It sure would be nice to have a crystal ball and be able to look into it and see what is going on in the natural world, particularly in the world of bluebirds. Did the ice storms in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma last winter have an impact on the bluebirds returning to Nebraska? Will we have any more freezing nights this spring? Will we encounter severe storms or excessive heat this summer? All of these weather-related events can have an effect on how successful bluebird nestings will be this summer.

The weather problems serve to remind us how delicate life is for bluebirds. As dedicated trail monitors there is still nothing we can do about the weather. We can, however, make the difference between life and death in many other instances.

Spring is a good time of the year to review last year’s records. We may not have crystal balls to see into the future but we do know what has happened in the past. This information can help us from repeating previous problems. Were there any boxes that were not used by bluebirds on the trail? Perhaps they should be moved to a better location or taken down completely if house sparrows or wrens were a consistent problem. Did raccoons invade any boxes? Predator guards can be added to prevent this from happening in the future. Did tree swallows become a problem? Perhaps spacing your pairs of boxes at a greater distance would be helpful. (See the Winter 2007/2008 edition of The BANner for more helpful information on tree swallows.) Last year’s records can be invaluable for this year’s success.

Keeping records can make a huge difference on your trail. The importance of keeping good records cannot be overstressed. In her book, “Bluebird Trails, A Guide to Success,” Dorene Scriven writes, “We must know when the nestlings should have fledged. We must know if there really were five eggs when last checked, because now there are only three. We must know when to expect the eggs will hatch. We must know where there are other boxes with eggs or nestlings of similar ages so that if need be, we can foster out still-fertile eggs or orphaned nestlings.” Keeping accurate records is the best way we have of detecting serious problems and eliminating potential disasters which will lead to more bluebirds fledging.

I hope all of you will take advantage of the simple act of keeping good records to make this year the most successful on your bluebird trail.