Patti Cable, LLCT’s long-time volunteer, monitored nest boxes twice a week from early April to early August. In total she visited 10 boxes, one in Row Field (on Tower Road), one at a clearing in the Stony Brook Conservation Area, and eight in Chapman Pasture (off of Silver Hill Road). LLCT is deeply grateful for her dedication to this effort.
The nest box monitoring supports two target species: the Eastern Bluebird and the Tree Swallow. Both are cavity nesting birds that benefit from nest boxes in open fields. Nest box programs began more than 50 years ago across the US as a way to support bird populations in decline by providing optimal nesting sites.
Over the course of the summer, Patti documented 7 Eastern Bluebird nesting attempts, resulting in 33 eggs, 28 nestlings, and 28 fledglings.
She documented 5 Tree Swallow nesting attempts, resulting in 20 eggs, 14 nestlings, and 12 fledglings.
She also noted that the first Bluebird egg was laid on April 4th, hatched on April 25th, and fledged on May 12th. The first Tree Swallow egg was laid on April 29th, hatched on May 17th, and fledged on June 4th. The last fledge for both species was around mid-July. It is typical to see Tree Swallows start nesting later than Bluebirds, and recording this data from year to year is important for tracking how their behavior may change as the climate warms.
Notably, four of the boxes were most successful and hosted two nesting attempts each.
Now that the nesting season has wrapped up, Patti has cleaned out the boxes and closed them up so that other critters don’t move in over the winter. In early spring she will visit each box to make sure it is ready to host a new family of Bluebirds or Tree Swallows.
