2007 Nest Box Report

Eight nesting boxes, four for tree swallows, and four for chickadees or other small birds, were made by participants in Friends of Fresh Pond Reservation programs in 2003 and 2004. This year, as in previous years, the boxes were placed at various locations on the Reservation. Results of observations during the nesting season are recorded below.

We made fewer observations of the insides of the boxes this year, because even though the birds are not frightened away permanently by our investigations, they are disturbed by our intrusions. We were able to get a good idea of whether young were successfully raised, and whether there was any predation or other mortality by studying the nests at the end of the breeding season when we took down the boxes.

All four tree swallow boxes and one smaller box showed signs of successful fledging of young swallows. One smaller box, first examined on January 2, had the remains of a wren's nest, clearly used and apparently successful.

Location	Box 1 Black's Nook	Box2 Kingsley Bioswale	Box 3 Little Fresh Pond	Box4 Water Department
April 2	Box put up	Box put up	Box put up	Box put up
Observations During June	Swallows seen entering box	Swallows seen entering box	Swallows seen entering box	Swallows seen entering box Photo below
July 9	Box taken down. Used, empty nest removed.	Box taken down. Used, empty nest removed	Box taken down. Used, empty nest removed	Box taken down. Used, empty nest removed
Conclusions	A brood was successfully fledged. Number unknown	A brood was successfully fledged. Number unknown	A brood was successfully fledged. One dead chick remained.	A brood was successfully fledged. Number unknown

 

Location	Box A Black's Nook	Box B Fresh Pond near LFP	Box C Kingsley Bioswale	Box D Huron Hillside
Fall 2006	Box put up	Box put up	Box put up	Box put up
Observations during Summer 2007	No birds observed entering or nearby	Swallows seen entering box	No birds observed entering or nearby	No birds observed entering or nearby
July 9	Box taken down. No nest	Box taken down. Used, empty nest removed	Box taken down.   No nest	Box left in place
Conclusions	Box not used, although was used last year	A brood was successfully fledged. Number unknown	Box not used. Reasons unknown.	On January 2, 2007 the box was checked. A wren's nest was found, apparently used successfully

 

Adult male Tree Swallow guards two (or more) young chicks. Water Department nesting box. June 15, 2007		Typical Tree Swallow nest at end of nesting season, after young birds have fledged. These birds do not appear to be very good housekeepers. July 9, 2007

Elizabeth Wylde January 4, 2007