The Bluebird Monitoring Program on Spring Island date back to 1995. Many members have helped run and grow the bluebird program over the years into a very large volunteer opportunity for Spring Island residents. The program provides valuable research information to the Cornell Ornithology Lab Nest Watch citizen science project - with over 225 surveyed birdhouses, Spring Island is nationally the 4th largest data contributor and the largest in South Carolina. The Trust values the Bluebird Monitoring Program because it provides a gauge of the health of the Island’s cavity-nesting bird population.

In2020, 315 nest boxes were monitored. Total fledglings increased 15.3% over the previous year, with a total of 1,269 Eastern bluebirds, Carolina chickadees, and Carolina wrens fledging. There were also a few tufted titmouse fledges. Nest predation decreased, with only 17 predation events compared to 34 in 2019 and 61 in 2018. Predator guards were added to 10 boxes this year where predation had occurred in the past. 

Graduate student Ali Rodrian, in partnership with Clemson University and the Smithsonian Institute, conducted her master’s research on dispersal of fledgling bluebirds. Building upon a long-term dataset, Rodrian banded and tracked bluebirds on Spring Island and evaluated what factors (e.g. supplemental feeding of meal worms) influenced dispersal in young bluebirds. Nests which received supplemental feeding had a higher success rate and produced more offspring.