Fresh Pond Reservation
2015 Nesting Box Report

Nest Box Map

Reservation Supervisor Vince Falcione, of the Cambridge Water Department, and volunteer Elizabeth Wylde put up ten of the Reservation’s fifteen tree swallow boxes on April 2.  There was still snow on the ground, but the soil had mostly thawed, and Vince was able to use a metal rod to make holes for the pipes that support the boxes. 

During a bird walk on April 4, participants saw a half dozen tree swallows, the first of the season.  Several were flying above Box 8 at Black’s Nook, and one was sitting on a branch above Box 9 near Sousa’s Rock. On April 6, Vince put up the remaining 5 boxes. 

Swallows were observed on and in many of the boxes during the nesting season.  On July 16, all fifteen of the boxes were examined (see Nest Box Monitoring Sheet), and the eleven that were no longer being used were taken down.  In the remaining three boxes, adults were still on the nest.  These boxes were left in place until mid-September, when Vince took them down. Although the contents were not evaluated at that time, we can optimistically estimate that several might have been successful. 

Even without counting the three late boxes, we consider a season with nine successful nests as good as average.  Most tree swallow broods produce 4 to 6 fledglings, so we may have helped the tree swallow population grow by somewhere between 36 to 54 birds. These birds migrate south after the nesting season and return to the same location the following year, so we may see some of this year’s fledglings next spring. 

The Tree Swallow Nesting Box program was started in 2005, with four boxes made by Friends of Fresh Pond Reservation volunteers.  A few years later members of the water department’s shop made the remaining eleven. 

After the boxes are taken down each year, they are power washed to remove debris, parasites, and germs.  They are then stored in the water department garage until the following spring, when they will be put up again. 

 

Tree Swallow Boxes

Box #	Location	Date	Species	Conclusions
1	Water Dept., Ranger Station	7-16-15	Tree Swallow	Used nest, appeared SUCCESSFUL One dead fledgling
2	Kingsley Park Hilltop	7-16-15	Tree Swallow	Used nest, appeared SUCCESSFUL (Very Dirty)
3	Kingsley Bioswale	7-16-15	Tree Swallow	Completed nest, Unused Not successful
4	Weir Meadow Bioswale	7-16-15	Tree Swallow	Used nest, appeared SUCCESSFUL (Very Dirty)
5	Woods South of Little Fresh Pond	7-16-15 September	Tree Swallow	Four eggs in nest.  Leave in place. Box taken down, contents not recorded
6	Water Dept. Parking Lot Island	7-16-15 September	Tree Swallow	Female on nest.  Leave in place. Box taken down, contents not recorded
7	Pond Shore opposite L.F. Pond	7-16-15 September	Tree Swallow	Female on nest.  Leave in place. Box taken down, contents not recorded
8	Black's Nook Willow Tree	7-16-15	Tree Swallow	Used nest, appeared SUCCESSFUL (Very Dirty)
9	Fresh Pond, Post 1292	7-16-15	Tree Swallow	Used nest, appeared SUCCESSFUL One dead chick, second empty nest on top
10	Neville Community Garden Area	7-16-15	Tree Swallow	Used nest, appeared SUCCESSFUL (Very Dirty)
11	Neville Back Hillside	7-16-15	Tree Swallow	Used nest, appeared SUCCESSFUL  (Dirty)
12	Butterfly Garden	7-16-15	House Sparrow	House sparrow nest, bees NOT successful.
13	Lusitania Meadow, West End	7-16-15	Tree Swallow	Used nest, appeared SUCCESSFUL One dead chick
14	Lusitania Meadow, East End	7-16-15	Tree Swallow	Used nest, appeared SUCCESSFUL Yellow Jackets!
15	Nest to Road North of Water Dept.	7-16-15	Tree Swallow	Used nest, appeared SUCCESSFUL  (Dirty)
	Total Successful Nests			9 - 12

Elizabeth Wylde
for Friends of Fresh Pond Reservation
October 30, 2014