Rebecca Coleman Speaks to Visitors at Laurel Hill State Park

Longtime service and dedication to the Eastern bluebird and its habitat at Laurel Hill and Laurel Ridge state parks in Somerset County have earned a park volunteer DCNR’s 2006 Bluebird Monitor of the Year Award.

Rebecca Coleman of Somerset was chosen from 155 volunteers statewide and honored at a late November ceremony saluting her “long-term dedication and enthusiasm” displayed over 15 years while volunteering to monitor and help protect and propagate Eastern bluebirds as part of the Bureau of State Parks’ monitoring program.

A total of 42 nesting boxes are supervised at the parks by Coleman, who says the number of bluebirds fledged along her bluebird trail has been “pretty consistent” since she took over chores of erecting and repairing bluebird nesting boxes, cleaning them, and keeping track of the occupants. It is a task that comes with surprises:

“I’ve found bats on occasion in the nesting boxes, and one year a family of field mice had taken up residence,” said Coleman, 55, who noted her attachment to the bluebird and willingness to volunteer at a state park were generated “almost by accident.”

“I’d lived in Somerset for 10 years and never had been to Laurel Hill State Park -- just eight miles from my home,” Coleman said. “I finally visited the park, eventually met its retired environmental education specialist, Audrey Grey, and we took an instant liking to each other. I fell in love with the park and wanted to hike in it; Audrey needed someone to monitor its bluebird boxes. I accepted and was able to get out on my own time-frame in what became a perfect match.”

Perfect, indeed, park officials agree: “The success of our bluebird program at both Laurel Hill and Laurel Ridge state parks is a direct result of Becky’s demonstrated commitment and enthusiasm,” said Amy Hill, Bureau of State Parks’ Bluebird Trails Coordinator. “She does a great deal of work on both trails, and also helps by hosting programs and demonstrations along the trails during Laurel Hill’s Annual Bluebird Celebration.

“According to their annual report, they fledged 24 tree swallows and 28 bluebirds at Laurel Hill and 28 tree swallows and eight bluebirds at Laurel Ridge,” said Hill. “Becky is just getting the Laurel Ridge trail open and going again so I would expect those numbers to increase as the bluebirds reacclimatize to the trail.”

As bluebird trails coordinator, Coleman is dedicated to the nesting success of the park’s cheery, winged visitors. Her duties include construction, placement and observation of nesting boxes; spring cleaning before new nesting seasons; and compilation of annual nesting records.

Laurel Hill State Park Complex Manager Robert J. Hufman said Coleman is directly responsible for the addition of more than 30 nesting boxes at the two parks.

“Mrs. Coleman guides several bluebird hikes for families and friends participating in the Annual Bluebird Celebration,” Hufman said. “During this July 4th weekend event, the remaining members of Laurel Hill’s Civilian Conservation Corps spend time building bluebird boxes with families while Becky guides the walks.

“She also has attended numerous Pennsylvania State Park bluebird conferences and has volunteered in numerous other educational aspects of the park. Rebecca Coleman is most deserving of this award due to her long-term dedication and enthusiasm for the bluebird monitoring program.”

Coleman had some accolades of her own for the staff at both parks: “All these years and the park personnel always have treated me the same -- very nicely. They never fail to show genuine appreciation for what we do as volunteers, and I appreciate that as well.”

The Bureau of State Parks bluebird-monitoring program, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2006, now involves 56 of the 117 state parks across the state, according to Hill, who oversees the program. “Volunteers will regularly check the nesting boxes, noting if bluebirds are frequenting them, building nests, laying eggs, hatching, and fledging,” she said.

The Bluebird Trails Program has involved over 150 volunteers, ranging in age from high school students to some in their upper 80s. They check some 1,600 nesting boxes across the state in individual park efforts that monitor from five to more than 175 nesting boxes.

Commitment in the bluebird-monitoring program is not rare, Hill notes. More than 15 of the volunteers have been checking nesting boxes; cleaning and repairing them; jotting notes; and hiking trails for over 20 or more years.

In 2006, a total of 2,219 bluebirds were fledged, bringing the grand total to 43,215 since 1981. Data gleaned from observations of Coleman and others is shared with the Game Commission; North American Bluebird Society; the Bluebird Society of Pennsylvania.; and the Bureau of State Parks’ Resources Management and Planning Division.

For more details on Bluebird Trails Program, contact Amy Hill at 717-783-4361.

(Reprinted from DCNR Resource electronic newsletter)

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