The Friends of Mary Cummings Park checks all of the birdhouses in the park each week during nesting season and we report our findings to the Cornell Nestwatch project via an app. It is remarkable to watch the weekly propress of nest-building, egg laying, and then watch the tiny babies grow into fully feathered young birds before they fledge.
Sometimes when you open the door of the birdhouse the mother stays in place, in a remarkable show of courage. She spreads her wings over her babies and dares you to come closer. In these cases we take one quick photo and shut the door, leaving the family in peace.
As of now, August 8, all the birdhouses are empty and we will clean them out for next year’s nesting season, which begins in May.