2027 Bird Report

Birds in the Greenhouse

Norma and Alayna, Our resident ornithologists tell the story of our avian companions and a surpise visitor during our most recent growing season.

Birds in the Greenhouse

Norma:

Once again, the birds have had a good year at Rush Creek. So good it is almost boring! Robins, Hummingbirds, House Finches, Song Sparrows, English Sparrows and of course Barn Swallows have been rushing in and about the greenhouse. The Kingbirds stayed outside this year, so not quite so much scolding! 

The Barn Swallows are the most impressive There were at least a dozen pairs coming and going; then their young joined them. They all seemed to know who was who, but I couldn't tell the difference. It takes a lot of insects to feed all those mouths. Somehow they manage. I grew up with Barn Swallows always being there in the summer, thus summer meant Barn Swallows and vice versa. 

The birds were not the most exciting visitor to the greenhouse this season. A bear came through and punched holes in several green houses. I did not see the bear - only the holes. But Babette and Suzanne saw her at their home across the street. It was in April, the time of the year when bears visit bird feeders for a post-nap snack. But, there were no bird feeders at the green house. 

My bird feeder was torn down a week later. The bird feeder was easy to fix the v-shaped shepherd's crook. More surprising to me was that I saw a full-sized black bear cross the main highway in mid-July! It was midday too. This was about three or four miles south of the greenhouse. Possibly the same bear, but more likely not. They just keep to themselves most of the time so we don't know that they are here.

Alayna:

One of my favorite parts of the work day has been sitting outside during breaks and listening to whoever’s been passing through. Spring brought us Red-winged Blackbirds and Eastern Meadowlarks, perching high in treetops and on powerlines. Killdeers distracted us with "broken" wings. Dickcissels chattered from scrubby grasses. Tree Swallows mingled with the Barn Swallows, swooping and diving for bugs above the greenhouse. Turkey Vultures made lazy circles in the sky. Goldfinches flitted about, preparing for their late summer nesting.

I literally jumped for joy when I heard my first Bobolink of the season. We had at least two pairs nesting in the field behind the greenhouse and I loved listening to their bubbly song through June. They have become quite elusive due to loss of natural habitat, so I was happy to see them finding a safe place to land at Rush Creek.