(PROJECTOR SOUND)
SHERRY LINN: THERE'S SOMETHING
IN HUMANS THAT NATURE SPEAKS TO.
WE'RE A PART OF IT WE AREN'T
SEPARATE FROM IT.
IT'S IN OUR CORE AND I THINK
THAT THE BLUEBIRDS ARE JUST A
A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO BRING THAT
PRESENCE AND MAKE PEOPLE STOP
AND THINK ABOUT WHAT'S AROUND
THEM.
TERRY RICH: THE NORTH
AMERICAN BLUEBIRD SOCIETY IS
PROBABLY ONE OF THE VERY FIRST
CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECTS THAT
REALLY HAD AN IMPACT ON AN
INDIVIDUAL SPECIES.
AND I THINK THEY PROBABLY REALLY
SET THE STANDARD FOR CITIZENS
HAVING AN IMPACT IN BIRD
CONSERVATION.
JAY CARLISLE: AND WE IN
IDAHO ARE LUCKY IN THAT WE HAVE
ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF A
CITIZEN SCIENTIST WHO TOOK IT
UPON HIS SHOULDERS- HE AND HIS
WIFE, SO ON THEIR SHOULDERS- TO
REALLY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND, IN
ESTABLISHING HUNDREDS OF
NESTBOXES ON DIFFERENT ROUTES,
AND THEN MAINTAINING THAT FOR
OVER 30 YEARS.
PAM CONLEY: IT'S ALMOST
PROBABLY PART OF WHAT HAS KEPT
HIM GOING THIS LONG.
HE STARTED THIS WHEN HE WAS 60.
MOST PEOPLE ARE RETIRING.
HE DID IT BECAUSE HE WAS JUST
INTERESTED IN BLUEBIRDS.
HE KIND OF READ ABOUT THEM AND
HEARD THEY WERE IN TROUBLE AND
THOUGHT, "I COULD PUT UP A FEW
BOXES."
CONLEY: AND THEN THE NEXT
THING YOU KNOW HE'S THE BLUEBIRD
MAN.
AL LARSON: I THINK WHEN A
PERSON RETIRES, HE SHOULD HAVE A
PLAN AHEAD OF WHAT HE WANTS TO
DO WITH HIS LIFE.
IF HE WANTS TO SIT DOWN AND
WASTE AWAY IN AN EASY CHAIR,
THAT'S HIS BUSINESS.
BUT IF YOU DO THAT, YOU'LL WASTE
AWAY REAL FAST.
YOU GIVE UP, YOUR MUSCLES UH
DETERIORATE, THE FIRST THING YOU
KNOW, YOU'RE BEDRIDDEN AND NEXT
STEP IS PUSHING UP DAISIES.
LARSON: I WAS INVOLVED WITH
THE AUDUBON SOCIETY BEFORE I
RETIRED.
SO I HAD THE AUDUBON ACTIVITIES
TO KEEP ME BUSY, FIELD TRIPS AND
ALL THAT.
I REALLY DIDN'T RETIRE, I JUST
CHANGED JOBS SO TO SPEAK.
IT WAS LIKE GOING TO WORK FOR A
DIFFERENT PERSON, ONLY THIS
TIME, IT WAS FOR ME.
(WOOD SPLITTER STARTING)
PATRICIA CHAPMAN: MY DAD YOU
KNOW IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT
NEEDS TO BE DONE HE DOES IT.
IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS
TO BE FIXED HE FIXES IT.
IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, HE SOLVES
IT.
THAT IS JUST WHO HE HIS.
CHAPMAN: HE LIKES TO NOT BE
DEPENDENT ON ANYBODY ELSE, HE
LIKES TO BE ABLE TO DO IT
HIMSELF.
I HOPE THAT HE WILL ALWAYS GET
TO BE OUTSIDE AND I CAN'T
IMAGINE HIM EVER BEING CONFINED
TO SOMEPLACE INSIDE.
HE WAS OUT ON THE RANCH IN
JORDAN VALLEY SINCE HE WAS WHAT?
13? 12?
I MEAN, AND HE WAS ALONE OUT
THERE.
AND I THINK HE FOUND A LOT OF
PEACE JUST BEING BY HIMSELF,
BECAUSE HIS CHILDHOOD WASN'T
ALWAYS THE EASIEST SO I THINK TO
BE AWAY FROM PEOPLE MADE LIFE A
LOT EASIER.
LARSON: WELL WHEN I FIRST
CAME OUT HERE, I WAS JUST FRESH
OUT OF THE CITY, OUT OF BOISE.
