The 2004 breeding season at Featherbed Lane, Hopewell, had record-breaking rain but was comparatively mild so that the permanent residents and early migrants had an early start and fledglings appeared two weeks earlier than ususal. Ground cover was lush, favoring Ovenbirds (27 pairs) and Towhees (32 pairs), however a new feral cat was present and only 14 Ovenbird fledglings were banded compared with 27 last year. On 20 June two crows raided a Towhee nest and carried off a nestling. Insect food and berries were abundant so Gray Catbirds had three waves of fledglings appearing in June, July and August. Cardinals also multibrooded. Woodthrushes and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks double-brooded. Great-horned Owls, Screech Owls, Red-tailed Hawks and Pileated Woodpeckers persisted. The widower Red-tail of last fall found a new mate. Both cuckoo species, Blue Jays and Common Grackles increased in numbers, presumably in response to the periodic cicadas. A Cedar Waxwing was observed catching a cicada on the wing. There were 62 species of territorial males, of which 25 were Neotropical species, 11 temperate species and 23 resident species. Census numbers were down on several species. Notes and proofs of breeding are as follows:

The first fall migrant, a Northern Waterthrush, was banded on 3 August. By 8 August adult birds were gone except for multibrooded Catbirds and Robins. Migrant Chestnut-sided Warbler and American Redstarts were banded. A Hooded Warbler was banded on 15 August and an accipiter sighted. On August 22, in addition to the above mentioned species, Alder Flycatcher, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, and Canada Warblers were banded. On August 29 the first Magnolia Warbler was banded.