Castle Rock seeks volunteers to monitor bluebird nest boxes

Castle Rock Parks and Recreation is inviting residents to join the 2026 Colorado Bluebird Project season, with an informational open house scheduled for 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, at the Millhouse at Philip S. Miller Park, 1381 W. Plum Creek Parkway. The event will cover the basics of backyard bluebird boxes and how to volunteer to monitor nest boxes around town.

The town’s local project maintains more than 210 nest boxes at over 34 sites across Castle Rock, and since 2007 more than 10,000 bluebirds, swallows and other native birds have fledged from those boxes. In 2025, 170 volunteers contributed more than 3,400 hours to monitoring and maintenance; the program has operated under POST Partners and Denver Audubon for more than 18 years.

Volunteering is staged to match the birds’ life cycle: weekly monitoring begins the first week of April, when bluebirds start nesting in Colorado, and continues through late summer. Registered volunteers visit boxes on a rotating two- or three-week basis to record nesting data, and additional helpers are needed for nest box maintenance and repairs. Those who plan to serve as volunteer monitors must attend a separate training session at the Millhouse on either Wednesday, Feb. 18, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., or Thursday, Feb. 26, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Beyond the obvious conservation gains, the Bluebird Project carries public health and community benefits. Regular outdoor stewardship offers low-cost opportunities for families and individuals of all ages to build outdoor routines that support physical activity and mental well-being. Citizen science work also provides hands-on environmental education for youth and creates a civic pathway for neighbors to collaborate across neighborhoods and life stages. The project’s rotating schedule and local sites can make participation feasible for people with varied work and caregiving responsibilities, helping spread access to nature stewardship across Douglas County.

For residents interested in installing a nest box at home or signing up to volunteer, the town is providing guidelines and registration information online. The program emphasizes safety, standardized data collection and simple maintenance techniques so volunteers with little prior experience can contribute meaningfully.

The takeaway? Show up to the Feb. 4 open house, pick a training session that fits your schedule, and consider pitching in a few hours this spring. It’s a small, practical way to make our neighborhoods livelier, support local biodiversity and get outside with family or friends. Visit CRgov.com/Bluebird for details and to register.