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Bluebirds and Brown-headed nuthatches rejoice!

Many thanks to our Piedmont Patch partners, the New Hope Audubon Society! On June 5, two volunteers from the New Hope Audubon Society installed that organization’s generous donation of ten bird boxes at the Piedmont Patch site at The Episcopal Church of the Advocate. Five bluebird boxes were installed on poles and five brown-headed nuthatch boxes were installed on pine trees. Because it is early in the growing season, it is possible that birds may create nests in the new boxes this year. But even if that doesn’t happen, all the local birds will learn the locations of the boxes and use them as shelter from winter weather before the new nesting season next spring.

Church of the Advocate Vicar Lisa Fischbeck listens as New Hope Audubon Society volunteers Tom and Vern explain the bird boxes before installation began.
New Hope Audubon Society volunteers install a pole for a bluebird box. The baffle lying on the ground fits around the pole to deter snakes.
A newly installed bluebird box awaits its first occupants. The New Hope Audubon Society volunteers deliberately installed the boxes at a height convenient for humans to peek at active nests. We were told that short, quiet, and infrequent views of nests and nestlings will not disrupt the bluebirds.
Volunteers from the New Hope Audubon Society install a brown-headed nuthatch box.
An installed brown-headed nuthatch box. These birds live and feed in pine forests, which is why the boxes were installed on pines. Because this bird species nests in February and March, when snakes are usually not active and feeding, these boxes do not require snake defenses.