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BLUEBIRD TRAIL WILL ONE DAY LOOP THE STATE After Merlin Wright saw a bluebird on a fence post near his home in rural Peru, he built a bluebird house and put it up. The next day, the bluebird moved in. "I fell in love with them, when it did that," said Wright. "It was so amazing." Others have fallen under the bluebird spell with even less contact, but thanks to Wright and a host of others who have built and monitored nesting boxes, the bluebird is making a comeback in Nebraska. Bluebirds Across Nebraska (BAN), a grassroots organization formed by 20 aficionados in 1993, is responsible for the resurgence. BAN members, fanned out across the state, are targeting proper habitat, educating volunteers, building nesting boxes, monitoring sites and troubleshooting everything from blow flies to raccoons. In the past six years, the organization, swelling to over 850 members, has documented a six-fold increase. Fledgings have skyrocketed from less than 2,000 in 1993 to more than 10,000 in 1999. That increase, however, is small when considering the native bird once thrived in Nebraska. But that was before steel fence posts replaced wooden ones and flocks of English sparrows and European starlings muscled their way into nesting sites. Now the North American Bluebird Society (NABS) is poised to launch the Transcontinental Bluebird Trail (TBT) in May to promote bluebird conservation. The Society tabbed Nebraska to be one of the first to lead the way in developing the TBT because of its organized county coordinator system and its successful fledging program, said Steve Eno, one of BAN's founders. In 10 years, the Dwane Zimmerman TransNebraska Bluebird Trail will loop the state, connecting Shenandoah, Iowa, with Scottsbluff and linking Fort Robinson with Council Bluffs, Iowa. Some of the 1,000-mile trail will run parallel to Interstate 80 and U.S. Highway 20. Other segments will thread through established hiking and biking trails. The plan is to construct and affix nesting boxes on 100 miles of trail each year. Among the trails slated to be started this year in Nebraska are the Steamboat Trace Hiking and Biking Trail between Peru and Nebraska City, the Cowboy and Nature Trail between Neligh and Norfolk, and the MoPac Hiking and Biking Trail between Lincoln and Elmwood. The remainder of the 100 miles of arterial trail will be developed on public and private lands in counties along the 1-80 corridor between Grand Island and North Platte. Staking 500 nesting boxes a year for ten years may seem a lofty goal, but participants in the venture will range from landowners to 4-H groups to patients at the Norfolk Regional Center. Julie Beutler of rural Meadow Grove and Madison County Coordinator said she is giving landowners who abut the Cowboy and Nature Trail first opportunity in monitoring boxes. Beutler has also interested her husband in the venture. William Beutler, who is activity manager at the Norfolk Regional Center, will coordinate a staff-supervised activity of 12 patients in the horticulture class monitoring a scenic segment along the Elkhorn River. So far, Wright, a Nemaha County Coordinator, has lined up the Highland 4-H Club of Nemaha County to monitor a segment of the Steamboat Trace Hiking and Biking Trail. He also plans to fan interest in other 4-H and Scout troops. The future now looks bright for the bluebird. As strings of mini bluebird motels pop up across the state and beyond, it is not difficult to imagine the population burgeoning. In fact, the population may spike as sharply as the stock market on a good day. But, in this case, the numbers will be built on a solid foundation of nesting boxes.
