Four dedicated volunteers monitored 44 boxes once a week from March 30 to September 8 with the following results: 50 bluebirds, 63 tree swallows and 15 house wrens. There were twelve successful Bluebird nestings in ten of our boxes and seven unsuccessful nestings (eggs predated by wrens, dead bluebirds fledglings, etc.). We found a lot of ants in boxes this year for the first time. There were no chickadee nests, although we have had several in previous years.
Annual results are reported to the Ontario Eastern Bluebird Society. The objectives of the OEBS are (1) to increase the number of managed nest-box trails in Ontario, (2) give expertise and guidance to new trail operators and (3) monitor population trends from year to year by surveying the number of fledged young from nest boxes.
Thanks to Alan Thompson, Marilyn Clark, Julia Smith and Anne Bolger for their commitment to this citizen science project. Julia and Anne will not be continuing with monitoring in 2025 and we are therefore looking for new volunteers for this worthwhile and rewarding work. Please contact orillianaturalists@gmail.com if you are interested and would like more information.
