Checking Nestboxes

We went for a hike today and checked the bluebird nestboxes while we were out. It's not nesting season, which is in the spring, but it's good to get in the habit of checking them. We try to make the rounds about every two weeks. Even though the bluebirds aren't nesting, other bird species or animals may decide to use the boxes and it's worth checking them.

I've posted about the bluebird nestboxes before. They're built so that you can easily open a door and look inside. At some point, hopefully, we'll find a nest inside and be able to count any eggs.

All eight boxes were empty, but some appeared to have been visited. One had bird droppings in it. Several showed signs of occupancy because the wood shavings at the bottom were concave and piled up around the edges. You can see the concavity in this photo.

Our nestbox trail goes by our neighbor's corrals and one of their horses came over to see what we were doing. Unfortunately, we didn't have any carrots or apples for him, but he was quite friendly. We'll  have to remember to bring a treat next time.