-- Bill Seibert What Is Bluebirding? This is a hard question to answer. Some would answer that bluebirding is monitoring a bluebird trail. They would no doubt take time to tell you how important it is to monitor the boxes on a frequent basis. They would also tell of the trials and tribulations of walking the trail through heat and cold, as well as the joys of new nests and the sorrows of lost babies. For other people bluebirding is building nesting boxes. They would tell you of the number of bluebird boxes they produce each year, how many of each type were made and where the wood came from. Things like new jigs and new designs are high on their list of priorities. There are bluebirders whose talents lend them to the business end of bluebirding like writing newsletters, record keeping, fund raising and other organizational skills. Others find great joy in educating people and spreading the word about bluebirds. Bluebirding is different things to different people. In my description, bluebirding is the culmination of many talents and the dedication of many volunteers working as a group with the common goal of the survival of bluebirds. This certainly fits the description of Bluebirds Across Nebraska. I hope all of you realize how fortunate we are to have so many dedicated bluebirders in our organization. We should all appreciate the different talents each one of us brings to the group. Without our combined efforts, BAN would certainly not be the great organization it has become and, more importantly, our common goal of the survival of bluebirds would not be a reality.
A special thanks to everyone attending the Bluebirds Across Nebraska 2000 conference. We are sure everyone learned something from our very interesting speakers as well as meeting many fellow bluebirders. Many thanks to all who pitched in setting up, donating towards our raffle and auction, bringing the many varied treats, bringing a friend, buying raffle tickets, bidding on the many special articles at the auction, and cleaning up after the conference. We could not have done it without your help. We want to thank the speakers, Keith Radel, Terry Anne Suchma, Dean Sheldon, Vince Yannone, and Chris Geiger. There was a wealth of information presented by these very talented presenters. Congratulations to Gene Gaddie for being recognized as BAN's Bluebirder of the Year. Thanks to Mary Harding of the Nebraska Environmental Trust for coming to the conference to formally present BAN with the $14,820 grant it was awarded which will be used to establish the Trans-Nebraska Bluebird Trail over the next three years. And last but not least, thanks to Bill Seibert who did a great job as MC and Ted Rethmeier who once again made the annual auction a fun and successful event. It was also nice that Big Blue was able to stop by our conference again this year. We all can be very proud of our organization! Thanks again from the 2000 conference hosts Elva & Leland Osten. A very special thanks goes out to Elva & Leland for all the behind-the-scenes work and "detail handling" they did to make this year's conference the entertaining and educational day that it was. Leland has been BAN's "conference photographer" for many years and on top of everything else he was handling that day, he managed to get some pictures of the conference that we'll share in the next newsletter.
by Charles Gardner, Research Committee Chair On Feb. 20, a substantial number of Bluebird nesting boxes were distributed to County Coordinators at a meeting held at Mahoney State Park. At that meeting we displayed two new nest boxes and discussed research proposals that we felt would provide valuable information on the Bluebirds' preference for nest box types. To accomplish our goals we would greatly appreciate cooperation of County Coordinators and trail monitors in each county who have paired boxes that fit into the research proposed. There has always been a great interest in nest box design for the Bluebird Recovery Program and in determining which nest boxes are preferred by Bluebirds and which are less likely to attract other cavity-nesters, especially competitor species, House Sparrows, Wrens, and Tree Swallows. The new nest boxes, Gilwood and Bitner, are thought to have advantages over older ones. Steve Gilbertson developed the Gilwood box. The Bitner box is thought to be resistant to Tree Swallow entry. Such a box might be especially valuable on trails where Tree Swallows are thought to interfere with Bluebird nesting. Three research studies have been proposed to evaluate Bluebird nesting box preference and to assess reaction of other cavity-nesting birds to the different boxes, especially the new Bitner box.
They are:
