Volunteer and long-time birder, Stan Wakefield, shares regular updates and pictures on bird nesting activity at BRLT’s bird boxes monitored at Oak Point Farm, Singing Meadows, Lobster Cove Meadow, Penny Lake, and Zak preserves. Data is also reported to NestWatch, a citizen-science monitoring program developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and used nationwide to track the status and trends in the reproductive biology of birds. We encourage readers to check back frequently from April-August to keep up on all of the changes throughout the season.
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Despite some cooler-than-usual weather, spring bird breeding activity is off to a good start on the Boothbay peninsula. Eastern Bluebirds have not only started building nests on most of our land trust preserves, but they also have already laid eggs in at least four of those nests. Singing Meadows is currently in the lead with four nests, one of which already has four eggs. Eggs are anticipated in the other three nests in the near term.
So far, Oak Point Farm and Penny Lake Preserves each have one Bluebird egg each in a nest, with more anticipated this week.
Lobster Cove Meadow and Zak preserves have one nest each with Bluebird eggs expected soon. Autumn View has Bluebirds and Tree Swallows hanging around, and nests with eggs are anticipated there as well.
The spring bird migration is well underway, as exemplified by the birdsong that is easily heard on the preserves. By far, the most vocal birds you are likely to hear during a walk on the trails include Song Sparrows, Goldfinches, Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds, Titmice, Black-capped Chickadees, and Cardinals. Many other bird species will be arriving daily, adding their songs to the avian symphony.
For those of you who like to walk at Oak Point Farm, you will likely see a new bird-related “structure” on the property. An Osprey nest platform was recently installed to the right of the trail from the farmhouse to the dock. We are hopeful that a pair of Ospreys will soon find the platform to their liking and build a nest on it this season.
