What’s new

Reminder - House Wrens (HOWR) should be returning to our area soon (if not already back). If they want a nestbox, they will peck the eggs that are already inside. Here is info from Sialis on Wren guards and a photo from Nancy Fraim of Bluebird eggs pecked by HOWR. http://www.sialis.org/wrens.htm

Go to this site then click on each bird to hear its song. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/.../bird_songs.../index.html

Don’t miss This excellent presentation by John Rogers!

Audubon events are great ways to meet people and help birds and the places they need. Register today.

Here is a lovely video capture of this handsome male Eastern Bluebird calling for a mate. Notice bluebirds do not open their beaks to sing—their sweet warbles come gently through their throats. Recorded just this morning (April 5, 2021) in
Woodbury, CT, by Victoria Foulke. Click on the hyperlink below or tap on tbe photo to open this YouTube video. Enjoy!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NFTrJlH8H_E&feature=youtu.be

General information on how to attract nesting bluebirds and other small cavity nesters, including distinguishing nests and eggs, heat, dealing with house sparrows, house wrens, nestboxes, etc.

Beautiful. An Asian paradise flycatcher feeds its chick near a saltwater lake in Kallar Kahar, Pakistan. Photo by Zahoor Ahmed http://on.natgeo.com/1445aOW

Strange Encounters from Jim! 🤣

Strange Encounters on the Bluebird Trail

Box 22 at the North Country Golf Course in Champlain, NY contained a small and cute gray tree frog. He was - I suspect - hiding out here as a safe refuge in the daytime. There is a small pond about 150 yards away from this box.

In the same box, in a kind of shell glued to the side wall of this box is a mystery green worm looking creature. If anyone has any ideas on what it could be - please let me know.

Eastern Bluebirds over the last month here in the Adirondacks, Mayfield NY

Congratulations to Dr. Heather Williams of SUNY Buffalo!

The NYSBS helps to sponsor various grants along with NABS (North American Bluebird Society). This year's winner, Dr. Heather Williams, will be working on the project described below. Thank you for your dedication and hard work Dr. Williams!

Purple Martins First Flight (report by Jim Engelbrecht)

2021 Research Project at Iroquois National Wildlife Center (Basom, NY)

Dr. Heather Williams of SUNY Buffalo will be undertaking a project this summer that tracks juvenile Purple Martin nestlings after fledging by using tag transmitters. The birds being outfitted with the transmitters will have an assessment made using measurements of their body condition including nest box video analysis of their feeding rates. Nestling body condition in prior studies with nesting barn swallows was a strong predictor of survival at the post-fledge stage, and this study will provide evidence if this is the case for Purple Martins. Also of importance is the tracking of the localized movement of purple martin fledglings around the breeding ground prior to their start of migration.

Purple martins are experiencing regional population declines and finding out more about the highest mortality rate in their life cycle may provide some clues on helping in the conservation of the species. The NYSBS will partially fund this study and we expect to receive a report on the outcome of this study by the end of 2022. Those wanting more information about this study can go to the NYSBS website – nysbs.org where more details of the original grant request can be accessed (see News on the Home Page). ... See more