On Saturday, December 7, 2024 – BBRP board members Nancy Engel and Brianna Frisch hosted a bluebird table at the Minnesota Ornithological Union 2025 Paper Session at U of MN St. Paul Student Center.

Lots of good conversation about bluebirds with people who really know a thing or two about birds!

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Bluebird monitors mentored by Jack Hauser met for their annual breakfast on Saturday, August 24th. Several monitors reported more mortality this year. We discussed using vanilla or vanilla-scented air fresheners (see https://bbrp.org/flies-and-gnat/) as a preventative measure next year.

It’s unclear whether the mortality was primarily gnat-related or weather. Several monitors reported that their Gilbertson PVC houses collected water, and that was likely a factor with some broods. One monitor noted that the only mortality he observed in Gilbertson PVC houses were tree swallows, and he found some evidence that the houses are not big enough for the larger tree swallow broods.

Most monitors still report counting less bluebird chicks than prior to the February 2021 storm, indicating that the bluebird population still has not rebounded completely. – submited by Lisa McIntire

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BBRP Lyon County Coordinator, Cindy Sabinske spoke Tuesday morning at the Adult Community Center in Marshall. Her talk focused on the Eastern Bluebird, a bird found throughout the eastern United States, including Minnesota.

The bluebird is slightly smaller than a robin. It builds its nest in cavities, competing with a variety of other birds for nesting sites.

Minnesota’s bluebirds winter in Missouri and Texas. Over the past several years, Sabinske has maintained a group of 27 nests at Camden State Park.

Most of the nests attract tree swallows. There were three sets of bluebirds this year, however, compared with none in 2021. At that point, bluebirds faced negative weather conditions when they tried to migrate north in the spring.

Here is a link to the full story https://www.marshallindependent.com/news/features/2024/07/watching-out-for-bluebirds/

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June – 2024 – Greg Duban, president of Tri-Lakes Sportsman’s Club submitted these photos of what appears to be an albino chick. As fledging was not witnessed he was unable to confirm whether it was a true albino, pink eyes, or a chick with white or bi-color mutation.

Regardless it was very rare and unusual!

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With deep regret we wish to inform all of our bluebird friends of the passing of Carrol Johnson on January 31, 2024. 

Carrol was everything bluebird, he gave hundreds of bluebird presentations throughout the state, spoke at many Expo conferences and answered thousands of calls. He walked yards and fields to help beginners place their nest boxes in the best locations to attract bluebirds; he built and repaired bluebird nest boxes and counseled others on all things pertaining to bluebirding.

He will be deeply missed by the Bluebird Board, the county coordinators he guided over the years and by everyone who ever had the privilege of meeting and talking to him about bluebirds.  Our most sincere condolences to his wife Winnie and all of his family.

The board of BBRP

Here is a link to his obituary https://www.northfieldfuneral.com/obituaries/Carrol-Manford-Johnson?obId=30571514#/obituaryInfo.

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Click here to see 5 ways you can protect water quality with your fall yard care 

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Why Birds Hit Windows—And How You Can Help Prevent It  

For birds, glass windows are worse than invisible. By reflecting foliage or sky, they look like inviting places to fly into. And because the sheer number of windows is so great, their toll on birds is huge.

The good news is that you can greatly reduce the danger your home’s windows pose to birds with some simple remedies.

Click here, to see all the details.

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