MY MOTHER HAD DIED, AND MY
STEPDAD TURNED ME OVER TO MY
OLDER BROTHERS TO CARE FOR.
BUT THERE WAS A CABIN UP HERE.
I ALWAYS REFER TO THIS AS AN OLD
MOONSHINERS CABIN.
I THINK MY BROTHER'S WERE
INVOLVED IN RUNNING SOME OF THE
MOONSHINE AROUND THE AREA.
I WAS OUT HERE ALONE TO TROMP
AROUND IN THE SAGEBRUSH.
AND THAT'S WHERE I GOT MY START
OF GETTING OUT INTO THE DESERT
COUNTRY.
I WAS RIDING THE FENCE ONE DAY
AND I SPIED MY FIRST BLUEBIRD.
I DIDN'T KNOW IT THEN, BUT THAT
BLUEBIRD WAS GOING TO AFFECT MY
LIFE 40 YEARS LATER.
LARSON: YES SIR, THIS IS
WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
PROVIDING HOMES FOR THE
BLUEBIRDS.
THIS IS THE FEMALE BLUEBIRD.
WE'VE GOT THE MALE BLUEBIRD
SITTING WAY OUT THERE WHERE HE
FIGURES HE'S PRETTY SAFE.
SHERRY LINN: I CAN HEAR HIM.
SO MAYBE WE'LL JUST MOVE BACK
AND HE WILL DAIN TO COME IN WITH
THE DOOR OPEN.
HERE HE COMES.
LINN: THOREAU SAID THAT,
THE BLUEBIRD CARRIED THE SKY ON
ITS BACK AND THE MOUNTAIN
BLUEBIRD REALLY IS MORE OF THAT
SKY BLUE.
THE EASTERN BLUEBIRD HAS RUST ON
THE FRONT, AND THE BLUE IS MORE,
I DESCRIBE IT AS A COBALT BLUE.
IT'S A DEEPER BLUE AND THE RUST
COMES RIGHT UP UNDER THE CHIN.
AND THEN NO THE WESTERN, THEY
HAVE A BLUE COLLAR.
SO THE RUST COMES UP BUT THE
NECK IS THE BLUE.
LARSON: BLUEBIRDS ARE
SECONDARY CAVITY NESTERS.
THEY DON'T DRILL HOLES INTO
TREES, BUT THEY WILL USE
CAVITIES MADE BY OTHER CRITTERS.
BEFORE MAN STARTED PUTTING UP
ARTIFICIAL NESTING CAVITIES LIKE
HOLLOWED OUT GOURDS OR, OR NEST
BOXES LIKE WE'RE DOING NOW, THEY
HAD TO RELY ON OTHER CAVITIES.
WE ALSO HAVE COMPETITION FOR THE
AVAILABLE CAVITIES.
THE INTRODUCED SPECIES LIKE
STARLINGS AND HOUSE SPARROWS.
AND THEN THERE ARE THE
NUTHATCHES AND CHICKADEES AND
HOUSE WRENS AND SWALLOWS -
ALL THESE OTHER BIRDS ARE
COMPETITION FOR THE BLUEBIRDS.
SO IF YOU HAVE AN AMPLE FOOD
SUPPLY AROUND AND NOT VERY MANY
CAVITIES, THEN IT'S VERY HELPFUL
TO PUT UP A NESTBOX.
AND THAT'S WHERE I STEP IN.
AT THE PRESENT TIME
I'M MONITORING OVER 300, NEST
BOXES OUT THERE FOR BLUEBIRDS
SPECIFICALLY.
WE CALL THESE ROUTES WHERE THE
BOXES ARE SET UP, WE CALL THEM
TRAILS, BLUEBIRD TRAILS.
LARSON: I PUT THEM WAY FAR OFF
THE ROAD SO THAT PEOPLE WOULDN'T
HAVE ACCESS TO THEM IF THEY
DIDN'T KNOW THEY WAS THERE
YOU KNOW.
GET THEM A LITTLE FARTHER OFF
THE ROAD THEY'RE LESS VISIBLE.
GETTING CLOSER.
WE'LL WALK UP THROUGH HERE.
LARSON: MUST BE...
LETS SEE...
THIS IS IT DOWN HERE.
YOU'LL NOTICE MOST OF MY BOXES
THIS FAR AWAY FROM THE ROAD HAVE
SMALL NUMBERS ON THEM, THAT'S
WHEN I WAS YOUNG AND SPRY.
I WALKED FARTHER.
