Phoebes Update

[Bruce Boyer]

Here we are. almost halfway through May, and no Phoebes have been seen or heard on my property or in my neighborhood. What’s more, I have not seen or heard a single Phoebe while walking the rail trails down to Rindge or up beyond Peterborough. Something strange is obviously going on. Also, I have not seen or heard a Catbird.

Bruce Boyer
Jaffrey

[Marie Martell]

I have not seen Phoebes, but have several catbirds
Hopkinton NH
Sent from my iPhone

> On May 14, 2026, at 3:21 PM, 'Bruce Boyer' via NHBirds <nhb...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
>
> Here we are. almost halfway through May, and no Phoebes have been seen or heard on my property or in my neighborhood. What’s more, I have not seen or heard a single Phoebe while walking the rail trails down to Rindge or up beyond Peterborough. Something strange is obviously going on. Also, I have not seen or heard a Catbird.
>
> Bruce Boyer
> Jaffrey
>
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[Sally Oxnard]

My two pairs of Phoebes are nesting in Exeter as usual.
Sally Oxnard
Sent from my iPhone
Paradox Connemaras
Exeter NH



> On May 14, 2026, at 9:21 PM, 'Bruce Boyer' via NHBirds <nhb...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
>
> Here we are. almost halfway through May, and no Phoebes have been seen or heard on my property or in my neighborhood. What’s more, I have not seen or heard a single Phoebe while walking the rail trails down to Rindge or up beyond Peterborough. Something strange is obviously going on. Also, I have not seen or heard a Catbird.
>
> Bruce Boyer
> Jaffrey
>

[Sue DeWitt-Burns]

My phoebes also showed up on time, returning to two previous nests, and then disappeared after a couple of days.

I wonder if there was a locus of avian flu where many phoebes became infected en route.   It would take a few days to kill them. 

Our catbirds returned on schedule and are fine