May 2, 2018 Page 3B
Reporter
MONROE OUTDOORS by Terry W. Johnson
Nesting bluebirds
Those of us that
have been lucky
enough to have
bluebirds nesting
in boxes we have erected
are faced with deciding
whether or not it is safe to
check on the progress of a
nesting effort.
Since many
birds are very
intolerant of any
human activ-
ity around their
nests, the last
thing we want to
do is have blue-
bird nestlings or
eggs abandoned
because we TERRY W.
wanted to peek
inside the box.
Fortunately, bluebirds are
very tolerant of humans.
Consequently, none other
than the North American
Bluebird Society recom-
mends we should check
bluebird nest boxes weekly
throughout the nesting sea-
son. In fact, their research
demonstrates that when a
box is regularly monitored,
the chance young bluebirds
will fledge from the box
actually increases.
There are a number
of reasons why nest box
checks help nesting blue-
birds. First, you can keep
paper wasps from build-
ing their nests in bluebird
boxes. Bluebirds do not
like to be near wasp nests
any more than we do
will abandon a box con-
taining a healthy wasp nest.
However, if you open a
box and find these annoy-
ing insects are just begin-
ning to construct a nest,
you can easily remove it
without being stung.
Weekly nest
box checks will
also help thwart
the nesting
attempts of the
house sparrow.
This European
transplant has
contributed
mightily to the
decline of blue-
JOHNSON bird populations
in many parts
of the county.
Aggressive house spar-
rows compete with eastern
bluebirds for the precious
few suitable nesting sites
available. Whenever house
sparrows compete for a
nest box with a bluebird,
invariably the bluebird is
the one that loses.
Therefore, if you find a
large bulky nest construct-
ed of grass, feathers and
pieces of trash, more than
likely you are looking at a
, house sparrow nest. The
clincher is if you see three
to seven white to greenish-
white eggs speckled with
gray or brown markings,
the nest probably belongs
to a house sparrow.
Whenever you find such
a nest, remove it. Do not
tolerant of humans who want
help
be surprised if you have to
remove such nests several
times before you finally
deter the house sparrow
from nesting in that loca-
tion.
In addition to occupying
a nest box, these aggressive
birds will destroy bluebird
eggs and kill hatchlings
and adults alike.
Since there are a number
of other species of birds
that also nest in bluebird
boxes, never disturb the
nests of any other birds. In
fact, it is illegal to remove
the nests of house finches,
Carolina wrens, Carolina
chickadees, brown-headed
nuthatches and other birds
protected by law.
If you open a box and
find a loosely constructed
nest composed of pine
needles, grass or weed
stalks, it was built by an
eastern bluebird. Typically,
a female bluebird will
lay three to six pale blue,
unmarked eggs.
Once you decide to
monitor your nest boxes,
you are in for a real treat.
I know many folks that
enjoy keeping records on
the number of boxes used
and young fledged in the
boxes on their property.
If you begin nest box
checks while females are
laying eggs, you can deter-
mine when the last egg is
laid and incubation begins.
Once a female begins
Assistance from those who love bluebirds, like this nesting
box, helps insure they don't become endangered in spite of
obstacles. (Photo/Terry Johnson)
laying her eggs, she will prematurely.
lay one per da); until her After the young have
dutch in completed, fledged, the North
Incubation doesn't begin American Bluebird Society
until the last egg is laid. recommends you remove
Incubation typically lasts the nest. Remember blue-
12-14 days. birds in the Peach State
The young grow quickly will nest up to two more
and will remain in a nest times in the same year.
box only 17-21 days. Keep Consequently, there is a
this in mind, as you should chance a box will be used
not check on hatchlings in by bluebirds more than
a box until after the young once in a year.
are 11 days old. If you do, When you remove a
the youngsters are likely nest, if you dispose of the
to bail out of the nest box nesting material dose to
the nest box, you increase
the chances a nest preda-
tor such as a raccoon will
find the nearby nest box.
Therefore, it is always a
good idea to dispose of old
nesting material at least 30
or 40 yards away from a
bOX.
The best time to moni-
tor a bluebird nesting box
is on a day when there is
little or no wind and the
weather is dry. Since you
do not want to disturb
nesting bluebirds any more
than you have to, perform
your checks quickly and
quietly.
I am convinced either the
eastem bluebird would be
extinct or on the endan-
gered species list without
the help from people that
go out of their way to assist
them. By the same token,
ff we want to continue to
enjoy the sights and sound
of bluebirds in the future,
we need to continue to
do all we can to help the
bird that Henry Thoreau
said, " iwears the sky on its
back."
Terry Johnson is retired
Program Manager of
the Georgia Nongame-
Endangered Wildlife
Program. He has written
the informative column
'Monroe Outdoors'for the
Reporter for many years.
Email him at tjwoodduck@
bellsouth.net.
Woodward on Tuesdayl (File
photo)
By Richard Dumas
forsyth@rnymcr.net
The Mary Persons boys and girls tennis teams saw their respective sea-
sons come to an end with second-round losses at Woodward Academy.
The MP boys squad, which finished the season with a 13-5 record (5-2
in Region 2-AAAA), fell to Woodward 0-3 for its second straight Sweet 16
defeat. Two matches were still in progress when the War Eagles clinched,
but they were each halted before they were finished.