NOW, WHEN I PUT A BOX UP I PUT
IT AS CLOSE TO THE ROAD AS
POSSIBLE.
LARSON: THE BIRDS COME
BACK AND THEY'LL START BUILDING
NESTS IN THE LATTER PART OF
APRIL.
SHE'S GOT ONE EGG
THEY'LL LAY ONE EGG A DAY
UNTIL THEY HAVE THEIR
CLUTCH FILLED, SAY FIVE EGGS,
AND THEY INCUBATE THE EGGS FOR
14 DAYS AND THEY ALL HATCH OUT
ON THE SAME DAY BECAUSE SHE
STARTED INCUBATING THEM ALL ON
THE SAME DAY.
OKAY, HERE WE GO.
(MUSIC)
LARSON: THIS IS BOX NUMBER 96
ON THE OWYHEE BLUEBIRD TRAIL.
ON THE 30TH OF APRIL, 1989.
TERRY RICH: BLUEBIRDS RESPOND
VERY QUICKLY TO NESTBOXES.
THIS BIRD WAS OF HIGH CONCERN
MANY YEARS AGO, AND NOW THEY'RE
REALLY IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE,
IT'S WORKED WELL.
HE'S REALLY INCREASED WESTERN
AND MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD
POPULATIONS IN THIS REGION.
RICH: HE MADE THIS
APPEAL TO GET SOME HELP.
BECAUSE HE WASN'T GOING TO BE
ABLE TO DO IT, AT LEAST AT THE
RATE HE'S BEEN DOING IT OVER ALL
THESE WHAT, DECADES NOW.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THIS AS AN
INDIVIDUAL, YOU'VE GOT THREE OR
FOUR MONTHS OF TIME WHERE YOU'RE
NOT GOING ANYWHERE ELSE REALLY.
IT'S LIKE HAVING NEWBORN BABIES
IN THE HOUSE OR SOMETHING.
YOU'VE GOT TO STAY HOME AND DO
THE JOB.
PAM CONLEY: NOBODY WAS
JUMPING UP AND SAYING OH YEAH I
WANT TO BE THE NEXT BLUEBIRD MAN
OR WOMAN.
SO OK, THIS IS NOT GOING TO TAKE
CARE OF ITSELF.
WE NEED TO BE PROACTIVE AND DO
SOMETHING.
LINN: THAT'S A COMMON
PROBLEM FOR ALL OF THE GROUPS,
IS HOW DO WE ENGAGE THAT NEXT
GENERATION TO CARE TAKE FOR
THOSE OF US WHO CAN NO LONGER DO
IT.
LARSON: OUT ON MY FIELD TRIPS,
I GET IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH
PEOPLE, HANDING THEM A BLUEBIRD.
THAT'S SOMETHING SPECIAL.
LARSON: WOULD ONE OF YOU LIKE TO
HOLD THAT LITTLE BIRD?
KID: OKAY GRANDPA, GO AHEAD!
LARSON: SEE THESE TINY
LITTLE BABIES?
THESE ARE ABOUT TWO DAYS OLD.
FAMILY: ARE THOSE BLUEBIRDS?
THOSE ARE TEENY, TINY, LITTLE
BITY'S.
(WHISTLING)
LARSON: MAMA FEED ME.
FAMILY: OH MY GOODNESS
LOOK AT THAT, THAT'S INCREDIBLE.
THE MOM WAS THERE.
OH THERE SHE IS.
SHE SAYS GET OUT OF MY WAY YOU
GUYS.
LARSON: THE FEMALE DOES
MOST OF THE WORK.
I THINK SHE BRINGS 60 TO 70% OF
THE FOOD IN.
THE MALE, HE JUST HELPS OUT.
HE JUST STANDS BACK AND IS THE
GUARD.
(LULLABY PIANO MUSIC)
CHAPMAN: WELL HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN
INTERESTED IN JUST BEING
OUTDOORS.
AS KIDS WE PROBABLY VISITED
EVERY NATIONAL PARK AND STATE
PARK IN THE WEST.
WE'D GO OUT AND WE'D GO CAMPING
ALL THE TIME.
(PIANO MUSIC)
CHAPMAN: HE TAUGHT HIMSELF HOW
TO PLAY THE PIANO AFTER MY MOM
DIED.
AND THAT'S WAS HOW I FELL A
SLEEP EVERY NIGHT WAS HIM
PLAYING THE PIANO.
SO HE HAS THIS VERY GENTLE,
CARING, VERY GENTLE SIDE TO HIM.
