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Americana Decorative Bird Houses
In honor of Memorial Day patriotic themes abound, everywhere is red, white and blue… and birdhouses too!Reclaimed materials are used to craft these decorative birdhouses with vintage style. Hand made in Texas, Lorenzo Padilla creates original pieces using historic architectural elements and salvaged materials. Unique bird homes are reborn in these fine artworks, each is branded with his trademark emblem. Tin roofs and iron adornments pretty much started here about 20 years ago, widely copied by others today-but not the same!
Some of the siding and materials date back to the nineteenth century, sturdy woods rich in history that will withstand elements beautifully.
For nest clean-out, it’s fairly simple to back out 2 screws on the roof and gently lift the tin panel. Chickadees, wrens, titmice and other small songbirds will be happy to take up residence and call these places home.
.. a fine nest site and roost for cold nights too.A few other decorative works for home and garden can be found. Tall cabinets with scroll front grates (which haven’t made it to the site yet) are absolute works of period art.
Although these houses are for the birds – most folks prefer to keep them as indoor decor!
Wishing all a Happy & Safe Memorial Day Holiday!
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Attract Them and Offer Roosts with Bat Houses
They make some cool shelters these days, from vintage to Victorian, recycled plastic, even kits to build your own bat houses. You can try your luck at attracting bats without a big investment. But why would anyone want to attract them? One word – beneficial would sum it up best!Bats are major pollinators and seed spreaders. Natural insect control is another huge advantage to hosting these friendly mammals (yes, they’re mammals). Even small bat colonies will consume thousands of mosquitoes and other pests nightly.
Habitat plays a key role in attracting any friendly fliers to your place. This holds true for butterflies, hummingbirds and songbirds too. If pesticides are being used, stop! They’re harmful to the to the environment, wildlife and the ecosystem in general. Pristine, manicured lawns are becoming passe, more naturalized areas are in style. This doesn’t mean jungle… it involves use of native plants, naturalized beds, and varied habitat.
You can attract bats by offering places for them to roost (other than your attic vents). Bat houses needn’t be plain square boxes, but stylish shelters that complement the landscape. The two shown are handcrafted in the USA, and made from solid cypress.
If water exists on your property, there’s a strong likelihood bats will use your shelters. Being near a creek, stream, or pond is preferable. They require a stable environment, steady temperatures within their roosts. Facing the houses south will allow full sun exposure to warm the boxes. Two bat houses are even better, facing them in different directions and allowing for varying temperatures. Leaving an outside light on at night may also assist in bringing bats to your place. As bugs swarm the light, bats will follow if they’re currently near your property.
Height is important when installing the houses as well. Some say 10 feet is sufficient, others claim 15-20 feet from the ground is best. Mount directly on a tree, structure or pole.
You can learn more about housing specs and hosting bats from The Organization for Bat Conservation.
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Use Bird Seed Trays for Clean Bird Feeding
Add them to a post, add them to a bird feeder pole, or hang them… seed trays greatly reduce ground mess and waste. Spilled seed can lead to other problems, like mold which is unhealthy for ground feeding birds, and may attract some unwanted visitors too. Over the years we’ve heard from many folks (especially in the city) who stop feeding birds altogether due to rats… yuck!Clean feeding is easy with bird seed trays or seed catchers. Using a no-waste seed mix or sunflower hearts also helps alleviate ground mess. They’re pure with no filers – which is what ends up on the ground anyway. Milo, red millet, cracked corn and oats don’t really serve birds well at all, they’ll toss it right out of the feeder on purpose!
Newer designs in recycled plastic make it possible to add the generous-size trays to a 4×4 post or standard garden
pole. The large area is inviting to some birds who may never have visited the feeder before. Adjustable Seed Hoops fit almost any type feeder out there, and come in 16-and 30-inch diameter. The smaller size is ideal for tube styles, while the large tray is best for hopper bird feeders.
Should you happen to be one of the “I don’t feed birds in summer” folks – just know that backyard feeders are hopping with activity now as most birds have nestlings to feed. The show of migratory birds passing through is colorful and quite dazzling to catch… so don’t give up the ship due to ground mess!
*Use seed trays to minimize waste
*Switch to cleaner seed mixes with no fillers
*Try No-Melt Suet Doughs for warm weather feeding
*Offer fruit & jelly for migratory birds- it leaves no waste
*Feed dried mealworms (boil and steep to soften) for a real treat!
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