2026 Bird Report

Birds in the Greenhouse

Our resident ornithologist tells the story of our avian companions during our most recent growing season.

Birds in the Greenhouse

It is the last weekend in September 2025 as I write this. The greenhouse is very quiet and still. It is the same in my garden…noticeably quiet! No robins scolding or catbirds singing; even the goldfinches are quiet. And I think the last hummingbird left last night. Summer is over and things are quieting down.

 

We had a very busy year at the greenhouse, bird wise and plant wise. It starts early. In late March and early April, the English sparrows start chirping and squabbling. Each male has some special corner he is defending. From then on, as the spring progresses more birds appear. Song sparrows start sneaking in and out and start their morning songs. There was more than one nest in the greenhouse and some quite late. They are very sneaky about it and often sit tight unless they get watered!

 

The robins started moving in in April and May. We must have had a record number of nestings this season. Although some were probably re-nestings as the original site did not work out. It seems they don’t always pick a spot that will support a nest. At any rate, there were a lot of fledglings in mid-summer. The cats were banished to the office and it seemed like no matter what door I went out, a brood of fledglings flew up.

 

The barn swallows are the stars of the bird show though. While the robins are quiet in their comings and goings the swallows are not. There were twelve or fourteen nests in the greenhouse. Plus a few raised a second (and third and fourth) brood. So, no wonder there was so much comings and goings and territorial disputes. They are fun to watch as they swoop and dive and never miss a doorway. It is their absence that makes the greenhouse seem so quiet now.

 

There were other birds too; the house wrens singing inside and outside and keeping their nest site secret. One weekend there was a big spat with the house finches. I don’t know who won or what the issue was bit it went on and on. The house finches are always here. They sing a lot, but they too are secretive about their nest sites and they too are quiet now.

 

The hummingbirds come in to check out the baskets and the salvia. The phoebes come in looking for insects and the occasional woodpecker comes in for whatever reason. Out in the field there are red-winged blackbirds and field sparrows (mostly heard, not seen). And if one looks up an occasional Bald Eagle or Red-tailed Hawk or Turkey Vulture fly over.

 

So ends the summer’s bird report. Be kind to the birds. Their life is getting more dangerous with the climate change and urbanization. I am relieved every spring, when they do come back and I hope it remains that way.

Norma Rudesill

Resident Ornithologist