Box 5: Blackwood Farm

Blackwood Farm is a beautiful historic property just north of Chapel Hill on Highway 86. Purchased by Orange County in 2001, the farm is slated to become a rural park, complete with trails, an educational center, and an informal playing field. There is also talk of managing sections of the property for native grasses, similar to what land managers are doing at nearby Mason Farm. With several old wooden structures on site, including a barn, and many acres of open fields, Blackwood Farm is a highly suitable location for Barn Owls.

On a Saturday morning in mid-March, we met with Rich Shaw, Land Conservation Manager for Orange County and a champion of our nest box program from the beginning. We had originally planned on putting a nest box in the barn itself, which requires an entirely different setup, including the removal of a small section of siding. Because the architecture of the barn is of historical significance, Rich determined that we should probably leave the barn alone. So we decided to go with our trusted pole mount system in an adjacent field. After searching for a bit, Norm found a flat spot for the nest box.

The only problem was, we had only brought one ladder for the installation!! So we backed the bed of the truck up, and I was able to lift the box up from the tailgate. After securing the pole's flange to the base of the box, we faced the box to the southeast, out onto the open fields. Each time we install a box, we get a little more efficient with our time, even when we forget something like a ladder.

Nest box #5 successfully installed!!! Like the boxes at Mason Farm, this one will be fairly accessible to the public, as part of New Hope Audubon's educational mission. If you find these nest boxes on public lands, please don't disturb them!

There are no guarantees that any of these boxes will be successful at attracting Barn Owls. It is much easier to rehabilitate a population when there are already Barn Owls in the area. Blackwood Farm, however, offers plenty of opportunities for young owls looking for a territory, as well as people looking to learn more about their environment.

Look carefully, wayyyy past the pond and towards the farthest treeline in the distance, and you will see the white speck that is the nest box. If you live in Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, or Durham, be sure to get out and enjoy Blackwood Farm. It's a real Orange County treasure.