Cleaning Boxes At Arkansaw Elementary School

We went over to Arkansaw Elementary School to check out boxes (and collect GPS data) on the bluebird trail started by Mrs. Heitman's 4th Graders (with the assistance of the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology and the Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin) in 2008.

The students will be taking them down for cleaning this week.

Here's a look at the boxes:

on the south side of the school building

                                       AES Trail #1 Box 1

                                       N    44º 38.130'          Elevation 721 Feet
                                       W 092º 01.614'

 on the east side of the school building

                                          AES Trail #1 Box 2

                                          N    44º 38.174'          Elevation 787 Feet
                                          W 092º 01.541'

on the south side of the school building

                                          AES Trail #1 Box 3

                                          N    44º 38.248'          Elevation 791 Feet
                                          W 092º 01.541'

The students have installed 2 bluebird boxes in the Cemetery on the north side of the Elementary School.

on the south side of the cemetery
 

                                          AES Trail #1 Box 4

                                          N    44º 38.277'          Elevation 831 Feet
                                          W 092º 01.563'

on the north side of the cemetery

                                          AES Trail #1 Box 5

                                          N    44º 38.316'          Elevation 819 Feet
                                          W 092º 01.622'

We also discovered several "decorative" boxes that others have installed in the cemetery - on wood poles and on trees.  Unfortunately bluebirds have used them - and apparently some not survived.  I opened this one and found a bluebird nest with a mummified adult and several unhatched eggs from last season.

in the backyard at N6329 County Rd D

                                            AES Trail #1 Box 6

                                            N    44º 38.255'          Elevation 780 Feet
                                            W 092º 01.702'

One of several "problem" nest boxes neighbors have installed - this one on a utility pole

on the west side of the school building @ the Entrance

                                           AES Trail #1 Box 10

                                           N    44º 38.189'          Elevation 807 Feet
                                           W 092º 01.627'

Bluebirds are looking in Pepin

So glad I cleaned my boxes yesterday.

At about 9 a.m. this morning, I happened to look out the kitchen window and spotted a pair of bluebirds hanging out in the neighborhood of box #2. I didn't see them going in and out of box #2, but it's ready for them.

Box #1 was out of my view for most all of the day because I was working in the woods

Spring Cleaning in Maxville

Tom and I went out to the Town of Maxville and took down the boxes for cleaning  - then re-installed them.

Town of Maxville Trail#1   Box #1

  Town of Maxville Trail #1; Box #1  (M.1.1)
       N   44º  31.923'    Elevation 773'
       W 092º 00.554'
       nearest residence:  S487 State Rd 25 (Durand)

I spotted House Sparrows going in and out of box M.1.1 as I pulled up and parked.  I opened the box and discovered they had filled it with nesting materials (feathers, cigarette wrappers and grasses).  I removed their nest.  

I saw bluebirds going in and out of box M.1.1. last week.

Town of Maxville Trail#1   Box #2

 Town of Maxville Trail #1;  Box #2 (M.1.2)
     N   44º  31.819'     Elevation 764'
     W 092º 00.585
     nearest residence:  S501 State Rd 25 (Durand)

Annual Maintenance Completed

I washed the two boxes in my farm yard - an old Peterson-style bluebird box and a NABS style box - in hot, soapy water and put them back up on metal poles with the PVC plastic tube predator baffle.

I have seen no bluebird activity yet.

PW

Cleaning Boxes at Tarrant Park

NABS-style bluebird boxes from Tarrant Park
drying in the sun after being scrubbed clean and sanitized

I took down all 8 boxes in Tarrant Park for cleaning today. Washed them out with hot, soapy water and bleach - then air dried them. They're ready for the birds - just in time for next week's forecast: 70º

Re-installed and re-numbered all of them - by GPS coordinates.

Tarrant Park Bluebird Box locations

Box #1: N   44º 38.214'     Elevation: 772 feet
             W 091º 56.964'

Box #2:  N   44º 38.280'   Elevation: 731 feet
              W 091º 56.949'

Box #3:  N 44º 38.302'     Elevation: 728 feet
             W 091º 56.862'

Box #4:  N   44º 38.338'   Elevation: 736 feet
              W 091º 56.637'

Box #5:   N 44º 38.302'    Elevation: 757 feet
             W 091º 56.964'

Box #6:   N  44º  38.252'  Elevation: 783 feet
               W 091º 56.800'

Box #7:  N   44º 38.227'   Elevation: 801 feet
              W 091º 56.891'

Box #8:  N   44º 38.468'    Elevation: 710 feet
              W 091º 57.198'

If you haven't cleaned your boxes and run a maintenance on the nails, baffles and poles, now is the time to do it.

Overnight Roost

Checked out the box at the corner of 14th Ave East and East Prospect Street.

This one's been used as an overnight roost box. Full of guano.

I will take the boxes down for a cleaning and re-number them tomorrow (Friday).

Forecasters say it will be in the 70's next week. All the boxes need to be cleaned out this weekend.

If this warm weather keeps up - it won't be long before the birds start investigating boxes.

Spring Cleaning

Checked out two BB boxes on Jahnke Hill east of the village of Pepin.

Will clean (soap, h2o and bleach) and install both boxes on metal poles this week.

One is a Peterson box, the other is a NABS style box.

posted by PW