In mid April of 2021, middle school shop students built and put up twenty two nest boxes around the Methow Valley school grounds. That first nesting season, the nest boxes in the open areas near the school garden were successfully used by Western Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, and House Wrens. The nest boxes in the surrounding forest areas went largely unused with no active nests seen.
The spring and summer of 2022 tells a different story. The nest boxes in the forest were discovered! By the end of April, one box had a White-Breasted Nuthatch sitting on 5 eggs, four boxes had active Pygmy Nuthatch nests, and four more had active Mountain Chickadee nests. The wooded school grounds were thinned several years ago for fire protection with many of the natural nesting sites for cavity nesting birds removed. This spring it appeared that these secondary cavity nesting birds were hungry for nest sites and it was a joy to see them make use of the boxes.
House Wrens were busy in both wooded and open areas placing twigs in numerous nest boxes. They eventually claimed four boxes. Western Bluebirds and Tree Swallows once again each chose a nest box near the school garden and were quite tolerant of nearby human activity. The White-breasted Nuthatches were feeding 5 young by mid-May and they all fledged successfully by the end of May.
June was a busy month with the Pygmy Nuthatches and Mountain Chickadees fledging many young from their boxes.
The Western Bluebirds fledged their first brood by late June, with the Tree swallows fledging in early July. The bluebirds returned (presumably the same pair) and built another nest in an adjacent nest box. They were once again feeding young by late July. Fortunately the brood survived 100+ degree weather and successfully fledged just a week ago.
Summer day camps were held at the school garden and it was fun for the children to see the different types of nests built by the different species. A highlight is always watching young faces light up at the sight of baby birds in a nest box. It was a productive season for the Methow Valley school grounds with nearly 80 young birds flying out of boxes into the world!
