Last week I had the honor of helping Stiles Thomas, the marsh warden emeritus of the Celery Farm, as he installed an Eastern Bluebird nesting box in a yard of a friend in Gardiner, N.Y. (near New Paltz).

As always, Stiles had everything planned, down to the last wing-nut and washer for the baffle.

I helped create the two-foot-deep hole to anchor the nest box in the ground, and Stiles did the rest.

Eastern Bluebirds have been seen in the yard as recently as this winter, and Stiles predicts the box will have its first tenants within the month.

Most folks don't realize it, but Stiles was featured in articles about Eastern Bluebirds in Reader's Digest, Audubon Magazine and other publications several decades ago for his work in helping these beautiful birds make a comeback in Bergen County.

I have scanned the Reader's Digest and Audubon Magazine articles and you can read them below.

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