Nancy's Nest Notes
Hi everyone! Irwin Schultz and I put 5 Bluebird Boxes at Folly Farm in November 2022.
This page is a look at nest activity.
I hope you enjoy!
Nancy McClelland
Irwin Schultz
2022 was our first sighting of Eastern Bluebirds nesting at Folly Farm!!!
Tampa Audubon maintains 56 bluebird boxes at Flatwoods Park, along a 7-mile walking/biking/skating trail. Mary Miller has been leading the monitoring program for 18 years, so in July, 2022 I contacted her. She readily agreed to drive an hour and walk the trails of Folly Farm with me.
In September, Mary arrived with a bag of tools, flags to mark the box spots, and lots of monitoring material for me.
After 4 hours, we had 5 locations, I was a Bluebird Monitor, Mary was my Mighty Mentor, and Irwin Schultz, also an hour away in Tampa, would be the Box Constructor!
Irwin arrived at Folly Farms on November 17th, with his car loaded with boxes, tools, and predator extruders on posts.
What a Dynamic Duo - I’m so thankful for Mary and Irwin!!!
I invite you to follow our progress in the notes below and learn more about our feathered friends here at Folly!
Mary Miller
Bluebirds and Boxes
The North American bluebirds are cavity nesters and their numbers seriously declined when the English house
sparrow was introduced in 1851 and took over their nesting cavities. House sparrows are small enough to enter a Bluebird nest hole, kill the chicks or chase away the parents, and will build a nest over the Bluebird's nest.
Why put up a nest box? Over the decades, trees have been cut down, land has been cleared for houses, highways, commercial development, and agriculture, and wooden fence posts that provided natural nesting cavities have been replaced with metal. Thank you Safety Harbor Garden Club for buying our five nest boxes and supporting this project!