I have always enjoyed watching, feeding and listening to the birds that either live or pass through my woods during migration. When we had our horse farm, I had lovely birdhouses and feeders all over, and even with barn cats, we were fortunate enough that they preferred mice to catching or harassing the birds. My Newfoundland Dylan used to rest right under a feeder in front of our bedroom. The bedroom window was 9 foot by 9 foot, and there was nothing I enjoyed more than waking up to the sounds and sights of the birds at the feeder, and watching their morning routine. I would often get my coffee and go out and sit on the front porch brick walkway facing the bedroom, and Dylan was usually already there as well. The birds never were bothered by Dylan’s gentle presence, and sometimes we would sit there stifling a laugh because there was a chickadee on his head. Dylan never moved. A few times they would pull a thread of his coat to use in their nests. One of my most treasured items is a chickadee’s nest I found after the babies had fledged that had both the soft down from the dogs undercoat that they would find in the grass, tied together with long, strong hair from the horses manes, in a tidy, perfectly golfball sized round bowl where the babies were raised. Over the years we found several, and I am always amazed at the symmetry of the construction, especially with such unsymmetrical building materials. Below is a photo of one of the nests that I keep on my desk. I cannot look at a found bird’s nest without thinking of Dylan and my other Newfs, who gave new meaning to down filled. Those baby birds lived the good life!
Anyway, I have a different situation here. My woods are predominately oaks. How you may ask does that change things? Squirrels!!!!! I shall say right off the bat, that although I still brake for them when driving (don’t know why either), I hate them. I really do. I so enjoyed watching and feeding the birds here for a couple of years. However, during that time they destroyed several beautiful bird houses and feeders we made, and did so with impunity. ‘Nuf said, that is another story of how I tried to outsmart them, and failed miserably. I just had to quit.
Anyway, today it was in the 70’s and I saw a pair of cardinals that are regulars to my dining room windows and I got to thinking for the hundred thousandth time, how I miss feeding and housing the birds. It was usually about now my late husband and I were cleaning the bluebird houses we put up on the farm, making a new birdhouse or feeder, and generally getting things ready before the rush of planting and tending the gardens took over. We always fed the birds through summer, especially suet for the woodpeckers, as it helps Mom and Dad when the babies are born. We didn’t feed the birds as heavily, but enough, so if they needed it, it was there. I miss it so very much. Below is also one of the birdhouses I have made over the years. I made this one as a gift for KBJ, made entirely out of material that came from his house remodel. That is where our friendship developed, as he had asked me to help with the remodel and interior design. I wanted him to have a little something to remind him of all the work we did. The cost to make it…..zero.
The bird was a gift, and is one I have had for a very long time……..
You can see just a bit of canine undercoat inside the nest on the left side.
One of the birdhouses I made of entirely of old house parts and things in the workshop and in my junk box that I keep just for making more bird houses or other projects for around the garden…….
On the left side it is hinged………
On the right side, there is a screw eye and hook that allows it to open for cleaning……..
It makes for easy access, and allows cleanup and disinfecting a breeze……..
The bell was on an old porch screen door that announced that someone was either coming in, or going out! You can see door trim molding that the stained wood furniture remnants sit on.
I used old drawer and cabinet pulls, and the one in front of the hole stays at that angle so they can perch. The front piece has the remnants of where door hardware was attached………on the right
KBJ is a wonderful musician, so I added the piano keys, made from scraps of wood that were already those colors. I did not paint nor stain a single thing………On the far right you can see where the dead bolt and door latch seeded themselves.
More old hinges used in a decorative way. The copper came from old plumbing strapping when KBJ replaced parts of the plumbing……I just trimmed them and pounded them flat.
The roof was an old piece of metal that was used outside of basement windows to keep water at bay when the basement windows were below ground….I think they still call them window wells.
Thank you for stopping by…….cheers, charisse
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