Nest box vandalism at the Charles River Peninsula

Box 1 Former nest of house sparrow

Sometime this week after the morning of the Fourth (the last time I was on the property) vandals knocked down two nesting boxes at the Charles River Peninsula and destroyed an active tree swallow nest.

Box 2 Former nest of tree swallow

As the volunteer caretaker of these boxes for the last few months this hits hard.

Box 3 Former tree swallow nest

The first two boxes were effectively empty--an unsuccessful male house sparrow controlling the first and young tree swallows recently fledged from the other. It is the gratuitous destruction of the active tree swallow nest (box 3 has been cursed this year) that leaves me speechless. There were chicks in there.

Mute swan and cygnets, Charles River Peninsula, Needham, MA

So we won't be putting box 1 or box 2 back up, this year at least. And I wouldn't blame the tree swallow parents for abandoning box 3. But time will tell. I'll keep checking...