In May, the Greater Princeton Branch of AYLUS (GPA) Environment Committee members continued the bluebird box watching project with Mercer County Park Commission.
The Eastern Bluebird is a formerly threatened bird species that has made a tremendous comeback because of the efforts of amateur conservationists throughout the United States. Mercer County Park Commission staff and volunteers aid the nesting of bluebirds and other native bird species by monitoring boxes for nesting attempts by non-native birds.
The Mercer County Park Commission has five bluebird box monitoring locations available. One is at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm/Princeton Country Club (Lawrence/Pennington), one at Mercer Oaks Golf Course (Hamilton/West Windsor), one is at Mountain View Golf Course (Ewing), and two at Mercer County Park (Hamilton/West Windsor). Monitoring is typically a once per week commitment from about March through July.
Amber Yu (5/18, 3 hrs): I visited the bluebird boxes at the Princeton Club. Two nests are empty because hatchlings have left. One of the bluebird families has a second brood. Four empty boxes now have newly built nests.
Kathy Yang (5/18, 3 hrs): I found another nest of Tree Sparrow full of eggs. One bluebird nest is empty because hatchings have left. Another nest is also empty with feathers only, predators, likely snakes, have eaten the babies!
