Bird Nesting Boxes
Over the past five years almost 130 nesting structures have been installed throughout the watershed to support species that benefit from habitat enhancement structures. Students at Renfrew Collegiate Institute built over 100 of these boxes for wood ducks and bluebirds and the Renfrew and Portage Cub Packs have helped build and install bluebird boxes as well.
Each year all boxes are monitored for usage, checked for damage, cleaned out and filled with fresh new nesting material. Most of the monitoring takes place in the late winter months when ice conditions allow easy access to the structures.
Work in 2007 has focused on the continuation of monitoring and mapping the GPS coordinates of all nesting boxes. This summer the Ontario Stewardship Rangers and the Pikwakanagan Earth Walkers assisted in building and installing bat houses and homes for nuthatches, flycatchers and bluebirds. Investigation of potential sites and structures for other species such as osprey will continue into 2008.
If you are interested in volunteering to help monitor these nesting structures please contact our Project Coordinator. If you are interested in making your own nestbox and/or bat box refer to this Ducks Unlimited Canada link for plans.
Assistance has been provided by the Community Fish and Wildlife Improvement Program, Pemco Steel, the Renfrew Fur Council, Renfrew Fish and Game Club, Mountain Equipment Coop, Renfrew County Stewardship Council and Ducks Unlimited Canada.
