Oct 29, 2020 3 min read

In the fall 2004 a working group that included the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Harry Enstrom Chapter of the Izaak Walton League collaborated to develop a wetland along Whiteley Creek in Greene County. Because this site was located in State Game Lands 223, it has since been maintained by the game commission.

This fall, the above two partners revisited this site. In the Harry Enstrom Chapter we had the idea to enhance this habitat for birds and pollinators by introducing large, colorful, native flowering plants. This would also make it more attractive to the human viewer.

When we approached the game commission with this proposal they directed us to their land manager, Stephen A. Leiendecker, Southwest Region, Land Management Group Supervisor. After a few email and phone exchanges, we agreed to meet at the wetland. While touring the property, Leiendecker was quite supportive of the idea because it meshed with their current plans to convert more vegetated areas in the State Game Lands to native meadow grass and wildflower habitats. He commented, though, that there were many other things that community volunteer groups could help with. These included: tree plantings to improve the habitat for game and other wildlife; bird nesting box installations; old, long abandoned cemeteries in State Game Lands that could use some sprucing up.

The Harry Enstrom Chapter decided to take on fall project to install wood duck and bluebird nesting boxes in the wetland.

Wood ducks and bluebirds build their nests in cavities in trees that may have been formed by another animal or from natural tree damage and decay. They are not equipped by bill or claw to form their own cavities, so, in the absence of natural tree cavities, they will readily use a nesting box.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission supplied 25 bluebird boxes, 6 wood duck boxes, some mounting poles, the hardware for pole or tree mounting, and a bag of woodchip nesting material for the duck boxes.

They were handed them over to us on Saturday and on Sunday our crew of members and volunteers met at the wetland. Half of the crew, with ladders & muck boots, would install the six wood duck boxes and the other half the 25 bluebird boxes. While this seems like an uneven distribution of labor, the much larger duck boxes needed to be installed high up a tree and on, or as close to, the water as possible because, the day after hatching, the tiny chicks would have to flutter to the ground or water following mom out of the nest for good.

We’d read that nesting Bluebirds were very territorial and that the boxes should be spaced about 100 yards apart. Not necessary, Leindecker said. We could install two boxes within 10-20 feet of each other and a bluebird would take one and a tree swallow might take the other. They don’t recognize each other as competitors.Then, space the next pair of boxes 100 yards away.

So that’s the way the day went. We finished just before some rain came and even cleaned out several old duck boxes along the way. A good day, socially distanced, in the outdoors.

Any group interested in doing such projects should contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission Southwest Regional Office at 724 238-9523 to let them know of your interest and to see what might be needed.