Nest Box City

Here at West Campus we have a variety of nest boxes scattered throughout the landscape. You've recently read about our new Kestrel box - but sadly, we did not see the Kestrels this week at all - maybe next year.


Lynn checking nest box #6

For the small boxes, we've set up a monitoring route. Lynn and I cover one end of campus, Tom checks the boxes at the other end. Our thirteen boxes include those with specifications for Eastern Bluebird, House Wren, Black-capped Chickadee, Tree Swallow, and the big Kestrel box.


nest box #7 - stuffed full of House Sparrow nesting material

Many years ago Tree Swallows nested here, and the nestlings were banded by Connecticut Audubon volunteers. We haven't yet seen bluebirds on campus, so it would would be very exciting to find them this spring. House Wrens actively used a few of the next boxes last year, and we're hoping to attract a few chickadees also.

Bird list for the week of April 25 to 29:

Wild Turkey
Canada Goose
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Great Blue Heron - flyover
Killdeer
Herring Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Mourning Dove
Rock Pigeon

Downy Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
American Crow
Fish Crow
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch - should be heading north before too long

American Robin
Grey Catbird - returning to nest here
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
House Wren - returning to nest here
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - likely to nest here
Black-and-White Warbler - likely to nest here
Black-throated Green Warbler, Dendroica virens - is this a gorgeous bird, or what?!? - new for West Campus
Yellow Warbler - common nester here
Northern Parula - not sure whether this species will stay to nest

Blue-winged Warbler, Vermivora cyanoptera - Tom saw this one while out with a group of first graders, and I just realized it's the first time we've recorded it here at West Campus
Eastern Towhee - could nest here
Northern Cardinal
Song Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco - should be heading north before too long
American Goldfinch
House Finch

Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Sparrow

A big 44 species for the week - we love spring migration!