Local Audubon Society learns about bluebirds

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The St. Johns County Audubon Society hosted Brett Moyer at its regular membership meeting Jan. 8, 2020. Moyer, a biology and environmental science teacher at the Bolles School, spoke to an audience of 25 members and guests about bluebirds, explaining their nesting and eating habits and how residents can help sustain the local population.

In 2016, Moyer installed eight bluebird nesting boxes on the Bolles campus, funded by a grant from the Florida Bluebird Society. Unsure how long it would take the targeted species to find the boxes, Moyer was surprised to see a bluebird at one of the boxes the day after it was installed. The boxes provide students, faculty and visitors the opportunity to observe and learn about bluebirds. In 2017, five boxes were installed at the Lower School Ponte Vedra campus. To date, 24 boxes installed through the Bolles Bluebird Project have resulted in 340 fledglings.

Linda Burek, local ClimateWatch coordinator, discussed how residents can help count bluebirds for National Audubon's ClimateWatch program. Volunteers can choose one day between Jan. 15 and Feb. 15 to count bluebirds at specific locations within a grid. For more information or to volunteer, email ldburek@gmail.com or visit stjohnsaudubon.com/climate-watch .

All are welcome at monthly meetings from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on second Wednesdays at the North Shores Community Center, 120 Meadow Ave. in Vilano Beach. The next meeting will be Feb. 12, 2020, and feature a talk by Kenneth Meyer of the Avian Research and Conservation Institute about swallow-tailed kites and other species. For more information, visit stjohnsaudubon.com .