We’ve been checking our nestboxes every weekend since starting a new season on February 17^th. We walk along the trail and look inside each box, recording what we find in a log as well taking photographs sometimes. The big prize is to find Eastern Bluebird nests, but we like getting anything. It may seem odd, but it’s quite a thrill to see the tiny nests, and sometimes eggs and birds, up close.

We currently have eight boxes up. They’re meant for Eastern Bluebirds, but of course, we have no control over which species decide to move in. They will be cavity nesters, though, and the small hole in the front of the box limits which bird species can enter.

The idea is to provide nesting habitat for birds that are normally cavity nesters. Bird build their nests in many different locations: on the ground, in a mound, in burrows, in cavities, and in tree branches.

As we develop more natural habitat into neighborhoods, we’re eliminating many cavity nesting spots. These are typically in dead trees and dead trees are quickly cut down in a housing development.

We started the nestbox trail last year and were pretty successful with it, providing habitat for many broods of bluebirds.

Last weekend, on March 10^th, we saw our first bluebird eggs, which you see in this photograph. The nest contains five eggs, which seems like an average brood size.

Eastern Bluebird Eggs

The eggs are less than a week old since the nest was empty when we checked it on March 3^rd. The incubation period is about 14 days so I think we may see hatchlings next week!