Realtors, Birdhouses, & Sweat Equity
For sale: a one bedroom home in the country. Newly constructed, rustic-chic with gorgeous cedar shake siding. No running water, electricity, or other amenities. Perfect place to start your nest egg.
When a husband-and-wife team in the real estate business set out to build a Barred Owl nest box, they hoped their listing would please the local owls that were heard calling around their new property. In time, it did, but they had to put in some sweat equity to make it happen. Read our new blog post about their journey and the lessons learned. This box will be the envy of the neighborhood!
Got an Inconvenient Nest?
Summer is the time for outdoor parties and nesting birds. What should you do if you find a nest being built in a less-than-ideal spot on your property (e.g., in your grill)? Our best advice is to stop this process as soon as it starts. You can remove the nest materials, making sure not to injure any nearby wildlife, but only do this in the beginning stages of nest building.
Remember, if nesting has already begun and eggs or young are present, it is against the law to injure or disturb wildlife. This includes moving the nest to a nearby location; this will result in abandonment of the nest or young (birds do not look for relocated nests). If you have a situation where the birds are in immediate danger, be sure to contact your local wildlife rehabilitator for advice on how to proceed.
Wild Capture From California
Lee Pauser captured this incredible photo of a bobcat resting on a Barn Owl nest box in California. The four owlets that were inside were totally unharmed thanks to the box’s internal partition and other important safety features, such as having an appropriately-sized entry hole. For good measure, Lee also added 5 feet of metal sheathing to the post after seeing this unexpected visitor.
You never know what wild things you might find while NestWatching! Make your own Barn Owl nest box with our free DIY plan here.
NestWatcher Honored
Last month NestWatcher Ken Godwin received a national award for his many years of work with Eastern Bluebirds. Ken and the Jacksonville Life Member Club were awarded the AT&T National Pioneer Organization Award for the best environmental project of the year: “Welcome Back Bluebirds.”
The project has a goal of placing a bluebird box in every suburban greenspace in Duval County, Florida. To that end, Ken has helped make 500 boxes from recycled lumber, 350 of which have already been deployed. All reproductive data are being submitted to NestWatch.
Ken says, “Thank you all at the Lab of Ornithology for 23 years of encouragement and offering a profound sense of mission.” Ken—
you’re an inspiration to us! Thank YOU for your work to help the bluebirds.