Bluebird Real Estate -

 

 This was a surprise yesterday!  

A male Eastern bluebird visiting a decorative bird box hanging on the front porch.

Our large family of bluebirds have been nesting in the larger bird house

 on a post in the garden for the past three years, and hopefully they'll

 continue to use it this spring. We truly enjoy the bluebirds year round here.

It's a very cold morning here with a little icy rain falling. 

34F now and high today only reaching 36F, brrrrr!

Many bluebirds seem to enjoy the porch on these chilly, wet days.

These damp bluebirds are sheltering on the hanging lanterns which

 have become a favorite spot . . . . . . and I do admit to scattering seed 

on the porch railing on the really cold or wet days!

Some interesting bluebird info I found online today:

It is quite common to see Bluebirds visit nest boxes during the winter. 

You may even see them carry some nest material into the box. 

This is not actual nesting behavior but more than likely a male showing

 off a good place to raise young to a female. It never hurts to get a head start.

Bluebirds will typically raise between 2 and 3 broods each year, and they

 will often re-use old nests. It could take a couple of seasons for them

 to start using your nestbox, but after that, bluebirds generally return

 to the same area each year.Bluebirds prefer their nests facing – in

 order of preference – east, north, south and west.

Enjoy the weekend.

Hope you see "bluebirds of happiness" in your garden.

Homes for Birds . . . . . . . .

It was one of those weekends when great weather enabled me to get

 outdoors and work on jobs awaiting around the exterior of the cottage. 

 This required assistance from our great next-door neighbor - another Bob. 

 Working with two 'Bobs' was a lot of fun, especially when it came

to heavy lifting, working with drills and other tools etc.

Removed the old birdhouse which although a bit messy, was donated to

 neighbor Bob who will fix it up and set on a new pole in his side garden

 between our houses and we can both enjoy it a bit longer.  Plus his cat,

 Ms. Nala, whom I take care of when he travels, may get to 

watch birds come and go from her perch in the window.

The removal of the roof (it was screwed on) prove interesting as it had not been

 opened in several years - one of those jobs requiring a ladder, a drill, so one

 seems to keep putting it off and it never gets done! 

"Honey, let's try to get the roof off the birdhouse and clean

 it out today".

"Not today there are bluebirds in it." or

"Not today, I just saw nuthatches taking in nesting materials.

"Oops, there are babies in there and we can't disturb them now." 

On removing the roof we were overwhelmed by the contents - 

several nests on top of each other constructed of assorted materials

 including, twigs (the bluebirds), soft woven grasses, pine straw, dried skeleton

 leaves, pieces of thread, even a length of plastic. . . . . . 

. . . . . . and in the roof a hornet's nest!

I think the underside of the roof mimics a sunflower - quite stunning.

Nature's art.

We then mounted the new birdhouse on a new post - former one was warped. . . . . . 

. . . . . . . a new six unit 'apartment building' which hopefully,

 next year, will bring new birds looking for a nesting site.

I'm working on another outdoor project, started yesterday and will complete

today - more on that later as I'm heading out to paint right now. . . . . . 

and the chimney sweep will be here this morning so Spring Cleaning

is in the near future.

Not a cheerful Monday outside . . . . . . . . .

Heavy rain for the entire day along with boisterous, gusting high winds this morning.

Twigs, catkins, even small branches showering down on the roof. . . . . . . . . and

 with our big old trees I get nervous in storms such as this!

I'm sure many of the now full blooming azaleas and 'snowballs' will take a beating.

 I've started a small vegetable plot. On Sunday, my neighbor was kind enough to

 till up this old bed where we grew tomatoes for several years - but haven't used

 for the past few summers. The soil seems great and looks healthy - a few

 tomato plants, perhaps a couple of peppers and an eggplant should do well.

The potting shed is so useful and often hides surprises!

On our recent trip to see friends in the Charlotte, NC area, we found this 

birdhouse to replace the very old one now falling apart on the post in the 

front garden. We've had a new post put in but won't exchange the houses

until the current nesting 'homeowners' have moved out with their 

offspring. Love this one because the whole roof can be lifted off and the 

six compartments are attached so can be cleaned out easily at the end

 of each nesting season. The bright copper roof - covered for transport

 to prevent fingerprints - will eventually weather to a lovely patinaed green.

. . . . . and last, but by no means least, let me introduce Gruff.

This cutie pie came over with my neighbor, and whilst tiling the garden bed we

 became good friends. Gruff was here for the weekend whilst his very lucky owners

 were away, and I just have to say he is the friendliest, best behaved, obedient little

 dog I've ever met. I fell for him big time, did a little photo shoot, and am trying to

find out what breed - or perhaps mix - this lovely boy is. 

Anyone have an idea? He's 8 years old, never barked, did as he was told 

with just a few words, and loved to cuddle.

Hopefully my neighbor will mind Gruff more often so I can spend

more time with him!

So what to do on such a bad weather day?

I have plans. . . . . . . so must away.

Have a good week dear readers. . . . . . and tomorrow I think Scribble Picnic

 will be back so please stop by here again - the theme is Quilt(s).

My Sweet Carolina Wren . . . . .

Yet another 'bird post'. I seem to be surrounded by feathered friends lately.

You may recall this tiny house covered in birdseed - my sweet neighbor Lori 

gave it to me at Christmas. Hanging on the front porch it's been visited mostly by 

chickadees. Yesterday I was thrilled to see one of my wrens chomping away 

on the tiny seeds lodged in between the sunflower seeds on the roof. I grabbed a 

camera and managed a few shots as it stayed for quite a while. This morning he/she 

was back, pecking hard to get at the seeds because we had an ice storm overnight.

Isn't it just incredible how these tiny birds stay warm and active even on the coldest

winter days . . . . . and bring so much beauty to our window gazing?