Bluebird Box

There is something mysterious in the bluebird nesting box behind the crossvine on the dead oak tree in my front garden. I bought the nesting box with high hopes years ago, but to my knowledge, no bluebirds have ever nested there.

Early on, the nesting box was located along the fence in the backyard, where it was the scene of a grisly war. It happened at night, when I was sleeping in the house. In the morning light, I found the nesting box knocked to the ground, with feathers strewn about.

I moved the box to the oak tree in the front garden where the crossvine could act as a sentry. That spring a family of titmice moved in and kept it occupied the entire season.

A few years later, I noticed the box was full of moss and fluff -- an abandoned bird's nest maybe. I threw it to the ground, then reconsidered and returned it to the box. One day soon after, I lifted the wooden door and a small shadow moved to the back of the box. Fearing it was a snake, I dropped the door closed and didn't touch it again for several years.

Until recently. When I lifted the lid, a small mammal raised its head and squinted, sniffing the air. I closed the box quietly and left it in peace.