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Magic Bluebird Box
- To: Birds <carolinabirds@duke.edu>
- Subject: Magic Bluebird Box
- From: Ric Carter <ricc@mindspring.com>
- Date: Sun, 29 Aug 1999 20:43:05 -0400
- Organization: NC Mason
- Reply-To: ricc@mindspring.com
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
This past spring, I dropped a note here about the first bluebird box at
our new home in Cleveland (between Garner and Clayton). I was very
excited that it was staked out by a pair of bluebirds in less than an hour.
They nested and successfully fledged 4 of their 5 eggs.
After a vacant 5 or 6 weeks, the box was filled again, this time with 4
of 4 eggs getting out successfully.
Today, CBC member Emily (11 years) ran from the yard to tell us that she
saw something peeking out of the box that didn't look like a bird. We
opened the top, saw some wiggling, grabbed a flashlight and looked
again. What we found was a flying squirrel with babies. The little ones
are hairless and mom stuck around while each of us took a peek.
This box carries excellent karma which can be readily credited to Hugh
and Liz Sterling of Washington, NC. Hugh loves to make the boxes. He and
Liz were founding members of The Bug House, an amateur (and accredited)
museum formed by kids in the 20s and 30s in Little Washington. I believe
they were charter members of CBC also, but I don't have the back issues
of The Chat here to check.
Anyway, Hugh and Liz continue to live on the north shore of the Pamlico,
doing more than their share of inspiring novices to pay attention to
birds. They helped pull me into Christmas counts and paying attention to
birds 20 years ago. I just talked to them, and they report they are
battened down for possible angry water across their back yard.
So, if you want a magic bluebird box, I suggest you start by talking to
Hugh. He's on Main Street in Washington since being born there during
the big storm (nameless hurricane) of 1912.
Ric Carter