By Kathy Jurek, Bluebird Monitor Chair
Well, the 2025 bluebird season has come to an end. The fourteen plus inches of rain that we received around the first part of April really wreaked havoc on the early hatchlings. We lost more than 100 babies within a three-to-four-week period. An analysis conducted by the Arkansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory determined the deaths were from a severe respiratory fungal infection caused by the babies' inhaling a high concentration of the fungus spores.
The bluebirds will recover from this and we’ll hope for better results next year. You’ll find all the statistics in the supplemental data report.
Over the past couple of years there’s been a tremendous response to the request for volunteer monitors. Thanks to all who have stepped up. Each spring there are openings. Monitors do not have to be Audubon members. If you know someone who may be interested, have them get in touch with the Bluebird Monitor Chair. Three new monitors and seven new backup monitors were trained. Three more members were shown the ropes to see if they would be interested in monitoring going forward. I especially want to thank a couple of retirees for their years of participation, Gloria Cukjati (2001) and Dorthea Kubica (2011).
As always, I want to take the opportunity here to recognize all our monitors and backup monitors. Our program would not be successful without them.
Balboa - Schaber, Peebles, Moeck, Elliott Isabella – Baal, Reast, Zingg, Giovengo, Paulson,
Coronado - Hopper, Wilton, Rector, Brinker Bowers
Cortez – Austin, Johnson, Geiger, Cychosz, Cukjati Magellan – Floeter, Worack, Robinson, McCullough
DeSoto – Lane, Sheppard, Harris, Swenson Ponce – Mahaney, Hayes, Henry, Horrell
Diamante – Fulton, Krone, Windorf Coronado Center – Tucker, Condon
Granada – Petrosky, Eubanks, Halliwill, Kroll Woodlands – Collins, Davis
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
Besides our volunteer monitors I need to thank some additional people. Judy Collins who helps me make the rounds early in the year to inspect the boxes, making sure they are in good condition for nesting and to make minor repairs. Adolph Juarez who does all the construction work. Also, Kurt, John, Wayne and Vic, who provide the muscle. I couldn’t do this job without you!
Following is a five year recap:
Please refer to the supplemental data report for more details. This report lists the number of HSV Audubon bluebird box locations on each of our 9 golf courses, Woodlands/Grove Park, the Coronado Center and the respective results for 2025.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kathy Jurek, Bluebird Monitor Chair
golferstwo@prodigy.net, 708-567-9418