Well, here we are, spring 2021. I've visited all the sites over the last couple weeks and the boxes are ready for the birds. Since I had cleaned the boxes at the end of last season, it wasn't too much work. Overall inspections and emptied out a couple mouse winter homes (nobody within and no babies).
I replaced one box that had seen it's last nest, last year. A bit of a frustrating task because whoever installed the box many years ago did not use screws, instead they used 3" spiral nails. I wasn't prepared for that. Initially I tried to pry it off with my screwdriver and had little movement. Then I thought about giving up for now, returning another day with a hammer. But I didn't want to cart around this new nest box while I checked others in the area. No, this was going to be today. I took the box apart by removing the screws. Then when it was nothing but the back ball on the t-bar, I just went all primitive like and beat the hell out of it with the handle of my screwdriver.
The wall broke apart, the nails lost their grip and many minutes later, it was off. I cursed whoever nailed it to the post. That was a first for me. I didn't dwell on the setback and just got the new box up, and moved on.
I had some help in Area One this spring. Myself and another tackled the boxes on separate days, making sure all are empty and closing up the access doors. We just kept in touch with each other on what we did. The help was appreciated. I just don't seem to have enough time this spring to do everything as quickly like past years.
Tree swallows were in good numbers here at Area One when I visited on April 8th.
Angie has joined me through the Creek area over the last couple Sundays. A leisurely walk, looking for early migrants and whatever else may be around. We enjoyed the sights of 6 white-tailed deer nearby the one morning.
The deer kept an eye on us but didn't stray too far.
We saw one tree swallow near where we parked last Sunday. I'm sure many more are on their way.
Over at the Forgotten Land, I added another box. A neighbour made it and gave it to me. It's a beautiful box made from leftover materials from a major renovation. Unfortunately the entry hole is just a little too big for my liking so I attached this odd looking piece to the front to reduce the hole size and it also adds some protection from say, a raccoon trying to reach inside and grab eggs or a young bird, IF one managed to get on top of the box. I have people saying the box is silly looking and no bird will used it. All I can say is "we shall see". No sense in just having it sit at home and not set up out there somewhere.
One lone tree swallow has been at the Forgotten Land since last week. He's already picked out his box for the season.
Lastly, over at Lambton, approximately 2 weeks ago, I set up the chickadee nest tube again. I filled it full of wood shavings.
I checked it out yesterday to see if anything has happened in the last week. The shavings have been excavated and the tube is filling with black oil sunflower seed. What the?!?! I'm unsure if someone is putting seed in the tube or are the birds using this as a seed cache? I know of a feeder a few hundred feet away from here but whoever is filling it uses the cheapest of bird seed and you might see 20 or so actual black oil sunflower seeds within all the corn and millet. I have found bread, rice and seed in other nest boxes throughout all the trails, quite randomly, this year. A new thing for me. I know there's a lot more people outside, just walking around because of the pandemic and so much is closed. But seriously, how dumb can some be? It's a drawback to having boxes in public spaces. I really hope this doesn't continue through the nesting season. It's like during the winter, where I have access doors open at boxes, and some people come around and keep closing them up again. I know they mean well, and have no idea why the doors are open. Open doors really deter the mice but if someone comes by and closes them, the mice will find the boxes and use them.
It's a cool rainy week ahead so I don't expect too much action in the coming days, like more birds returning, but I will be observing from afar, counting the swallows and looking for others who may have an interest in a nest box. I keep hoping for bluebirds.
Thanks in advance to those who will follow me through the 2021 season.
