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Another Luzerne County commercial assessment reduction granted

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<p>DALLAS &#8212; Bill Williams hammered a few nails and, in no time at all, built a house.</p><p>He expects the inhabitants to move in this spring.</p><p>With the beginning of spring a month or so away, winter is a great time to build homes for wildlife to use when they return to the area. Bluebirds, kestrels, bats, owls, squirrels and ducks will be looking for places to reside and nest, and there are several options that make it easy to provide a residence.</p><p>&#8220;People are starting to think about spring and now is the time to get the boxes up before these species arrive or get ready to build a nest,&#8221; said Williams, who is the information and education supervisor for the Pennsylvania Game Commission&#8217;s Northeast Region.</p><p>The PGC&#8217;s Howard Nursery sells several boxes for various species, along with kits for those who want to build the structure. The most popular item is the bluebird box, which the agency offers as a kit or already constructed.</p><p>Over the last three years, the Game Commission distributed 6,500 bluebird boxes and another 13,450 kits.</p><p>While more than half of the total bluebird box distribution is from sales, the agency also donates boxes and kits to groups, such as youth organizations.</p><p>One factor that makes the kits so popular, Williams said, is they&#8217;re easy to build. The kit includes pre-cut boards and nails and screws to put it all together.</p><p>&#8220;It really just takes a few minutes and all you need is a hammer and a drill,&#8221; Williams said. &#8220;That&#8217;s what makes it a good wintertime activity for so many people.&#8221;</p><p>Aside from building the box, the most important step is locating the structure in the right place to attract bluebirds. Williams recommended a fairly large yard or open area and, if erecting more than one box, place them 100 yards apart.</p><p>Bluebirds are almost exclusively insect-eaters, Williams said, so they seek open airs where they can catch bugs in flight.</p><p>He added that the boxes also attract other beneficial bird species.</p><p>&#8220;I have 10 up around my home and I see them used by swallows and wrens in addition to bluebirds,&#8221; Williams said. &#8220;The house is basically an artificial tree cavity, and that&#8217;s attractive to a lot of different birds.&#8221;</p><p>The boxes play a vital role in the health of the bluebird population, which has faced challenges over the years. The loss of farmland eliminated many suitable nesting habitats for bluebirds. Competition from invasive species such as the English sparrow and European starling has also led to a decline in bluebirds.</p><p>Bluebird boxes are designed so starlings can&#8217;t enter them to make nests, but they can be used by sparrows. Williams advised removing sparrow nests from a boxes to discourage their use.</p><p>He also said it&#8217;s important to clean existing boxes each spring to encourage bluebirds to keep using them.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s not uncommon to find a mouse nest in a box in the early spring,&#8221; Williams said. &#8220;Bluebirds like to start from scratch when they build a nest, so it&#8217;s important to have an empty box.&#8221;</p><p>The Game Commission offers seven different wildlife boxes &#8212; both complete or as kits. While bluebird boxes are the most popular, wood duck and kestrel box kits are also in high demand. Kits and boxes for bats, flying squirrels, barn owls and mallards are available by special order.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Bill Williams puts the finishing touch on a bluebird nest box. The Pennsylvania Game Commission offers kits that take minutes to assemble. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_woodwork1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Bill Williams puts the finishing touch on a bluebird nest box. The Pennsylvania Game Commission offers kits that take minutes to assemble. </caption0><photoCredit0>Tom Venesky|Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_woodwork2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Bluebird boxes, such as the one held by Bill Williams, provide a crucial nesting habitat for the species in the spring. A pair of bluebirds can rear two broods every spring. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_woodwork2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Bluebird boxes, such as the one held by Bill Williams, provide a crucial nesting habitat for the species in the spring. A pair of bluebirds can rear two broods every spring. </caption1><photoCredit1>Tom Venesky|Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_woodwork4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">A male bluebird offers an insect to hatchlings inside a nest box. Both male and female bluebirds care for the young. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_woodwork4.jpg</photo2><caption2>A male bluebird offers an insect to hatchlings inside a nest box. Both male and female bluebirds care for the young. </caption2><photoCredit2>Tom Venesky|Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_woodwork5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">During late March and early April, bluebird pairs select nest sites. Male bluebirds court females by showing potential nest sites, which are inspected and accepted by the female. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_woodwork5.jpg</photo3><caption3>During late March and early April, bluebird pairs select nest sites. Male bluebirds court females by showing potential nest sites, which are inspected and accepted by the female. </caption3><photoCredit3>Tom Venesky|Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_woodwork3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">A male bluebird perches at the entrance of a nest box while a female holds material to construct a nest. Bluebirds nest in tree cavities, a habitat that is replicated by the box. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/web1_woodwork3.jpg</photo4><caption4>A male bluebird perches at the entrance of a nest box while a female holds material to construct a nest. Bluebirds nest in tree cavities, a habitat that is replicated by the box. </caption4><photoCredit4>Tom Venesky|Times Leader </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Winter is a good time to build nest boxes for wildlife to use in the spring</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Tom Venesky</p><p>tvenesky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p>The Pennsylvania Game Commission offers a variety of wildlife nest boxes, both complete or as kits. Boxes and kits can be ordered from www.pgc.pa.gov.</p><p>Bluebird box - $11 ($10 for multiple)</p><p>Bluebird box kit - $11 ($10 for multiple)</p><p>American kestrel box - $27</p><p>Bat box (small) - $70</p><p>Bat box (standard large) - $100</p><p>Flying squirrel box - $25</p><p>Barn owl box - $65</p><p>Wood duck box - $35</p><p>Mallard box - $30</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Tom Venesky at 570-991-6395 or on Twitter @TomVenesky</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Building nest boxes for wildlife a beneficial winter activity