(PIANO MUSIC)
LINN: WELL A LOT OF
PEOPLE THINK THAT.
THEY SAY, OF WELL THERE'S A NEST
BOX AND THE BIRDS CAN USE IT AND
THAT REPLACES AND TAKES CARE OF
WHATEVER WAS OUT THERE
NATURALLY.
WELL NOT SO.
THE MORE YOU OBSERVE, AND BY
DOING GOOD MONITORING ONCE A
WEEK, THE MORE YOU'RE GOING TO
LEARN, NOT ONLY ABOUT THE BIRDS
AND WHAT GOES ON IN THE NESTBOX,
BUT TAKE IN, OBSERVE WHAT ELSE
IS GOING ON AND WHAT CAN AFFECT
THE BIRDS.
DIRECTOR: NESTLINGS ON THE
GROUND?
DOES IT SEEM LIKE IT JUST FELL?
RECENTLY?
LARSON: OH YEAH, THE
BABIES ARE STILL ALIVE.
TWO OF THEM HERE.
THREE.
FOUR.
FIVE.
THESE ARE FIVE OR SIX DAYS OLD.
LARSON: WE SHOULD CHECK
THE BOXES, PROBABLY ONCE A WEEK,
BUT THE MORE OFTEN YOU CHECK THE
BOXES, THE MORE YOU MAY BE ABLE
TO SAVE THE BIRDS FROM HAVING A
CATASTROPHE.
LARSON: DID THE BLUEBIRDS
TAKE OFF?
DIRECTOR: THE MALE IS UP
THERE.
LARSON: UM, I WONDER, DO
YOU MIND IF WE BACK UP HERE A
LITTLE WAYS AND OBSERVE?
CAMERAMAN: SURE. SURE.
LARSON: BUT THE ADULTS, I
JUST WONDER IF THEY'LL COME BACK
AND INVESTIGATE AND THEN START
FEEDING THEM.
LARSON: WELL I WON'T KNOW
UNTIL THE FIRST WHETHER THIS
OPERATION WAS SUCCESSFUL OR NOT.
DIRECTOR: WHEN YOU WEREN'T
OUT ON THE TRAIL WITH AL, AND HE
WAS OUT THERE BY HIMSELF OUT IN
THESE REMOTE AREAS, DID YOU
WORRY HIM MUCH?
HILDA LARSON: OH YEAH.
I'D ALWAYS LOOK FOR HIM TO GET
HOME BUT I HAD TO RESCUE HIM
ONCE.
HE GOT STUCK IN THE MUD OUT
THERE AND HAD TO SPEND THE NIGHT
IN THE LITTLE PICKUP.
AL: SHE SENT THE
SHERIFF'S POSSE OUT THERE.
HILDA: WELL, THEY TOLD PEOPLE
NOT TO GO OUT THERE, BUT IT CAME
TOO LATE TO TELL HIM.
SO THEY WENT OUT AND FOUND HIM
WALKING IN, HE WAS WALKING OUT,
CROSSING A STREAM THAT WAS UP
ABOVE HIS KNEES, TOOK HIS SHOES
OFF AND WENT BAREFOOT ACROSS IT.
CONLEY: YEAH, YOU KNOW
PRIOR TO THIS YEAR, WELL, A FEW
PEOPLE DROVE AL AROUND SOMETIMES
LAST YEAR, BUT I MEAN, HE WOULD
JUST GO OUT ALL THE TIME BY
HIMSELF AND...
LARSON: HAVE THE TIME OF
MY LIFE.
CONLEY: (LAUGHS) NOW
YOU'VE GOT TOO MANY COOKS IN THE
SOUP RIGHT.
BUT I KNOW THAT HIS WIFE
PROBABLY WORRIED A LITTLE BIT.
BECAUSE YOU NOTICE, A LOT OF
THIS AREA, YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE
A LOT OF CELL COVERAGE.
NOW AND AGAIN YOU GET A LITTLE
BIT, BUT MOSTLY YOU DON'T GET
ANY.
LARSON: I GUESS I KIND OF
GREW UP A LONER, SO I NEVER
REALLY MINDED BEING OUT ALONE.
UH, 45.
LARSON: I GET A BIG BANG
OUT OF GOING OUT ALONE.
I GUESS I JUST LIKE TO BE FREE.
JUST LIKE THE WAVES ROLLING IN
OR THE WIND BLOWING THROUGH THE
TREES.
I JUST LIKE TO COAST ALONG AND
LET MATTERS TAKE THEIR OWN
COURSE.
