Welcome Back, Birds of Summer

Bewick’s Wren, photo by Tim Bray

After that long, wet winter, it seems Spring arrived almost overnight. Yellow-rumped Warblers departed and the woods now ring with the calls of Wilson’s and Orange-crowned Warblers. Ospreys returned and are already on their big woody nests, yelping to their mates and carrying fish back from the sea. Many songbirds are building nests and can be seen carrying everything from sticks to mud. Soon the observant birdwatcher may notice a drop in numbers, as half the population disappears from view while they brood eggs. This already happened with Anna’s Hummingbirds, though it is less noticeable as the males continue their frenzied harassment of one another. Allen’s Hummingbirds arrived over the past few weeks and the females are already nesting as well. Unlike many other songbirds, the male hummingbirds take no part in nesting or raising the young - chasing each other around is just about all they do every day.

Now that we are getting some dry spells, many people will be tackling the landscape projects that were put on hold when it was raining every week. Before starting work, however, think about the birds. Watch closely, especially in the early morning or evening, to see if any are moving in and out of a tree or shrub you want to work on. If they are, it’s likely they are nesting in it. Consider delaying that work until August, when most chicks have fledged. Also if you have a pile of trimmings in your yard, watch closely to see if Sparrows, Wrens, or even Warblers might be nesting in it.

Some birds do seem to choose particularly inconvenient nesting sites. Bewick’s Wrens are infamous for nesting in places like the pockets of a coat hung in a storage shed, or in boots left outside on the porch… and we watched a pair of them carrying sticks into our lumber stack, having found a cavity that looked just right to them. Now I can’t move those boards for the next two months. That small inconvenience is nothing compared to the entertainment they provide, singing and scolding and carrying food, and I eagerly await the day their chicks venture out for the first time.

We used to have both Cliff and Barn Swallows nesting under the eaves of our house, and I still hope the Barn Swallow pair will return. Many people dislike the mud nests of Cliff Swallows or the fecal deposits of Barn Swallows – whose chicks back up to the edge of the nest and then shoot feces over the side – but it is easy to clean up after they have fledged young and are no longer using those nests. Meanwhile they will provide hours of joy as you watch them swooping around consuming mosquitoes, gnats and other tiny flying insects, talking to each other the whole time.

For gardeners and birders alike, this is a time of great promise. We envision a future of abundance: flowers, produce, and many birds. Let’s work to make that vision a reality.

First published MCAS Black Oystercatcher May, 2024

Golden-crowned Sparrow. Photo by Tim Bray.