News & Muse from the Bluebird Trail – Bluebird Blog Autumn 2025 Issue
By Shayne Mitchell
Please submit any comments, questions, or suggestions to birding@landisarboretum.org
News from the Trail
Trail monitoring report
All nest monitoring is conducted in accordance with The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Nestwatch Nest
Monitoring Manual. All monitoring data is entered into the Nestwatch database, and an end-of-year summary is submitted to the New York State Bluebird Society. If you’d like to follow along with our Bluebird Trail Map, please open https://landisarboretum.org/assets/images/Maps/ARB-BB-Trail-combo-3-4-25.jpg
Nest box monitoring began during March and ended in August after our final batch of fledglings took off on the 31st. The 2025 breeding totals for Eastern Bluebirds and Northern House Wrens were significantly lower than 2024 while Tree Swallows were only slightly lower. There are likely several causes responsible for this decline: there was a significant winterkill of bluebirds this past year; May was very wet; some nest boxes were moved further away from brushy areas in an attempt to favor more nesting bluebirds and swallows, and discourage wrens; and, it appears that a higher rate of interspecies competition and predation increased the number of nest failures. Even with all these issues, we still had lots of nesting success on the trail ... just not as much as the previous year. One happy decline in 2025 was the number of mice using our nest boxes.
At the beginning of this year, we relocated twelve nest boxes (six locations) in an effort to favor bluebirds and swallows vs wrens. (Note that the population of wrens significantly exceeds the combined populations of bluebirds and swallows.) This appears to have worked as each of these new locations hosted bluebirds and/or. tree swallows while wren nesting was reduced when compared to the old locations. We also put up four newboxes in prime bluebird/swallow territory at the beginning of the Waterfall Trail that were also successful.
Nonetheless, these positive outcomes for bluebirds and swallows were not enough to overcome the other factors that resulted in an overall nesting decline in our boxes. All nest boxes have received an end of season cleaning. They will be checked again before the 2026 breeding season to see if repairs are needed and to evict any mice.
During 2025 the Arboretum held many bird-related field trips and classes. We also held our Bluebird Lottery (more information below). Looking ahead to 2026, we expect to offer many of these same events again. If there are other classes or field trips you’d like to see, please email us with your ideas.
2025 Summary statistics:
Number of Nest Boxes = 44 (22 locations with a pair of boxes at each)
Fledglings:
Eastern Bluebird = 36
Tree Swallow = 51
House Wren = 61
Other = 0
Total (sum of all species):
Eggs Laid = 230
Young Hatched = 164
Fledglings = 148
More detailed nesting information can be found in the table at the end of this edition of the blog.
2025 Nest Box Award Winners:
First – The first egg of the year was laid on April 28 in Box WPT2W, Eastern Bluebird.
Last – The last fledgling departed from Box WT1E on August 31, Eastern Bluebird.
Most – The box with the most fledglings was FLT3W, 11 Northern House Wrens.
Least – Also known as Participation Trophy Winners. Boxes AT1E, FLT3E, PT2W, WPT1W, WT4W,
WT5E had zero nesting attempts for the year. See the Autumn 2024 edition of the Bluebird Blog for an explanation for why this may happen.
Ruler of the Roost – More House Wrens fledged than any other species.
Most Unwanted Visitor(s) – House Sparrows (HOSP) built a nest in WT1W. It appears that they were
responsible for destroying the eggs and killing an adult Tree Swallow in adjacent WT1E and possibly
one other box. HOSP are an aggressive invasive species, and unprotected, and the bane of our native
cavity-nesting songbirds. Fortunately, we don’t see many at the Arboretum. The HOSP nest was
removed and they were successfully discouraged from nesting in our boxes.
People’s Choice Award – Location WPT4 received the most Bluebird Lottery guesses. See Nestbox
Spotlight below.
Bluebirdiest Box – Box AT2W hosted 5 fledglings. More than any other box this year.
Bluebird Lottery summary report
Our lottery is essentially a game where you can submit an educated guess about which nest box location (pair of boxes) will produce (fledge) bluebirds and possibly win a free membership and other prizes.
