SCBS Partners with ALC at Winthrop Polo Field by Jim Burke, President, South Carolina Bluebird Society February 7th was a sunny, blue sky day in Aik
SCBS Partners with ALC at Winthrop Polo Field
by Jim Burke, President, South Carolina Bluebird Society
February 7th was a sunny, blue sky day in Aiken when a new partnership was formed between Aiken Land Conservancy (ALC) and the South Carolina Bluebird Society (SCBS). What could be better, two organizations interested in preserving land and wildlife? While enjoying the sun and camaraderie, Katie Roth (ALC Executive Director) and seven members of SCBS installed eight bluebird nest boxes around the Winthrop Polo Field. Three of these nest boxes are mounted on tall telescoping poles attached to the backs of fence posts to protect them from being damaged by mowing. This setup is a new “invention” by Glen Hendry, an SCBS member, to keep the nest boxes safe and to not create a safety hazard for maintenance personnel or horses.
As we circled the field placing the nest boxes, an SCBS member related to Katie that sometimes when we place nest boxes, bluebirds often show up within a few minutes to check them out for a future nesting site. Katie was polite but skeptical, perhaps thinking she was just being told a tall tale. But sure enough, as we returned to the starting point, a bluebird was perched on top of the first box we had placed not 45 minutes earlier, leaving Katie smiling. ALC member Tony Spence will monitor the Winthrop trail weekly from March –August.
Since its founding in October 2010, SCBS has established 54 bluebird trails consisting of 571 nest boxes in Aiken County. Additional information about SCBS can be found here..
Front row: Terry McGrath, Gale Hendry, Marty Foss
Back row: Jim Burke, Glen Hendry, Ron Brenneman, Bill Foss
