(Description: David and Jim standing outdoors with nesting boxes, hardware and materials.)
[David] Hey everybody. Naturalist, David Mizejewski, here. I am here with Jim Carpenter from Wild Birds Unlimited and today we’re going to be talking about installing a nesting box.
(Description: Music begins, then “Save the Song Birds – Certify Your Yard” and the National Wildlife Federation logo and Wild Birds Unlimited logo appear then fade. Icons of components required to Certify Your Yard appear: Food, Water, Cover, Places to Raise Young and Sustainable Practices appear on screen then fade.)
[Jim:] That’s right, David we’re so happy to be here.
[David:] Tell me about what you brought today. We’ve already got the base of the pole and this is the second part, right?
[Jim:] Right. So yeah, so we’ve got a pole here that is very sturdy and stays straight so when you put the house on it it’s not going to lean over.
[David:] So, this is all kind of pre-made and seats right in.
[Jim:] Yeah you didn’t see it, but there’s an auger and you just screw that in and put a stabilizer on it and you’re good to go.
[David:] And this metal pole just snaps right on top so it’s nice and sturdy you’ve already got this pre-screwed on there which is going to hold this thing. Now why don’t you tell us what this is all about.
[Jim:] Alright, so this is a raccoon baffle, which a lot of people think of putting it on their feeders, but it’s also good on a bluebird box because raccoons can predate on eggs and babies and it’s…you just don’t really want that to happen.
[David:] Alright, let’s get to the actual nesting box.
[Jim:] I designed this model to be very easy to use for the human landlord as well as it is perfect for the birds who are going to use it and there’s a lot of features on this. It’s designed for the Eastern Bluebird to be the right size: six inches below the hole, four by four bottom, ventilation everywhere so that there’s…it doesn’t heat up too much. So, this also has a double opening spot on it where you can open here to see what’s happening to the family as it goes from putting in the nest, laying the eggs and the babies are growing up.
[David:] And that also makes it easy to clean out, because sometimes parasites can build up in there, so each season when the nesting is done you should kind of remove that.
[Jim:] Well, even easier to clean out, the side opens up and so it really just makes a lot of sense. Then a little screen here you can see so the babies can get up to the hole when they’re ready to fledge.
[David:] You guys are really the experts in this stuff, so when you put out a nesting box for birds, it’s really important to have a good quality one that has all the right features and it’s everything that you just said. I always have such confidence when I go into a Wild Birds Unlimited Store, knowing that I’m getting the best items that are informed by the best science.
Bluebirds! Talk about bluebirds. What happened with that?
[Jim:] Everybody can do something in their own space on this planet and it’s positive news you can do yourself. Bluebirds are a great example that in the 60s there was really a very low bluebird population, but the bluebird enthusiasts of North America have brought them back. It’s mostly through putting out bluebird boxes and trails and keeping an eye on them is key in and making sure everybody’s healthy and doing well.
[David:] And that’s what the Garden for Wildlife movement at the National Wildlife Federation is all about and it’s what our Certified Wildlife Habitat designation is all about. If people provide habitat in the form of natural sources of food, water, cover, places to raise young, and then also commit to sustainable gardening, folks can earn Certified Wildlife Habitat designation. So, Wild Birds Unlimited, all the stores across the country are going to be great places to go to learn more, to find out how you can get involved where you are, and really get some amazing birding products and other wildlife attracting products that are going to help you meet those requirements to get your yard or your garden space certified.
(Description: Birds feeding from various feeders appear on screen, then back to David and Jim outdoors.)
[David:] So Jim, I’m super thrilled about it I really can’t wait to see where this goes. For folks watching this, go to the links below to find out more about how you can participate.
(Description: Link appears on screen: www.wbu.com/certify-your-yard.)
[Jim:] You, too, can certify your wildlife habitat through National Wildlife Federation.
(Description: Music and Wild Birds Unlimited logo appears and fades from screen.)
