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As reported previously, 24 bluebird boxes were monitored on the Lumberton Campus during the breeding season of 2020, revealing a high rate of egg and nestling predation most probably by black snakes and raccoons. In the late winter and early spring of 2021 those 24 boxes were replaced by 13 nest boxes on metal poles with predator guards. These 13 boxes meet the specifications published by the New Jersey Bluebird Society (NJBBS) and were monitored throughout the breeding season of 2021.
The results of the 2021 season follow with two caveats. First, one resident requested that the original box behind his home remain. That box was predated once in 2021 with the loss of four bluebird eggs, but a later second nesting did fledge four bluebird young. Second, another resident set up his own box with metal pole and guard and fledged four Tree Swallow young. These nesting successes and failure are included in the statistics for 2021. The results of the 2020 nesting season are provided for comparison.
2020 – 24 Boxes Monitored | ||||
Bird | # | # | # | # |
Bluebird | 8 | 30 | 2 | 7 |
Tree | 10 | 35 | 2 | 8 |
Carolina | 2 | 8 | 2 | 8 |
House Wren | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
2021 – 15 Boxes Monitored | ||||
Bird | # | # | # | # |
Bluebird | 7 | 28 | 6 | 24 |
Tree | 7 | 30 | 7 | 30 |
Carolina | 2 | 8 | 2 | 8 |
House Wren | 1 | 3+ | 1 | 3+ |
Twelve of the 13 nest boxes with metal poles and predator guards successfully fledged young with no predation. The 13th box was not utilized by the birds. Several boxes had more than one successful nest. The only predated box was the original box from previous years that was left standing. As can be seen, the bluebird success rate (#young fledged/#eggs) increased from 23.3% in 2020 to 85.7% in 2021. Tree Swallows and House Wrens also had significant improvement in 2021.
The New Jersey Bluebird Society reported in their fall newsletter that 7,184 bluebirds were fledged from monitored boxes this year in our state, up from 5,751 fledged in 2020. Burlington County also reported an increase from 468 fledged in 2020 to 563 in 2021. It is nice to know that we, the residents of Medford Leas, made a contribution to 2021’s improved bluebird numbers. We look forward to encouraging bluebirds to safely nest here in 2022 and beyond.
