Sandy Point is closed for construction. |
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The Eastern Bluebird |
Bluebird nesting season normally begins in the beginning of March and continues until nearly the end of July every year. For information about Eastern Bluebirds, enjoy this PDF version of The Second Saturday Eastern Bluebird Presentation by Kathy Whaley, Refuge Manager. |
Photo by Laurie Blankenship-Lawler The Adopt-A-Nestbox Program |
Each year, the Friends of Hagerman invite the public to support the Eastern Bluebird population through our Adopt-A-Nestbox Program. By adopting a nestbox, you’ll help protect these beloved birds and enjoy a front-row seat to their nesting journey. As an adopter, you’ll have the opportunity to name your nestbox and visit it anytime along the easily accessible Raasch or Harris Creek hiking trails. Throughout the nesting season, you and your gift recipient will receive weekly email updates featuring a photo from inside the nestbox and a description of each stage of the nesting journey—from the first twig placed in the nest to the exciting day the young birds fledge. |
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An Adopt-A-Nestbox sponsorship also makes a thoughtful and meaningful Christmas gift that keeps giving throughout the spring nesting season. A $50 donation per nestbox supports the care and maintenance of our impressive Bluebird Trail, which includes 45 nestboxes throughout the refuge. Join us in helping Eastern Bluebirds thrive—adopt a nestbox today! Things to Consider While Adopting Your Nestbox: "Nestbox Name" refers to the label you would like on your nestbox, for example: Porter's Perch Be creative! Your nestbox may house Eastern Bluebirds, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Carolina Wrens or (rarely) Prothonotary Warblers--so try be more inclusive than "Bluebirds" in the label. If left blank, the label will be the purchaser's first name. NOTE: 15 letters maximum. Gift recipient's name: Leave blank if not a gift. Email addresses of your gift recipients: Leave blank if not a gift. |
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The Bluebird Nestbox Project By Wes Crawford The Nestbox Program has been a well-established volunteer activity of the Friends of Hagerman since 2013. Every year volunteers are monitoring nearly 50 nestboxes on Harris Creek and Raasch Hiking Trails. Volunteers usually do box repair, relocations and cleaning during the off season from September through February. Then, towards the end of February, nestbox monitors pair up and select the trails they prefer to monitor for the season. The monitoring season begins in late February and ends in August. Based on scheduling, each team monitors about one time each month. Monitoring normally occurs on Wednesday or Thursday in the late morning or early afternoon. Volunteers sometimes have to be flexible about their monitoring day due to weather or trail conditions. Monitors carefully open each box and note observations on the Cornell NestWatch data sheet. Some nestboxes have sponsors and a photo is taken. Monitors will remove nests and clean the box once the chicks have fledged. A designated volunteer enters the data for all of the nestboxes into the Cornell database for scientific monitoring and research. Another volunteer takes the photos and prepares reports for the Adopt-A-Nestbox program sponsors. There is nothing like the joy in seeing the royal blue male Eastern Bluebird on top of the nestbox or the female bravely huddled over her eggs or the site of the fully feathered young waiting for the queue to fledge. One of our volunteer monitors this year was blessed by actually seeing a chick peck out of the egg. |
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6465 Refuge Road Sherman, TX 75092
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Kroger: Stop by the customer service desk at Kroger and link your Kroger Card to the Friends of Hagerman: the Friends will get rewards for every dollar you spend, at no cost to you.
Please add info@friendsofhagerman.org to your contacts to ensure delivery of registration confirmations, account information and the Featherless Flyer
See you at the refuge!