2. Bluebird preference for Peterson vs, Troyer boxes.
3. Testing the new Bitner box designed to resist Tree Swallow occupation. We have very limited information on the Bitner box and results obtained by its creator. We presume that Bluebirds have been known to use the box. If the experiment is set up pairing the Bitner box with another (Peterson, Gilbertson, Troyer, Gilwood, etc.) and Tree Swallows do not use the Bitner box, this would not prove resistance to Tree Swallow entry. They may simply prefer the other box and are aggressive enough to occupy it. If non-pairing is used and none of the Bitner boxes are used by Tree Swallows but are used by Bluebirds, this would be strong evidence for use of the Bitner box in regions with high Tree Swallow populations. With the number of Bitner boxes distributed, we should be able to get some useful information. Since Bluebirds are of primary interest, it would be best if nesting box pairs in Experiments 1 & 2 are placed on trails with known high Bluebird populations and minimum Tree Swallow interference. However this may not be realistic. Unfortunately, Tree Swallows could bias the results, especially if they have a preference for one of the two boxes. Tree Swallows, being the more aggressive species could force Bluebirds into taking their second choice unless the Bluebirds get to the area first and are aggressive enough to keep tree swallows out. The trails would need to be monitored at least once a week, and precise records of what was observed in each nesting box each week would need to be recorded. This should provide the data base needed to draw valid conclusions concerning Bluebird preferences for nesting boxes. One year's data should provide fairly conclusive evidence; however, data collected over two years is recommended. In Nebraska, every year is different with respect to environmental factors. We welcome the participation of all bluebird trail monitors who are willing to provide weekly monitoring reports from their trails for our records. A reporting form will be distributed to all who indicate an interest in being involved in these nest box experiments. The more box pairs involved in the experiments, the stronger the conclusions that can be drawn from any statistical analysis of data collected.
Tips For Healthy Bird Feeding Bird feeding provides year-round enjoyment to millions of people. Attracting birds to our yards with food and water gives us a satisfying sense of connection with nature and it makes us feel good about ourselves. When proper feeding methods are followed, both humans and birds derive benefits from feeders. However, recent research on the impact of bird feeding has shown that feeders can sometimes be a source of disease for the birds visiting them. When we decide to attract birds to our yards we must also accept the responsibility of maintaining a healthy environment for the birds. We must keep our feeding stations clean and provide fresh food and water, while eliminating the possibility of transmission of sickness or disease. Here are some useful tips and techniques for maximizing your bird feeding enjoyment while minimizing the risk of spreading diseases among the birds. Give the birds space. If your feeding station is crowded with birds, spread the feeders out or add additional feeders. Large numbers of birds in a small space is conducive to spreading disease. Clean up waste. Keep the ground under and around your feeders clean of waste food and droppings. A rake and shovel are good, but a shop vac will help even more. Occasionally, move your feeders to allow the ground to rejuvenate and to prevent any buildup of infectious organisms. Clean hulls off platform feeders and feeder trays every few days. During wet or very humid weather, it may be necessary to complete this task daily. Routinely give your bird feeders a good cleaning. Disassemble tube feeders as much as possible and soak them for several hours in hot, dish-soapy water. Use a brush to clean away any remaining residue. Wood feeders can be cleaned with soapy water and a stiff brush. Disinfect feeders with a 1:10 solution of household bleach and water. Rinse them well and allow them to dry completely before adding seed. Use good food. Discard food that smells musty, is wet, looks moldy or has fungus growing on it. Use a good quality of seed without fillers like wheat, oats or other grain products. Songbirds do not eat these things and they will simply drop to the ground where they can become moldy. Make feeders safe. Use feeders without sharp points or edges. Even small scratches allow bacteria and viruses to infect otherwise healthy birds. Don't place a birdbath under or too close to a feeder where seed, hulls or droppings can fall into it. Add fresh water daily to the bird bath. Rinse and scrub birdbaths whenever they become fouled with bird droppings. Scrubbing the birdbath often eliminates a build-up of algae. Once a month, scrub out with a light bleach solution, rinse thoroughly and refill. Spread the word. Give your neighbors who feed birds a copy of this information and encourage them to follow the same precautions. Birds normally move among feeders and can spread diseases as they go. (Besides being in charge of BAN membership and the Statewide Directory, Sandy Seibert is the owner of Backyard Birds, Inc., 2437 South 132nd Street, Omaha, Nebraska. Her knowledge about birds and bird feeding goes beyond bluebirds and mealworms. If you have any questions about birding in general, Sandy would be glad to help).
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