Prothonotary Nest Boxes

[For those non-birders who read my blog mainly for the food-centric posts, you  just might want to stop reading right here.  Yeah, you know who you are.  Proceed at your own risk and absolutely no eye rolling if you do!]

I put on my waders and joined the very helpful staff at Huntley Meadows Park in installing some Prothonotary Warbler nest boxes today. 

When I was helping to monitor the duck nest boxes last spring, I saw a pair of Prothonotary Warblers looking for a nice abode in the vicinity and that got me started on the path to resurrect the Prothonotary Warbler nest box program at Huntley Meadows.  I coerced RWT into building some nest boxes, hit up the local Prothonotary Warbler expert, Mr. LC, for a ton of guidance and the folks at Huntley were kind enough to allow the nest boxes to be mounted at the southern end of the main wetland area.  I will be checking these boxes every week from now until mid-July and, if we're very lucky, we'll be able to entice some Prothonotary Warblers into nesting in that area.

On to the pictures...

 The boxes -- 4"x4"x8" with a 1.25" entrance hole

Box #1 (snag-mounted)

Box #1 (snag-mounted) & Box #2 (post-mounted)

Box #3 (snag-mounted) & Box #4 (snag-mounted)

Box #5 (post-mounted), Box #6 (post-mounted) & Box #7 (snag-mounted)

All of the boxes can be viewed (please don't touch!) by taking the informal trail just past the end of the boardwalk at Huntley Meadows Park.  Boxes #1 and #2 are on the far side of the wetlands, behind duck box #61 and across from boxes #3 and #4 (which are near duck box #68).  Boxes #5, #6 and #7 are closer to the tower and near duck box #62.  These three boxes are located in what appears to be the most suitable Prothonotary Warbler habitat in the main wetland and have the best chance of being utilized by Prothonotary Warblers.  Time will tell...