This year we had 84 participants submit a guess by the April 15 deadline. Every location received at least one guess except for WT2. Two locations (PT3 and WFT2) out of twenty-two fledged bluebirds by the June 15 lottery end date resulting in eight participants winning free Landis Arboretum memberships. Each of these winners was then entered in a drawing for our fifteen grand prizes, which included four $25 gift certificates donated by The Apple Barrel, a Bluebird Bundle (feeder, food, book and $15 gift certificate) donated by Wildbird Junction, five subscriptions to The Mountain Eagle/Schoharie News, two cases of suet donated by Rick’s Feed & Fuel, a bird house, $20 credit for our plant sale, and free attendance on one of our field trips.
Whether you enjoyed the lottery this year or missed out on the fun, stay tuned. We hope to do it again next year.
Featured Bird
Common Raven – Ravens are among the smartest and most adaptable of all birds. They can mimic human voices and the calls of some animals and remember human faces. Many cultures have myths associated with ravens. Some native peoples of the Pacific Northwest regard the raven as a trickster and a benefactor, bringing fire to people and liberating celestial bodies. These big, black birds can live almost anywhere though crows tend to replace them in cities. That said, they do seem to do best in rural and wilderness areas. Ravens can be seen at the Arboretum. They are omnivores and will eat almost anything including carrion, live animals, plants, dung, human food, and garbage.
In New York State there are three large black birds that look similar. From largest to smallest, these three are the Common Raven, American Crow, and Fish Crow. The Common Raven and American Crow are frequently seen at the Arboretum, but the Fish Crow is not. Many people mistakenly lump these birds together and call them all crows. Often, you’re observing only one species at a time, and from a distance, so the size difference isn’t always an obvious determinant. Better identifiers are that ravens tend to glide and soar much more often than crows, being more graceful and agile. Ravens are less likely to travel in flocks, have wings that are longer and less stocky than crows, their tails appear to be tapered or diamond-shaped in flight, and their calls are a deep croak vs the higher pitched caws made by crows.
You can learn much more about Common Ravens by visiting
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/common-raven . For tips on differentiating between ravens and crows see https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/similar-species-crows-and-ravens/ .
Muse for the Trail
The Raven
By Edgar Allen Poe
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door
Only this and nothing more.”
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore
Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
“’Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;
This it is and nothing more.”
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
“Sir,” said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you”—here I opened wide the door;
Darkness there and nothing more.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, “Lenore?”
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, “Lenore!”
Merely this and nothing more.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
“Surely,” said I, “surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;
’Tis the wind and nothing more!”
Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
“Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!”
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”
Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as “Nevermore.”
But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing farther then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered
Till I scarcely more than muttered “Other friends have flown before
On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before.”
Then the bird said “Nevermore.”
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
“Doubtless,” said I, “what it utters is its only stock and store
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of ‘Never—nevermore’.”
But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking “Nevermore.”
This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom’s core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion’s velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o’er,
But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o’er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!
Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
“Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore;
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!”
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”
“Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted
On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore
Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!”
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”
“Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.”
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”
“Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting
“Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!”
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted—nevermore!
If you’re in the mood for a narrated version, I recommend those by James Earl Jones and Christopher Lee which can be found on Youtube. It’s a Halloween tradition of mine to listen to both.
Random Facts and Helpful Hints
Did you notice that many species of birds were quieter during August? Birds mainly sing to attract a mate and establish a territory. Many of the baby birds in this area have fledged by mid-July so there is less reason to sing later in the summer, though some parents may continue for a while to help teach their young. After the breeding season ends, the molting season begins, and birds will replace their feathers. Birds can’t fly as well during molting so to avoid predators some of them are apt to be quieter and to hide. Molting birds often look a bit scruffy. August is a good time of year to find bird feathers.
Quarterly Boggler
A group of crows is called a “murder”. What is a group of ravens called? (see answer at bottom of page)
Nestbox Spotlight
Location WPT4 won this year’s People’s Choice Award by receiving 15% of the Bluebird Lottery guesses, which was twice as many as the second-place vote-getter. While no bluebirds nested there this year, the two nest boxes at this location did host Tree Swallows and House Wrens.
Boggler Answer
An “unkindness”.
