First Eggs and Nests of 2017

NATURE CENTER SIDE

The North side boxes were numbered and some moved to new locations along the maintenance road. The very last three boxes had nothing. The rest have either swallow nests started or in one case a grass nest by bluebirds. No eggs in it yet.

SOUTH SIDE

The south side was burned by the staff and looked barren a month ago. Some plant life is returning. The birds are fine with it. Swallows only catch flying insects.

Bluebirds like some trees like this around for roosting and waiting to find pray on the ground. One pair has selected this black box that is on a rather tall pole:

It had the full five eggs. I believe this is the male of that pair on a locust tree branch:

One more pair of bluebirds seems to have a nest in that middle part. No eggs in it.

SWALLOWS

Near the Western end of the new gravel road there is a fluff clutch of swallow eggs. No bird was incubating on it. They may wait a week or two and the eggs may survive.

Another pair had built a full nest that had been taken over by ants. They were angry at me for taking it apart and destroying the ants.

I ended up putting reversed duct tape on the pole, as well as the neighboring pole.

Lastly, a nest box had been driven over by workers with a tractor. It had a grass and feathers swallow nest in it but luckily no eggs.