Wood duck, bluebird nesting workshop will be held Jan. 9

A workshop on how to get and manage a wood duck or eastern bluebird nest box will be held at the Port Barre Lions Club, 150 VFW St., 9:30 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Jan. 9.
The workshop is free for Teche Project and Port Barre Lions Club members. The $10 fee for others includes a discounted membership to The TECHE Project.
It will start with a general ecology discussion of eastern bluebirds and wood ducks by Patti Holland, council Member and retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist. Council member Brent Miller and his daughter Adeline will discuss their first-hand experiences from many years of rearing wood ducks on the banks of Bayou Teche. The Millers will have some of the ducks they’ve raised so that you can get an up-close, live experience of these beautiful birds.
Additionally, there will be tips on how to manage property to deter nuisance wildlife such as nutria.
Both wood duck and bluebird boxes will be available for purchase. Anyone who lives on Bayou Teche, can also get a free Paddle Trail sign for their box displaying the mile point of their particular spot on the bayou.
“This workshop is a great opportunity for those living near Bayou Teche to be part of the ecological improvement of the watershed while at the same time enjoying the fruits of your labor as young birds emerge from their boxes,” Holland said.
Bayou Teche property owners are the target audience, but anyone who is interested in raising wood ducks or eastern bluebirds will benefit from the workshop, she said.
The TECHE Project is a non-profit group working to raise awareness of the environmental, cultural and recreational values of Bayou Teche. This volunteer group has removed over 50 tons of trash from the bayou and is working to build a recreational trail-based economy on Bayou Teche.
Thanks in large measure to The TECHE Project, the Bayou Teche Paddle Trail is a nationally recognized water trail that is drawing people from around the U.S. to experience paddling in Cajun Country.