BIRD WATCHERS--GOLF COURSE
Update: 6/30/10
Happily, our first bluebird breeding session for 2010 has successfully fledged a total of 22 new bluebirds. This is a substantial increase from three in 2009.
Preparatory to the second breeding session, our Bluebird Monitors removed the old nests and cleaned the boxes. Three boxes with new nests and eggs are now being monitored. We are hopeful that these nestings will substantially increase our successful fledging count for 2010. Our Birdwatcher's club thanks the monitors, the Golf Course Committee, the golfers, as well as our maintenance staff for their cooperation and support that makes this program possible.
Sadly, it has been reported that bluebird box #9, located near the 18th green, once again has been the object of some unknown person's tampering.
· The first time, about a month ago, our monitors found the box with its door unlatched and wide open. The stapled sticker, requesting people not to open the box because of bluebird nesting activities were in progress, was ripped off and thrown on the ground. Fortunately the mother bluebird continued to use the box and subsequently fledged a brood of 6 new birds.
· Last week, somebody loosened and pushed over the mounting post of box #9, leaving the box leaning at an angle. The box was again left box open.
Fortunately, this act occurred one week after the bluebirds had successfully fledged. The attached photo of the Box #9 nestlings was taken a few days prior to their fledging.To avoid further problems, this box has now been moved into a nearby tree. Please watch for nest tampering and report immediately - thanks
Up-date: 3/10/10
Several more changes have been made to our golf course bluebird box trail; such as:
· To increase our nesting opportunities, we purchased five new additional front-opening boxes from the Southern California Bluebird Club (SCBC). They will be easier to clean.
· Five new front-opening boxes were made by Woodchuck-Birdwatcher Club member Dick Cook to replace the bottom-opening design we used in 2009. These boxes can be mounted either on a pole, or on a tree. I am in the process of painting them brown and placing their identifying numbers prior to their installation.
· We now have the flexibility of both pole-mounting and hanging boxes on trees. With the input of Skip Hayden of the Golf Course Committee, the following is the current configuration of our bluebird boxes:
1. Five boxes hung in trees on the front nine
2. Five boxes mounted on existing poles in the back nine.
We have been advised Bluebirds have been actively surveying some of our boxes. We expect activities to begin in April.
The Fourth tee Red-tailed Hawks have been seen by many birder golfers carrying twigs and nesting material to their nest in the same tree. This will be their fourth nesting. During the three previous years, these Hawks have successfully fledged 2 chicks annually. So, our total now is 6 chicks.
Up-Date: 7/19/09
In preparation for the 2010 bluebird season, Skip Hayden from the Golf Committee and Andy Truban selected new locations for several boxes that lacked bluebird nestings activity this year.
Our landscapers early in the week put in four new poles; so, on Friday we were able to move two of the unused boxes as well as reorient the box that was getting wet by the hidden sprinkler head.
Box #2 was relocated next to the 14th green, where a lot bluebird activity has been reported this year.
Box #4 was relocated near the 6th green to an area that had more nearby trees than its previous location.
Box #3 was rotated on its pole so it now faces away from the sprinkler head.
Two new poles are now in place on the course in anticipation of adding two additional boxes early next year. The Woodchucks have agreed to build them, if we provide the materials. One pole is located near the 18th green, while the other in near the 16th green, near the new grass nursery.
Our Bluebird Golf Course Program got off to a good start in 2009. We anticipate that next year our program will be even better, since our boxes are in already in place and we will have two additional nest boxes.
Andy Truban
Update: 7/14/09
Unless you are a Club-assigned monitor, please do not approach or touch the boxes.
In my recent letter to our club members, I noted the absence of new nests in all our bluebird boxes, which indicates our nest monitoring activities are probably over for this year. I also described our planned changes in location and orientation of some of our existing inactive boxes as well as our plans to add two new boxes next year.
I realize, and am sorry, that many of our members did not have the opportunity to monitor an active box since there were only two active ones this year. With the relocations, additional boxes, and the fact that the boxes will be in place earlier than they were this year, I expect that we will all be busy next year.
The success of this year's program is a step forward to having our golf course being certified as a "Cooperative Sanctuary" for wildlife by Audubon International. According to Audubon, "achieving this certification demonstrates leadership, commitment and high standards of environmental management."
Andy Truban
Update: 5/30/09
Our nest observers, Pala' and Bill Carden, have been continuously monitoring our Red-tailed Hawk nest located above the fourth tee of our golf course.
