The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

wp 22 ~ Scugog Citizen -- Tuesday, February 18, 1992 First Bluebird is harbinger of spring for Ken The Robin is considered by most people to be the harbinger of spring, but for me, spring doesn't really arrive until I have seen my first Bluebird. A member of the Thrush family, the Bluebird migrates from South Carolina and Virginia into southem Ontario during the first two weeks of People often ask me where to go 10 see a Bluebird in Durham Region, saying they have not seen one for years. My answer is that | see them every year on the 7th Concession of Uxbridge Township, south of Durham Rd. 21. For the ten years, one of (wo pair of these birds have been The population of the Eastern Bluebird has been declining. The once-common sightings of Bluebirds along wooden fence posts in open country has now become a rare experience. The population decline can be attributed 1 a vanety of factors including urban sprawl, loss of nesting sights and oxic pesu- aides. I am concerned about the future (On Harvest Moon For the Toung \ Heart y Joe Mahoney - MARGARET WHAT YOU ~ ARE LOOKING AT 15 veo HINGS ATMEL Te YOU HEAR WHEN A, ) YoU DON'T (oF: [TITLE AS To Place Your Service Directory Ad in the Scugog Citizen of the Bluebird because natural nest- ing areas arc steadily on the decrease. | hope by giving readers mnformation about the Bluebird sin ation and possible solutions, we may help this species 10 survive. Included this week, is a Bluebird nesting box (see diagram) in the hopes that some - boxes. Last year, Mr. Bob Almac put up Bluebird houses on his property near the West Quarter Line in old Cartwright Township. Early in May he phoned me the good news that a pair of Bluebirds was nesting in one of the I truly hope that some of my readers will get involved mn a Blueburd project this year. Together, we can make a difference. And | hope to hear from you in the spring 10 discuss the results of your labours. At this ume, | readers will build some and place them in a suitable ken carmichael location near their| homes. Bluebird bo: nature corner should be positioned on fence posts or trees about five feet from the ground. The area you select should be mn uncultivated fields, free from pesucides. And | try 0 avosd bushy ar wooded areas. Keep the boxes as far as possible from the house or barn so that House Sparrows will not be able 0 intrude. Eastern Bluebird breeding range includes all States and Provinces cast of the Rockies (except ). Physically, they are slightly larg- er than a sparrow or about 5.5 inches high. In the male, the head, wings and tail are very blue, with the throat, sides and breast a rusty red. The belly is white The diet 1s mostly insects with grasshoppers being the favourite food. Wild bermes are eaten in late summer and fall Courtship of the females begins by the males showing selected nest sites and offering food. Females accept the food and inspect the nest sites. Usually within a few days, the females start 10 build the nests. From three to five blue eggs without markings are laid in a nest of dry grass. The incubation period is usually 14 days. And once the eggs are hatched, the young are fed by both parents every five minutes. The young stay on the nest for 15-18 days, when they cave and fly about for some ten days. Bluebirds usually raise two broods cach year. The next two weeks were exciting for Bob and! myself as we spent many happy hours observing these beautiful If you need any advice on where 0 place the boxes on your property, get in uch with Bob or myself and we'll give you the best advice possi- ble jwant (0 thank the people who called me re. starting a "Naturalist Club. | will be 1n touch "Awith you before the end of the If any readers are interested in jowing, please give me a call at 986-0809 (Ken Carmichael is a Scugog Township resident with an avid interes in burd waiching and the natural ern ronmerd. He is a noted wildlife photog. rapher and has captwed on fim more than 400 species of North American birds His column, Nature Corner. appears monthly in the Scugog Citizen ) BNA n* SERVICE DIRECTORY [00] {Ton (oF [0 OF 1 oT=1) | (= REGIONAL RD. 8 Reach Industrial Park G. Copithorn 985-8877 : * KITCHENS * RENOVATIONS E [Ae {gle] Bl | voueorrces + saseues ALLEN'S SIDING * CUSTOM HOMES * ADDITIONS * WINDOWS - Vinyl & Aluminum KEN P MURRAY * DESIGN SERVICE * BATHROOMS * PATIO DOORS J0 Lo.|| | RepLacemENT winbows & DOORS * FLORIDA ROOMS "SINGE 1960" Call John Lucyk Today ... * SIDING - Vinyl, Aluminum & Steel RESIDENTIAL ® INDUSTRIAL * SOFFIT - Vinyl & Aluminum COMMERCIAL i * EAVESTROUGH - Aluminum & Steel POLE LINE CONSTRUCTION LUCYK. Low Country Overheed - High Volume - Lowes! Prices SUPPLY ONLY - or - INSTALLATION PT. PERRY RENOVATIONS LTD. 985-705 Ontario Profesional Port Perry 985-8569 aio 9 985.3333 705) 878.2023 L OURHAM RD § J) Renovators Association. Oshawa 434-0517 REACH INDUSTRIAL PARK 328-1402 SCHILDT MACHINING LTD. ABBEY 'we're here for all your MACHINING NEEDS CUSTOM CAB JINETS manufacturers of Entertainment Units - Decks TOOLS, DIES, FIXTURES OLENN ABBEY ©88-8272 & all Equipment Repairs (big or small) SHARCON EXCAVATING Ros SePIc Systems Septic Systems Lot Gradi S10 Trucking and Trucking Steve Jones (416) 985-9805 Russ Jones (705) 357-2730 TF, CONSTRUCTION PAINTING * DRYWALL WALLPAPERING TAPING Free Estimates (416) 985-3490 TIM PELYK n