Bluebird Society installs nest boxes

For the birds: USC Aiken employees, from left, Charles Gantt, Cordaria Calhoun, Matthew J. Butler and Kevin Butler help the South Carolina Bluebird Society install houses in the green space surrounding the Convocation Center. Staff photo by Amy Banton.

While installing small, wooden nests boxes at USC Aiken early Wednesday morning, members of the South Carolina Bluebird Society could hear the warbles of the gentle feathered creatures who would soon reside in the tiny dwellings.

"I can hear them singing," said group co-founder Ron Brenneman with a smile. "They're just waiting for us to put these houses in."

Members installed 10 new nest boxes at USCA around the green space surrounding the Convocation Center, establishing the 27th bluebird trail in the county. A 28th trail will soon be based at the Equine Rescue Center, 532 Glenwood Drive.

More than 300 nesting boxes have been installed, not only housing bluebirds, but also Carolina chickadees, Carolina wrens, tufted titmice and brown-headed nuthatches. These birds typically reside in vacant cavities throughout the woods, and these boxes offer them another nesting option.

These bluebird trails have been placed in a variety of places, including around a few church properties, businesses, nature reserves and more.

"It's been phenomenal growth," said co-founder Roger Brock. "It's a diverse set of trails. It's just grown by leaps and bounds."

This new trail is sparking hope that younger generations will also become interested in the education and conservation of bluebirds or other cavity nesters, said SCBS President Jim Burke. Trails have been placed near various schools around the county and now at the university.

"I think that it's great that the university took to the proposal," Burke said. "We're really trying to get the young people of all ages involved."

Burke said the group would like to encourage student and faculty involvement with the new trail installation.

The South Carolina Bluebird Society was established more than a year ago in Aiken, starting off as the Central Savannah River Blue Bird Society. The first meeting held in October of 2010 attracted 25 people - the nonprofit organization now has around 70 members.

"We are so pleased with the support we've gotten from Aiken County," Burke said, adding that the response from schools, local businesses and residents has been very positive. "It's just been a great partnership that has sort of formed here in Aiken. I think that's typical of Aiken; the people of Aiken will step up for a lot of things."

The success of the group has garnered the attention of the North American Bluebird Society, which would like to host its 36th Annual Convention in October 2013 in Aiken. This event could attract between 150 to 200 people from across the United States and Canada to the area.

The next SCBS meeting will be 7 p.m. on Feb. 27 at Birds & Butterflies, 117 Laurens St. N.W.

Amy Banton is the city beat reporter and has been with the Aiken Standard since May 2010. She is a native of Rustburg, Va., and a graduate of Randolph Macon Woman's College who also enjoys writing stories relating to the environment.