Today Pala's excellent photos confirm this nest has produced another young Red-tailed Hawk.
The
young bird can be clearly seen next to its parent.
This is the fourth year in a row that this nest has successfully produced hawk offspring, most likely by the same parents.
Thank you Cardens!
Many people in the community have made possible this series of successful nestings. First, thank-you to the OHCC landscapers for their full cooperation in refrained from trimming the nest tree, or disturbing the birds during their crucial nesting. Another thank-you to all the golfers as well as to nearby home owners. It shows what a community can do promote wildlife in our community.
Andy Truban
Update: 5/26/09
BLUEBIRDS: As you know in early March five bluebird boxes were installed on the course by Skip, Tom Hogan, Glenn Foreman and myself. Two boxes are located on the front nine and three are on the back nine. I wrote a bluebird monitoring manual and trained ten Birdwatcher Club volunteers to monitor and maintain these boxes. We have five two-person teams. It is very important that only trained monitors lift the lids of these boxes since the birds could be scared off during critical times. All other curious persons must refrain from doing it and wait for the photos we publishing for the community through the Observer and the Village Voice.
Nest building in box #1 started shortly after its installation. Five eggs were laid there resulting in five hatchlings. We keep written records of incubation period, and monitor the hatchlings being constantly feed by their parents. When the hatchlings have grown their wing feathers and gain the strength needed to fledge (leave the nest) they laboriously fly to a nearby tree under the parents vigilant eye. The male bluebird continues feeding the fledglings while teaching them how to get their own food for about two more weeks. During this period the female will build another nest, usually on top of the old one, while the male feeds the fledged birds.
There is a period of time when we have to avoid frightening the nestlings causing them leave the nest prematurely. To avoid this, there is a short hiatus in monitoring during the last week when the nests are left alone. When monitoring resumed on box #1, unfortunately four dead nestling were found in the box - all appearing to be asleep without any sign of struggle which suggests that the parents may just have stopped feeding them for whatever reason. One bird seems to have survived.
The box was then cleaned and is ready for another nesting. The good news is box #3 is being occupied by a nesting pair. Bluebirds produce approximately three nestings each year; so it is likely the parents from box #1 are using it. Five eggs have been laid, and the mother is now incubating them. Hatching is expected in early June.
None of the remaining three bluebird boxes have any nesting activity despite many bluebird sightings around them. This leads me to conclude the boxes are not properly placed. There are three possible reasons or a combination of circumstances involved. First, the boxes may be too close to each other. Bluebirds like at least 100 yards separation between boxes. Box placement was done to minimize interference with golfers. Second, the entry hole is pointed the wrong way. Bluebirds do not like wind blowing into the hole. Third, the boxes are not located close enough to a perching tree. When bluebirds first leave the nest they can't fly very far so there must be a nearby tree to perch on. We will probably have to relocate the three boxes some time.
RED-TAILED HAWKS: Four years ago, a pair of hawks built a nest in a tree by the fourth tee, and since then, they have produced two young offsprings every year. It looks like presently there are young birds in the nest again this year judging from the parents frequent trips back and forth to the tree. We can't verify this directly since tree limbs and leaves obscure the nest. Based on the time these activities started the young birds should be ready to fly soon. We have had excellent cooperation from the OHCC landscapers. They have not trimmed the tree or disturbed the nest during the nesting period all these years. If successful, this will be the fourth fledging of these golf course Red-tailed Hawks.
Andy Truban
2/23/2009
The Western Bluebird houses made by the WOODCHUCKS are now installed on the Course.. 2 located left fairway #4 and back of #4 green......3 are located (100 yds apart)right side #11 fairway and above #12 tee and #14 fairway.
Andy Truban and Skip Hayden with their battery-powered drills and, using a big golf cart donated by Glen Dow, installed them Fri. 2/20 on poles donated by Supt. Glen Foreman.
All birdhouses will now be monitored by our OHCC Bird club to follow nesting etc.....This is a combined BIRD/GOLF COMMITTEE PROJECT and one of many listed projects by the AUDUBON Society to make our OHCC GOLF COURSE a "COOPERATIVE SANCTUARY" OF THE U.S.Golf Assn.
This is a First for OHCC Golf and we should all be proud of the efforts of all involved.
Sincerely .
Skip Hayden
Chair
OHCC Golf Course Committee
