July activities around Mount Vernon Songbird Sanctuary's Gardens
Northern Mockingbirds successfully raised 2 clutches and are starting their third.
2 Black Capped Chickadees taking waxworms from my hand and feeding young.
Up to 20 Cedar Waxwings at the crabapple tree.
Eastern Bluebirds are starting their third nest.
Red-tailed hawks have fledged and begging for food from their parents.
Eastern Wood Pewee singing and defending territory.
Baltimore Orioles successfully fledged from the maple tree.
Scarlet Tanager making appearances.
Chimney Swift chimney success!!!!
In the spring of 2008 Mount Vernon Songbird Sanctuary, along with the help of volunteers and generous donors, erected a full size brick chimney for nesting or roosting Chimney Swifts. The chimney is in the backyard of our property, and is attached to a pavillion to attract nesting barn swallows. Over the winter we cleared more land that surrounds the chimney to make more open air space to attract Chimney Swifts. After 3 years we are finally successful and now have a nesting pair in the chimney, as well as a nesting pair in the house chimney, which had to be capped after a house fire in 2007 (the cap is raised high enough for Chimney Swifts to safely enter). Check back for more Chimney Swift nesting news!
Birds recently released
We have successfully rehabilitated and released the following this past spring; 5 Eastern Bluebirds, 2 Tufted Titmouse, 2 Carolina Wrens, 2 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Horned Lark, 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker, 1 Black Capped Chickadee, 1 Northern Cardinal, 1 Gray Catbird.
