Numerous local residents are working to help bluebirds thrive in the community.
The Valley Chapter Tennessee Bluebird Society is one of six chapters of the Tennessee Bluebird Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The mission of the society is to promote Eastern bluebirds and cavity-nesting birds conservation, develop awareness, educational programs and workshops and aid in the development of nestbox trails.
The society also encourages creating native plant habitats.
Bill Hartman, co-president of the chapter, said a bluebird trail is an organized route or path of bluebird nestboxes. He said the network is monitored by volunteers on a regular basis.
Hartman said last year the local chapter added four trails to its existing 20 trails with more than 400 nestboxes. One trail near Tellico Dam has around 10 boxes, and the trail on Rarity Bay Golf Course will be expanding this spring, he said.
The society has volunteers who record data and ultimately report to the North American Bluebird Society, which in turn provides information to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Chuck Cruickshank, vice president of the valley chapter and past president of the Tennessee Bluebird Society, said statewide in 2015 there were 351 boxes that fledged 1,362 birds. He said this year the effort is approaching 1,300 boxes that should fledge more than 5,700 birds.
He said they hope to add trails this year.
“We have, in some cases, seven or eight or nine years of data across the state that shows that we’re having a positive impact,” Cruickshank said. “We’re trying to get younger and new people involved with this as we go forward. That’s part of the overall mission is to get the next generation involved.”
Cruickshank said growth in the survival of fledged birds has gone up even greater in terms of percentage.
Hartman said the local chapter has also seen an increase.
“On the bluebirds we fledged, it went up 20% last year from the previous year,” Hartman said. “The number of boxes went up about 5%, so we had a net gain in productivity, if you will, for nestboxes. We’re really happy for that, and a lot of that is due to our wonderful monitors and the training that we give them.”
Hartman said numerous members have been installing boxes in yards all around east Tennessee that are not included in the count because they are on private property.
Part of maintenance is to clean out boxes right after the birds leave. Bluebirds often will come back to build another nest with another brood of babies. In fact, bluebirds in this part of the world will generally have around three broods a year, he said.
Cruickshank said monitors look for predator damage from snakes, raccoons, feral cats and non-native birds.
Hartman said they have roughly 100 members who volunteer each year.
“Sometimes I wish we had more trails because we can’t get enough monitoring experience to make it real fun,” he said. “If you only get to go out once every six weeks, because we’ve got so many people lined up to do that golf course, it’s almost too bad. We’re going to look at redoing that a little bit maybe this year and assign more people to monitoring so we get more people out to look.”
Cruickshank said the organization’s nonprofit status helps in recruitment. He emphasized the society doesn’t promote work for commerce or capitalism and is trying to do the right thing, which resonates with Tellico Village residents. He said as new lots are cleared and homes built, they are providing habitat.
“We’re going to have an expansion of the number of boxes at Rarity Bay Golf Course,” Hartman said. “We’re going to expand the number of boxes at the greenway in Maryville ... and we are working with two other golf courses to really get the support of the homeowners, which is the hard part.
“The golf courses are all in favor of it because it adds to the experience of the golfers,” he added. “… But it’s getting the volunteers, the local representatives and getting a meeting with them to get organized, so we’re working on that.”
Meetings are also planned with garden clubs all over the region. Members volunteer at Seven Islands State Birding Park and are going to be doing some work with Ijams Nature Center in Knoxville.
With organizations engaging after the pandemic, volunteers will also share their knowledge with in schools, youth organizations and libraries.
For more information, visit www.tnbluebirdsociety.org or on Facebook at Tennessee Bluebird Society.
