Eastern Bluebirds Traditional Cache

The bluebird nesting boxes are often used by Eastern Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, Tufted Titmice, House Wrens and Black-capped Chickadees. The birds only use the nest boxes during the breeding season. The entrance hole is just large enough for these birds and too small for the invasive Starlings that are also cavity nesters. Bluebirds and Swallows are mainly insect eaters. Large areas of grasslands and fields are needed to supply insects for the baby birds.

The Eastern Bluebird cache is located at New Jersey Audubon's magnificent The Scherman Hoffman Center for Conservation and Environmental Education. The Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary located in Bernardsville, Basking Ridge, and Harding Township, NJ. The Audubon group granted permission for this cache placement.

The Eastern Bluebird is well named, for he wears a coat of the purest, richest, and most gorgeous blue on back, wings, and tail; no North American bird better deserves the name, for no other flashes before our admiring eyes so much brilliant blue. It has been said that he carries on his back the blue of heaven and the rich brown of the freshly turned earth on his breast; but who has ever seen the bluest sky as blue as the bluebird's back?" (Quote describing the eastern bluebird from the Arthur Cleveland Bent series on the Birds of North America.)

The Eastern Bluebird is found throughout New Jersey in appropriae habitat. Some bluebirds will over-winter in the state. Bluebirds are usually found in fields, open woodlands, parks or other open areas, including suburban locations with open spaces and scattered tress. The eastern bluebird has a musical flight call that often reveals its presence.

The Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary geocaching project is an exciting partnership between New Jersey Audubon's Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary and The Northern New Jersey Cachers, who were consulted to help develop and implement the new Educational Geotrail.