(by Willa Coroka)

While only the very tips of our eagerly anticipated spring vegetation have begun to peak through the soil over at the Manchester Pocket Pollinator Gardens, in a few short weeks each of the four locations will be alive with verdant stalks, stems, and leaves. Soon after, buds and blossoms will attract the buzzing, fluttering pollinators that rely on them for their nutritional needs.

Birders know that where there are insects, there are birds eager to snack on them, which makes our Pocket Pollinator Gardens not only hubs for bees and butterflies but our avian friends as well. This year’s World Migratory Bird Day theme is “Creating Bird-Friendly Cities & Communities,” celebrate by taking a stroll through Manchester this spring to check out the various parks and gardens that attract migratory species and year-round inhabitants alike. Be on the lookout for Chimney Swifts doing acrobatic flybys over the Beech St. Elementary’s Garden, Northern Mockingbirds roosting in the silver maple beside the Bakersville Elementary site, and Peregrine Falcons soaring past the narrow but abundant garden at Mill 3. At the Manchester City Library, don’t be fooled by the Rock Pigeon deterrent intermittently crying like a Red-tailed Hawk, but do keep your eyes out for American Robins, American Goldfinches, and House Finches who have learned to ignore the call of alarm! We have no doubt that you’ll observe more than just bumblebees at these small but mighty pocket garden sites.

For an exceptional birding experience in the city, consider heading over to the Piscataquog River Park, where in June, our sixth Pocket Pollinator Garden will be installed. With the river to your right and a woodland comprised of mountain laurel, oaks, and trout lilies to your left, the meandering trail network (which connects to the Goffstown Rail Trail) is brimming with birdlife seeking sustenance and shelter in this often-overlooked urban greenspace.