our regular
visitor, but hard to get close to - smart and shy.
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This is picture perfect proof
that the famous southern bluebird is taking up residence in box KY
(8 Apr 2004) |
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You can see the grass
stalks being brought in to line the nest |
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The image at left was taken in
March 2004; 49 boxes clean and ready to hang, each with its unique
code.
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The map at left shows the
location of the 49 boxes on the golf |
There's plenty left to do
- we need boxes for ducks, owls, and bats; then for hawks and kites.
The sky is the limit. We would like to see 500 boxes placed - 10
times the current level |
So here we are in North
Carolina, 2003. We brought 31 boxes south and hung them |
We had 100% success - all boxes
occupied; some of them twice. The wider spacing could be one
reason - greater population pressure is another.
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The map at left shows their
location on the golf |
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Once
upon a time in New Jersey, our hero struggled to hang out bird nesting boxes all
around his own house - only to find they were more territorial than
mobsters. So our hero went from house to neighborhood house with a
circular requesting permission to hang boxes. Some thought he was after their life savings; others
complained that the Town Hall had overlooked their garden and where was their
nest box; many said, once nesting was taking place, that there were far fewer
bugs. The nest boxes are aimed at insectivores, having entrance holes of 1 1/4
or 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
Therefore each box has a unique identifier.
Hopefully as each year goes by we can learn more accurately what our friendly
feathered descendants of the dinosaurs need to feel at home.
But always there are unsolved dilemmas
- Should they be hung early in the year before migratory birds arrive; when the
chances of locals such as sparrows overtaking the boxes is likely?
These guys are a serious
enemy in New Jersey - they own the place, even though their names do
not end in vowels. |
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Success rates were still
modest - 80% for 1.5 inch holes and 60% for 1.25 inch holes |
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- Should they be taken and cleaned late each autumn to prevent parasites
carrying forward?
- As they are ventilated for summer heat, can they serve as shelters in winter
cold if left hanging all year?
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At the years end, modest
success - 8 nests out of 13 boxes - a poor showing; mainly because
of crowding - they are fiercely territorial, and the land around one
house is too little. |
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Moving right along to 2002;
neighbors have permitted hanging in their front yards for two
summers; so we are up to 40 boxes. |
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- Does size matter? More precisely, entrance hole size; drop
behind hole; overhang of lip; orientation to sun; height above ground; all these
and other questions need answers.
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