Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Seven bluebird houses have recently been put up at the east end of Harmon field. Last spring Cheryl Day noticed the abundance of bluebirds in the area while working on the North Carolina Breeding Bird Atlas. She contacted Evangeline LaMore, Polk County representative for the North Carolina Bluebird Society. Together, they walked the area and decided that seven birdhouses would work well.

 

Bluebird houses should be set about 300’ apart when possible. Nest boxes can be mounted in pairs in areas where Tree Swallows are abundant. When paired, boxes should be mounted 5 to 15 feet apart. This provides nesting sites for both species and helps to prevent competition between them. One pair of boxes were set 15’ apart at Harmon field to encourage Tree Swallow nesting.

 

Evangeline’s husband Terry did the bulk of the work. He made some new nest boxes and repaired some older ones. He also made baffles for each box to prevent snakes and other critters getting to the young birds.

 

One bluebird pair was observed in one of the new boxes just 1/2 hour after putting it up.

 

Thanks to all who made this Bluebird trail possible, including the generosity of Harmon field. For more information on the NC Bluebird Society, go to https://www.ncbluebird.org. For more information on the NC Breeding Bird Atlas, go to https://ebird.org/atlasnc/about. 

 

Submitted by Cheryl Day