Attracting Western Bluebirds in Central Washington: Nest Boxes & Wildlife Ponds

The Impact of Year-Round Water Sources on High-Desert Wildlife...My Pond!

I am all about attracting the Western Bluebirds that nest in the foothills of the Simcoe mountains, as well as all other wildlife that make their homes there.

I am also all about all wildlife enhancement up at Stony Oasis and my little pond is such a God send for that. I started out with just a couple stock watering tanks...but with them you have to fill them clean them ect.

I started pumping water from my well up the hill to a 500 gal tank. My well pump ALWAYS needs a place for the water it pumps to go when the sun shines...so when the tank is full the overflow just goes out onto the ground on top of the little hill. This water then peculates down the hill on the bedrock which is only about 4 feet deep. Effectively watering everything on the hillside whose roots can go deep enough. Permaculture in action!

Then I realized there was just a bit of standing water at the base of the hill....and I wondered...if I dig a hole there will it fill with water. The short answer is YES, yes it will fill, and because of that excess water being pumped out on top of the hill...the pond stays full!

I was stoked...here is a dead simple way to supply all the creatures that live around there with water. And they love it!

Check out the video below...this is a family of Western Bluebirds that were raised in one of my 150 or so bird houses I have installed. Once they are fledged, they all hang out together and enjoy each others company till they migrate away yet again. (they really only nest around Stony Oasis...I do not think many winter there at all.

I have seen several other species about the same size that nest in my boxes as well. This year I also added some bigger nest boxes sized for Blue Jay sized birds, although I do not see any using them yet...maybe next year when they are more used to them.

Every year I add 20-30 new birdhouses...and def will continue that trend. Do you put out homes for the homeless too? Tell me about it in a comment...I love comments!

That is a bat house in the forefront...