The bluebirds that make the Northern Neck their home are one of the loveliest harbingers of spring. Indian Creek Yacht and Country Club (ICYCC) is happy to report on the efforts of Master Naturalist Club members who initiated the ICYCC Bluebird Trail several years ago.
Joyce Mullins, Beth Kendrick, Jane Henley, Hap Hadd and Debbie Gillispie have formed the core of the project leadership, ably assisted by golf superintendent Pete Stephens, reported project leader Mullins.
They have been checking and recording information on bluebird fledgling activity from April to the end of August every year since 2013 and are monitoring 15 active boxes on the club’s campus.
For 2018, Indian Creek’s 15 bluebird boxes yielded 149 bluebird eggs and 140 bluebird fledglings, double the number from the first year, she said.
For the third year since 2013, all boxes produced eggs and 140 fledglings was the highest number yet, surpassing 124 in 2016 and 137 in 2014. Indian Creek’s total for the six years is 667 baby bluebirds.
“We are very excited about the progress we have made in contributing to the numbers of bluebirds in our area and providing important information to the Virginia Bluebird Society,” said Mullins.