Psalm 84:3 – “Even the sparrow has found a home and the swallow a nest for herself where she may have her young – a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God.” NIV
Spring is here and there is no better proof than the signs of nest-building and egg-laying in our twelve nestboxes that make up our Bluebird Nestbox Trail. What a gift to see God’s creation in such a simple and intimate way! Our feathered friends have already been busy building their nests inside their “homes” and our volunteer monitors have a close-up view of this journey from nest-building to egg-laying all the way to seeing birds fledge from their nests.
As nestbox monitors, we are beginning our visits to collect information on these cavity nesters; our resident Eastern Bluebirds, as well as Tree Swallows that migrate from the tropics to TN, for their breeding season. This information is entered into nestwatch.org, a program available through The Cornell Lab, which follows bird migration and population trends all over the world. Franklin First has participated in this program for seven years.
Our Nestbox Monitoring Team is looking for a couple of people or families who would like to learn how to gather this information. This simple training requires a free brief online course, along with certification quiz. As a new Nestbox Monitor, you will practice making quick, discreet visits to a nestbox or two with an experienced monitor before proceeding on your own. Visits to the nestboxes range from once or twice a week, ideally from late March through late July. Any summer travel can be easily accommodated by other team members. If interested in more info., email Kay Matthews at kaylm@bellsouth.net or Helen DeBuse at hdebuse@bellsouth.net.