Birdhouses are pretty and practical

There are several birdhouses around our yard - some that I have made in the past from scrap pieces of wood and some I bought at the craft stores and painted pretty. A few weeks ago I thought I'd have my husband pick up a couple books from the library. One he brought home was so involved; it looked like the person making these complicated birdhouses must have spent days on each one. They were beautiful, woodsy and exotic, but I don't have that kind of extra time for tinkering. The other book had much simpler designs with basic supplies.

When you make your own birdhouses there are lots of things to consider. I know most of the ones in my yard are not realistic enough for birds to want to build their nests in them. The wasps have always built homes in most of them. The birds have chosen out of the way places to build their nests. They like to build them under the eves of the house in my climbing rose on the east side of the house, where it is sheltered from wind, rain and snow. One pair of yellow finches nest on top of an outdoor speaker that is lodged up under the eaves on the northwest corner of the house. I feel bad as the weather warms up and I go out to do yard work, I don't want to turn the music on just thinking about the little eggs inside that might be palpitating from the music. Thank goodness for Ipods.

What I found in researching birdhouses were several things I did wrong. Most of my birdhouses are on fence posts where I walk by a lot during the day. Birds don't like to be frightened out of their houses all the time, so I will need to put mine farther away from my traffic pattern. Birds also like to have the hole face away from the wind. Shoot, I have three that face due west. I also learned that I can inspire the birds to choose my houses over my neighbors by simply supplying the birds with nesting materials close to the house like pieces of string, fur and cloth and hanging them close to the house in a basket or suet holder. Of course birds also need water, which I am good at. I do have two bird baths. I keep with fresh water in them and because we have lots of trees on a drip line, I constantly see the little birds bathing in the drips.

I am inspired after writing this article. Our daughter has another week off school and I'm going to teach her how to make birdhouses. I'll bet she'll have fun painting them. I better find a place on the grass and a big drop cloth. I hope you also have a creative impulse and want to set out some birdhouses in your yard. Remember to keep track of what kinds of bird nest in your houses each year. It sure is fun to watch the process.

-- Lisa Welch is a Johnson Lane resident and can be reached at 267-9350.