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Get ’em Ready: Decorative Bird Houses and Then Some
Okay, so maybe this one’s not so decorative, but it’s popular among downy woodpeckers. In time for nesting season 2014, it’s getting a facelift complete with metal predator guard… thanks to squirrels, and my neighbor, Tom. Because the guard was attached without measuring the roof line (duh!) he re-fashioned it to fit perfectly under the roof. Our downy’s say thank you!Although it may not seem like it… nesting season is under way! Even though there’s still snow, bird’s instincts tell them it’s time. With just a day or two of warmer temperatures and sunshine, there’s already less activity at feeders and more time spent scouting and claiming nest boxes.
So it’s time to get all possible nesting spots ready for vacancy! You may have to drag your ladder through the snow… what? You’re not crazy like us? Remove old nests, and be sure boxes are in good repair, securely attached to their mounts, with no loose or questionable parts. If the entries have been damaged or enlarged, simply attach a predator guard to remedy. Your birds will be pleased 🙂
Here’s one of our new decorative bird houses that won’t need repair because it’s vinyl and comes with metal predator guards already attached.
In a stunning Merlot color for spring, it’s like a two-for-one, it will host two families in the dual nest compartments. Four entrances with two bedrooms are perfect for chickadees, bluebirds, titmice and other small backyard birds.Townies, the birds who live in the burbs are more likely to see early successful broods and fledges this year than their counterpart county birds. Townies have it good, with feeders, water and housing offered in many scattered backyards. Country birds have a tougher go of it with the miserable weather and what looks to be, a late spring. We hope for the best.
Competition for nest sites is tough out there!
So to help wild birds thrive, just pick out a new decorative bird house and nab 10% off, plus free shipping on $95 or more for President’s Day (all week)… our thanks for housing the birds 🙂 -
They’re Scouting Bluebird Houses Already!
Despite adverse conditions of the polar vortex and another extreme winter, bluebirds and others are on the move, searching for suitable digs to raise their young. Even though snow is covering most of the country, Mother Nature’s biological clock tells them it’s time, the calendar and number of daylight hours is what lets them know.Early migrating birds on the Atlantic Flyway like swallows, warblers and flycatchers rely on insects as they island hop through the Caribbean onto Cuba. When making landfall along the gulf states, their usual smorgasbord of insects, flowers, fruits and berries will be be scarce. Many neo-tropicals, including hummingbirds run the risk of depleting fat reserves before they reach spring breeding grounds here in the US. Simply put, if you think the weather has been an inconvenience – it makes life miserable for wildlife as well, and many birds just won’t make it 🙁
Closer to home, over-wintering residents like bluebirds are already checking bluebird houses to claim for nesting and raising their broods. With snow on the ground and high temperatures right at freezing, you can hear birds belting out their breeding songs! If there was a way to say “wait… it’s still too cold!” we most certainly would-but then again, man is no force against nature.
Best we can do is help feathered friends along the way by offering fresh water, food, and birdhouses that are ready for nesting. If you haven’t done so already, please check your bluebird houses and remove old nests. Be sure they are secure, sturdy and ready for vacancy. If you can stomach it, live mealworms are their favorite, but suet, peanuts and sunflower hearts also offer much needed fat and proteins.
An Eastern Phoebe perches atop this bluebird house while the male checks out its interior. Phoebes won’t use these houses, but may take up residence in barn swallow nest cups if you offer them in sheltered areas around your home.
During this treacherous weather… please help birds and wildlife with supplemental feeding and a heated water source… thanks on behalf of the birds 🙂
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A Really Small World of Birdhouse Kits
This one’s called The Right, a Box for Birds design aptly named after Frank Lloyd Wright’s mod style of architecture.Extremely bird-friendly, and fun, puzzle-like birdhouse kits to assemble, several went out the door as holiday gifts this month. One in particular had a pretty cool story behind it, and the card was signed “Frank Lloyd Wren”. The sender thought it fun to keep the recipient guessing!
So when we received a letter with Frank Lloyd Wren in the subject line, it rang a bell, and raised an eyebrow. Read on if you have any doubt in small world syndrome:
Turns out that a friend halfway across the country happens to be a mutual friend of one of those recipients. While visiting over the holidays and celebrating good cheer, the topic of birdhouses came up. When my friend mentioned our business, the recipient exclaimed “that’s where the birdhouse kit was from!”
Turns out our friend is a good friend of the recipient of Frank Lloyd Wren! So, to John and Deb: May your new
birdhouses host many successful broods over the years! And to the sender, Deb’s sister in TX… great choice! By the way, the Cedar Side Entry Bird House should also entice a nuthatch or two to your place in spring!
Birding Tips, Information & News