News & Events

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After caring for more than 500 songbirds this baby season, we released our last group of swallows on September 5.  It was a beautiful, sunny morning, and dozens of swallows were already gathered at our favorite release site in the Laguna de Santa Rosa. Our beautiful Barn Swallows took to the skies effortlessly, quickly blending in with their new friends and travel companions. What a wonderful way to end Baby Bird Season 2026!

But wait!  Just when we thought Baby Bird Season was over, we received a nestling Cedar Waxwing on September 11. This is only the second nestling waxwing we have ever cared for at NSCC. Even more remarkably, the first arrived last year—on September 11—and was found at the north end of Sebastopol, just three miles from where this little guy was discovered. 

-Veronica

Welcome, July!

We started the month with over 200 birds in care, including 94 spectacularly adorable, charismatic, gorgeous swallows. The swallows—and our amazing team—are what keep me going through the peak of Baby Bird Season. Thank the universe for every single one of them!

Nearly 100 birds are ready for release the first week of July, but we must wait until after the Fourth of July. Fireworks are terrifying to wildlife, especially birds, so for their safety, we never release birds during the week before or week after the 4th of July holiday.

After the successful release of  100+ birds this month, more find their way to us for help and we end the month with just over 200 birds.

We’ve reached the halfway point of Baby Bird Season! There’s still plenty of work ahead, but we’re beginning our steady descent toward September. Onward!

—Veronica

We started the month with a little over 60 birds in care, but made a swift ascent to Peak Season and weathered Swallow Storm #1 of the 2026 Baby Season. High temperatures on June 10 and 11 brought more than 40 swallows—and a handful of other species—to our doors in just 48 hours.

Our amazing team of transport volunteers, clinic staff, and volunteers went above and beyond to make sure every bird received the best possible care, while keeping the clinic running like a well-oiled machine. I am so grateful for every one of these amazing people who share our mission to save songbirds!

June is a notoriously challenging month. It’s intense, fast-paced, and nonstop crisis management. Why? June is when resident and migratory species are simultaneously raising new generations, while more people are out enjoying the summer weather—and encountering nesting songbirds, sometimes displacing them in the process.

The result? More birds than usual needing our help. We end this very busy, chaotic, feather-filled blur of a month with nearly 200 birds in our care.

—Veronica

News from our Nest May 2026

and an Update...

A huge thank-you to everyone who contributed so generously this spring—with financial gifts and donations of essential supplies. You helped us “feather our nest” and prepare for what promises to be an extremely busy season!

The clinic is already bustling with dozens of baby birds, especially Oak Titmice, Bushtits, and nuthatches. Most were displaced by unseasonal tree trimming, but thankfully, all have excellent prognoses and will be ready to return to the wild very soon.

I’m thrilled to welcome back our returning volunteers and our seasonal staff, including Nancy, our Avian Care Technician, and Payton, our Animal Care Assistant.  Fun fact:  Payton first started volunteering with us when she was just 10 years old and is now a junior in college!

We have an incredibly skilled team with a deep love for songbirds and a shared commitment to conservation and giving these beautiful birds a second chance in the wild.

We’re off to a great start. We have a great team. Onward!

-Veronica

News from our Nest  March 2026 edition is hot off the press!  See what we've been up to and what we're doing to prepare for the upcoming Baby Bird Season!