Saturday, June 2, from 10 a.m. to noon, Midcoast Conservancy will be offering a bluebird box building workshop in Montville. John Twomey and Leigh Norcott maintain bird boxes on the farm where they live as well as on nearby Midcoast Conservancy lands.  Since 2009, John and Leigh have given a number of workshops on building, installing and maintaining bluebird boxes.  To date they have helped others to build and deploy over 180 bird boxes in Midcoast Maine.

The workshop in June will include a short tour of several of the existing bird boxes on the farm, all of which are likely to have avian occupants at that time.  The walk will be followed by a brief discussion of important details regarding why, how and where to place bird boxes.  After this, each individual or small group will construct a bird box to take home.  John and Leigh will provide all of the materials (wood, nails, screws) necessary to construct a total of 10 bluebird boxes.  There is no charge for the event but it would be helpful if people bring their own hammers.

In an effort to provide all with a positive experience, the workshop is limited to 10 individuals or small groups that will construct a total of 10 bird boxes. No bathroom facilities available – and please, no dogs.

The workshop will be held at John and Leigh’s farm in Montville. John spent 37 years as a professor at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.  He and his partner Leigh Norcott, a former elementary school teacher, retired in 2009 and have lived on the farm in Montville full time since then.  They are both avid naturalists.

To register for the event, go to www.midcoastconservancy.org/events/bluebird-box-building-workshop.

For more information, call Midcoast Conservancy: 207-389-5150.