MP's losses came in No. 3 singles, where Preston Wilson dropped
his match 0-6, 1-6 to Michael Azadi, No. 1 doubles, where the brother
tandem of Caleb and Micah Wilson fell 2-6, 2-6 to Derek Zhou and Finn
Gosch, and in No. 2 doubles, where MP's pair of Jordan Carr and Seth
Smith lost 1-6, 0-6 to Myles Ramos and Jason Escobar. MP was a game
away from losing the No. 2 singles match as well with the Dogs' Tanner
Lee trailing Woodward's Stuart Gordon 0-6, 0-5 when the match was
stopped. ,
In No. 1 singles, MP senior Chris Swars was locked in an intense battle
with Woodward's Sanil Sawja, splitting the first two sets 4-6, 6-4 before the
match was halted.
The Lady Dogs, which finished the season with a 10-8 record (4-3 in Re-
gion 2-AAAA), were defeated 0-4 by the Lady War Eagles to finish their
season in the Sweet 16 for the third consecutive year.
MP senior Cadi Seitz mustered up the Lady Dogs' lone game points
in a 1-6, 1-6 loss to Sydney Lopez in No. 1 singles. The Lady Dogs also
dropped the No. 2 singles match with Jackie Gore losing to Ansley Car-
penter 0-6, 0-6, the No. 1 doubles match with Audrey Parrott and Mad-
dine Copeland falling 0-6, 0-6 to Sarah Lewis and Caroline Yarbrough,
and the No. 2 doubles match with MPs pair of Reagan Dorrity and Anna
Starr getting double-bageled 0-6, 0-6 by Woodward's Sydney Taylor and
Roshni Shah.
The girls No. 3 singles match had just started when Woodward's team
clinched with MP's Emma Cantrell trailing Mia Chan 0-3 when it was
stopped.
Both the Woodward Academy boys and girls squads will next face
North Oconee, which ousted both MP teams from the playoffs in 2017, in
the AAA state quarterfinals.
I
By Itkha Dumas
forsyth@mymcr.net
Two Mary Persons boys track
athletes qualified for the AAAA
state finals after high finishes at
the AAAA state sectional meet
at Kinnett Stadium in Colum-
bus on Saturday.
Freshman Justin Wachtel
will compete in a pair of races,
the 1,600 meters and the 3,200
meters, at the championship
meet, which will be contested at
Valhalla Stadium at Berry Col-
lege in Rome from Thursday,
May 10 through Saturday, May
12. One other MP boys athlete,
senior Condarius Alford, also
made it into state, qualifying in
the boys high jump.
Wachtel took first place on
Saturday in the 3,200 meters
with a time of 10 minutes, 2
seconds. Wachters time was
five seconds faster than the
runner-up time of 10 minutes,
7 seconds recorded by Alex
Salgado of Columbus. Wach-
tel also placed second in the
1,600 meters with a time'of4
minutes, 27 seconds to finish
just five-hundredths of a sec-
ond behind winner Jonathan
Myrthil of Northside (Colum-
bus). Alford placed seventh in
the high jump with a leap of 6
feet. Both Wachtel and Alford
captured the Region 2-AAAA
championship in their respec-
tive disciplines last month.
Other MP boys athletes who
competed at sectionals but
failed to qualify for the state
finals included: Alford, who
placed 10th in the 400 meters
with a time of 52.05 seconds,
Myles Johnson, who placed
14th in the 800 meters with a
time of 2 minutes, 18 seconds,
lamar Fagan, who placed 10th
in the 110-meter hurdles with
a time of 16.81 seconds, Jaques
Watkins, who placed 13th in
the high jump with a leap of 5
feet, 8 inches and placed 1 lth
in the long jump with a leap of
19 feet, 5 inches, Bralen Harvey,
who placed 12th in the pole
vault with a vault of 9 feet, and
Daniel Lavelle, who finished
tied for 14th in the discus. Also,
MP's No. 1 4 x 100-meter relay
team, consisting of Ladamian
|
MP freshman Justin Wachtel was one of four MP track athletes
to qualify for the state finals. Wachtel took first place in the
3,200 meters at the state sectionals in Columbus on Saturday.
(File photo)
Sands, Alford, Fagan and Cai- 2-AAAA championship in the
leb Ussery, placed ninth with a shot put last month.
time of 44.56 seconds, missing Other MP girls athletes who
out on qualifying for the state competed at sectionals but
finals by a single hundredth failed to qualify for the state
of a second. Region rival West finals included: Ava McKallip,
Laurens finished in eighth place who placed 13th in the 1,600
with a time of 44.55 seconds, meters with a time of 6 min-
Meanwhile, two MP girls utes, 10 seconds and placed
track athletes will also compete 9th in the 3,200 meters with a
in the AAAA state finals after time of 13 minutes, 16 seconds,
high finishes at the AAAA state and Destiny Middleton, who
sectional meet in Columbus on placed 10th in the long jump
Saturday. with a leap of 15 feet, 7 inches.
Cheyla Tafolla will compete Also, MP's No. 1 4 x 100-meter
in the pole vault while Precious relay team, consisting of Jordan
Gaines will compete in the shot Shannon, Daizha Outlaw,
put. Judiyah Alford and Middle-
Tafolla placed third in the ton, placed 12th with a time of
pole vault with a vault of 7 feet, 52.67 seconds.
6 inches while Gaines placed The MP squads competed at
eighth in the shot put with sectionals against athletes from
a heave of 33 feet, 10 inches. Regions 1-AAAA, 2-AAAA,
Gaines captured the Region 5-AAAA and 6-AAAA.