LARSON: THE BUSIEST TIME
OF THE YEAR FOR ME IS USUALLY
THE SECOND WEEK OF JUNE.
THE BIRDS BECOME OLD ENOUGH TO
BAND, SAY FROM EIGHT DAYS ON UP
TO 14 OR 15 DAYS OLD.
JAY CARLISLE: SO BY
CAPTURING AND BANDING BIRDS,
YOU'RE PLACING A UNIQUE
IDENTIFIER ON A BIRD.
IT'S SORT OF LIKE A SOCIAL
SECURITY NUMBER THAT ALLOWS YOU
TO COLLECT DATA FROM AN
INDIVIDUAL BIRD BUT THEN
POTENTIALLY GET ADDITIONAL
ADDITIONAL DATA ON THAT BIRD
INTO THE FUTURE.
SCIENTISTS USE BIRD BANDING FOR
A WHOLE VARIETY OF PURPOSES,
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT GOALS
IN MIND.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT CLIMATE
CHANGE OR OTHER GLOBAL CHANGE
THAT CAN HAPPEN, WHETHER IT'S
HABITAT LOSS OR SOMETHING LIKE A
WEST NILE VIRUS, OR AVIAN FLU
THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE
COULDN'T HAVE FORESEEN 35 YEARS
AGO WHEN AL STARTED BANDING.
AND IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE LONG-
TERM, LIKE A REGULAR EFFORT, FOR
NOT JUST BLUEBIRDS BUT A LOT OF
SPECIES, YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO
MEASURE SOME OF THE BEFORE AND
AFTERS OF SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT OUR WORLD IS EXPERIENCING.
LARSON: WHEN THE LITTLE GUYS
GET TO BE ABOUT 17 OR 18 DAYS
OLD, THEY'RE ALMOST AS BIG
AS THE ADULTS.
THEIR WINGS AREN'T QUITE AS
DEVELOPED YET.
BUT FROM 18-21 DAYS, THE LITTLE
GUYS WILL FLEDGE OUT OF THE BOX
(WHIMSICAL PIANO MUSIC)
LINN: ONCE THEY LEAVE THE BOX
THEY DON'T GO BACK IN IT.
LARSON: IT'S NOT THEIR
HOME ANYMORE.
THEY HIDE UNDER GRASS, UNDER
LITTLE SHRUBS.
THE YOUNGSTERS LEARN TO HUNT ON
THEIR OWN BY WATCHING THE
PARENTS, BUT THE PARENTS KEEP
FEEDING THEM.
LARSON: WHEN THE BIRDS ARE
NO LONGER USING THE NEST, I
CLEAN THE BOX OUT.
TAKE OUT THE OLD NEST SO THAT
IT'LL BE READY FOR THE BIRDS, A
CLEAN BOX THE NEXT SPRING.
LARSON: BLUEBIRDS MIGRATE
SOUTH IN THE FALL DOWN TO THE
SOUTHERN UNITED STATES OR
NORTHERN MEXICO, AND THEY COME
BACK AGAIN IN THE SPRING.
LARSON: IT'S TIME NOW TO
HIT THE TRAIL.
THAT WINDING TRAIL DOWN THE
MOUNTAINSIDE.
AND GOODBYE TO THE LITTLE
BLUEBIRD.
GOOD LUCK.
LINN: OLDER GENERATIONS
REMEMBER WHEN THERE WERE
BLUEBIRDS AROUND, AND SOMETIMES
WHEN THINGS SLOWLY DISAPPEAR
LIKE THAT THE THINGS THAT YOU
SAW AS A CHILD, WHERE DID THEY
GO?
LINN: I DON'T WANT TO SEE
A WORLD WITHOUT BLUEBIRDS.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE A WORLD
WITHOUT SOME CRITTER THAT MAYBE
I'VE NEVER SEEN EXCEPT IN A
PICTURE, BUT THEY'RE A PART OF
IT.
RICH: WE'VE GOT TO KEEP
THIS GOING, AND IF IT TAKES
TWENTY PEOPLE TO REPLACE AL,
WHICH I THINK IS KIND OF HOW
IT'S SHAPING UP, THEN I WANT TO
BE ONE OF THOSE TWENTY AND DO
EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO KEEP IT
GOING.
LARSON: I THINK IN MY CASE,
I HAD A CURIOSITY, A
PASSION FOR WILDLIFE, THAT'S
SORT OF BEEN A RELIGION FOR ME.
JUST WHAT I BELIEVE IN, WHAT I
WANT TO BE A PART OF.
LARSON: OKAY. NEXT BOX.
