Butterflies and Wren Boxes in Maxville

 

bird nest boxes and tools in the back of my Prius today

Cleaned 2 of the unoccupied bluebird boxes on Maxville Trail #2, moved one box to a better location, and re-located 2 wren boxes to wren habitat away from one of the bluebird boxes.

Saw several butterflies.  A Mourning Cloak and an Eastern Comma (with the 2 hooks - one at either end of the white "comma" on the underwing).

Eastern Comma Butterfly

Eastern Comma - underwing - note the white "comma"

Here's what's been going on in the bluebird boxes:

Box #1:  not up

Box #2:  a male bluebird was sitting on the post when I re-installed the cleaned box.  I relocated the 2 wren boxes that were too close.  They're up where Bluebird Box #4 used to be -  the one that had House Wrens last year (and the mice yesterday).

Box #3:  A male bluebird sitting on the wire, a female on the nest with 2 eggs.

Box #4:  Female sitting on 5 eggs.

Box #5:   not back up yet

Box #6:  Cleaned it out with soap and bleach to get rid of the mouse odor, and re-installed it 100 yards east of box #4.

King's Hwy Box:  nest, no eggs

Two Wren Boxes relocated to more suitable habitat  - and away from the bluebird trail: