My thought is I would leave boxes in place in case owls want to use them. That would be a bonus for me. The one mounted on the pond light pole can stay as is, it should be predator proof.
The one that I mount in the water gets in the way of ice skating. That is the one where I would want to have a pole that can terminate under the water (so would have to have a slip on or threaded joint) and could add another section of pole in March through May or whenever the babies leave the nest and then could take it down when we have ice again.
I was thinking a guide post pounded in that stays in place would allow me to slide a pole with the box over the guide post. Since I might be installing this in early March or late Feb when there is still ice on the pond it might be best to not have to work with a threaded joint under the water and do this work through a small hole in the ice. It might be easier to pound a standard fence post in through a hole in the ice and then slip a steel or pvc tube over that. I would envision installing it right as skating season ends so there may be some ice/freezing yet but it should be working towards warm weather by the time I put it up.
then in April or May when we are done I can wade in the water and pull the guide pole back out?
