Colorado Bluebird Project
OUR MISSION
To improve the vitality of bluebird populations throughout the State of Colorado, and to inform and educate the public about bluebirds.
OUR GOALS
We Work To:
- Recruit volunteers to monitor trails that are currently unattended
- Encourage groups and individuals alike to install and monitor new nestbox trails in suitable habitat throughout Colorado
- Encourage monitors to record their observations in the NestWatch system at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Encourage ‘networking’ among enthusiasts of bluebirds and all birds that use nestboxes all across Colorado
- Encourage bluebird enthusiasts to join the North American Bluebird Society
- Provide low-cost nestboxes to anyone wishing to install them in suitable habitat and monitor them. Both kits and constructed boxes are available
- Provide education and access to information to anyone interested in learning about bluebirds and other nestbox users
- Provide a warm welcome to anyone who wants to help further the goals of the Project
OUR FUNCTIONS
Here’s How We Are Meeting Our Goals:
- We provide a matching service between people who want to help monitor nestboxes, and nestbox trail managers who are looking for help. If you are in either category just send an email to bluebirdproject@denveraudubon.org and we’ll get the process rolling.
- We provide a moderated Google Group, “Bluebird-Babble,” where you can share experiences, observations, problems, questions… anything about bluebirds and other nestbox-users. Everyone who subscribes can post comments and questions for everybody else to see. If you want to join just send an email to bluebird-babble+subscribe@googlegroups.com You don’t need to enter anything in the Subject or the body. You’ll get an email reply message that asks you to either reply to that message or click on the block that says “join this group”. Simply hit your email ‘reply’ button and send it. You’ll then get a confirmation email that says you’re a member of the bluebird-babble group.
- We provide a Facebook Page where you can share photos as well as comments and questions about your observations, problems, etc.
- We deliver a free, one-hour Power-Point and video presentation anywhere in the state for any group interested in establishing a nestbox monitoring program, or just interested in learning more about bluebirds. The presentation covers basics of the birds’ natural history including: nest-building, incubation and fledgling cycles; predator and problem controls; and guidance for installing, monitoring and reporting results for a nestbox trail. We tailor it to your interest level.
- We construct nestboxes for sale to the public in either kit or pre-assembled form. Proceeds from the sales pay for materials to build more homes for bluebirds, and we support other Denver Audubon programs.
- We maintain this web page to provide information and access to more comprehensive links, the Project’s email, Facebook and Google Group addresses.
Please contact us at: bluebirdproject@denveraudubon.org with your comments and questions about the Project, nest box monitoring, or anything bluebirdy.
We strongly encourage all nest box monitors in Colorado to report your observations and results to the NestWatch system at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology by using the NestWatch app on your cell phone while you are at your nest boxes. The first benefit comes directly to you, because using their cell phone app to record your observations into NestWatch while you are standing at the nest box helps ensure your data is correct and doesn’t get lost or mixed up in the shuffle of paper records when you get home. It also makes it easier on you because you don’t have to write your observations down in the field then transcribe them into NestWatch on your home computer when you get home – it effectively cuts your workload in half. However, if you are more comfortable handwriting your field observations on a paper form then posting them into NestWatch when you get home, please continue to do it your way. Either way, your information is always available to you in NestWatch, in a consistent and easy to manage form. NestWatch provides you a suite of standard reports that allow you to look at your data in a variety of ways. Whether you use the cell phone app in the field or you do your data entry on a home computer, you can use either one to get information back about your nest boxes.
One of the biggest benefits is that your data becomes part of the world of information in NestWatch. Although your personal information is not visible to anybody else, the data from your nest records can be aggregated in many ways at many levels by folks who are managing or researching nest box data at group or state or region or species or even country-wide level. Your data makes a big difference at all those levels.
Just visit NestWatch.org to get started!
