I want to report a victory in our battle with the invasive sparrows (see May 14 post). My wife opened up the birdhouse on our garage two more times and each time found and removed a nest the sparrows were building. They finally got the message and gave up. The swallows happily returned to build their nest again.

We now have three happy swallow couples preparing to raise their families in birdhouses around our house. Last week we heard a wren’s song and saw that they have returned to their birdhouse on our clothesline pole.

We hear the brown thrasher singing his repertoire morning and evening, we hear an oriole song from time to time and occasionally catch a glimpse of orange in the trees, goldfinches flock to our feeder and Chris even saw a catbird one day. Everything seems to be right with the world.