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Bird House Work
FAR Monitoring Plan
Information provided by Stew Sanders, Februry 3, 2006


volunteers sought
Call: 617 489-3120

Hi folks

For those with zone maps, please note there is a box in 25 and a double box in 20. For clarity fill in the circle for "animal hideouts" in 3, the right side of 32, and the key.

You may be able to see the red phase Screech Owl using the large box at the edge of the uplands, 6. From my experience elsewhere, at dusk, a screech owl appears in the entrance hole for about 20 minutes before flying.

In the table below, there are additions as follows: based on my records from other locations, times to listen for screech owls to determine if they are courting; some maintenance dates have been changed from Feb. to March; there is a kestrel/screech owl box I had not previously noticed in the Wyeth parcel.

There is activity near and probably into the rabbit hide. What is the larger track, a fisher, which was reported in the area, or a cat? Does the hide offer shelter to a rabbit? Visit a day or 2 after fresh snow. Bring an animal tracks book.

Stew


proposed monitor activity

imposters

predators

maintenance

structure/repair/location zone #

species by

cleaned

found; record number 1

nr. 2

 

 

 

 

 

design and/or use

 

 

 

weekly May-June

 

blackants

Mar. clean(bd)

ok--------orch south

carolnawren/chcdee

Feb.,04

moss nest, lined, 3 eggs whole, 1 shell,'03

start of nest, pine needles and dirt; some chewing around entrance

weekly May-June

 

wasps

Mar. clean(ck)

ok--------orch north

chickadee

Feb.,04

3 tubes of pipe organ wasps, mud dauber

 

twice a month, April-May

 

 

are there plenty of worms

orchard

Robin

 

 

 

twice a month, May-June

 

 

sufficient mud worms

Blair Pond area

Killdeer

 

 

 

weekly April -June

squirrels

 

Marclean(2dgk) add perch

s.e. of beginning of Little River

flicker

Mar.'04

squirrel nest and squirrel

 

weekly June

 

 

 

 

SongSprw

 

 

 

occasional, June, listen

 

 

 

Blair Pond area

Am. Toad

 

 

 

weekly April - May

squirrel

 

Mar., clean (2bcdefl)

6

screech owl

Mar.'04

animal and bird remains

 

weekly April - May

squirrel

 

Mar. clean(2bhidefkl)

15, add nail to roof

kestrel

Mar.'04

slight hollow in shavings, spiders

 

monthly

 

 

October

cut upper face of slope

kingfisher

 

 

 

warm weather

 

 

 

 

snakes

 

 

 

March and April,twilight

 

 

maintain open area

 

Woodcock

 

 

 

early summer

 

 

sandy area

 

Snpng Turtle

 

 

 

winter; tracks in snow

 

 

add brush on top

orchard, near Wellington Brook

cottontail

 

2/1 tracks: rabbit adjacent plus unidentified

 

visit area in June weekly

 

 

divert trails away

2005 nest - C

p. 101-5 in H

 

 

 

weekly April - June

 

 

Nov cleaned (h)

check 4 drain holes  Claypit P.

Rough-w Sw

Nov.'03

 

 

every 2 wks mid Feb.-May *

 

 

Mar.clean(bcdl)

Jul clean-Perch P

screech owl

Mar.'04

leaves like squirrel's work

 

 

 

 

 

March select site and put up

double Tree Swallw

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March select site and put up

double Tree Swallw

 

 

 

 

mouse

 

Mar. clean (acijm)

add metal tube on post- double n.e

mouse

 

fall: remove metal for winter use by mouse

 

weekly June

 

 

12/15 cleaned, Mar.  "

C  double  southwest

Bluebird

Dec., '05

12/5 dead skeletal remains, nest material

 

weekly June

house sp

 

Mar. clean (2bcdhij)

modified   Blair P.

Tree Swallw

Feb.,04

House Sparrow nest; reduced hole size

 

weekly June

 

 

Mar. clean (acijm)

add metal tube on post - zone 20

Tree Swallw/mouse

 

fall: remove metal for winter use by mouse

 

weekly June

 

 

Mar. clean     "

zone 20

Tree Swallw

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

gourds hanging, Wyeth property

P. Martins

 

 

 

check in May*

 

 

ask Wyeth Co.

zone 25 on 25' metal pole in woods

screech owl

 

 

 

twice in May

squirrels

 

Mar.open (bkl)

add entrance shield,trim branches

wood duck

Mar.,'04

3 squirrels, one bob-tailed in nest

 

visit area in June weekly

 

 

divert trails away

2005 nest - 3

p. 123 in H

 

 

 

summer, 2007

 

 

 

 

river otter - 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

preparation/equipment

2-2 people

a

putty knife, brush, mask,

gloves, collection bag

h

rubber boots

* times for listening for Screech Owls:

 

 

 

b

stepladder

 

i

sickle

Feb. mid. 5:30-6 p.m  end 5:45-6:15

 

 

 

c

brush cutters

 

j

hammer,nails

Mar. mid  6-6:30 p.m  end 7-8 a.m.

 

 

 

d

electric screwdriver

 

k

wood shavings

Apr. mid 7-7:30 p.m    end 6-7 p.m.

 

 

 

e

wrench set

 

l

mirror, light

May mid  8-9:30 p.m.

 

 

 

f

1/4" wrench

 

m

metal for post

20-30 min after sunset; 1 hr before sunrise

 

 

 

g

full length ladder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

resources

 

H

Complete Field Guide to

Nests, Headstrom, Richard, 1970

 

 

*see wildlife cards for incubation & fledging