Garden Decor

   If you plan to build your own unique birdhouses you will need to find some good birdhouse construction materials.  Wooden birdhouses are much better insulated against the hot midday sun than metal birdhouses. Select wood that is at least three quarter inches thick to maximize its insulation and help keep the temperature comfortable for nesting birds.
  
   Properly treated wood is very durable and weather proof.  It is ideal to use a wood that is more decay resistant, such as cedar, redwood or bald cypress, for longer durability.  A less expensive wood such as pine works very well also.

   In a previous post I discussed using barnwood and other recycled wooden products for building wooden birdhouses.  Your decision is of course subject to your own taste and budget.

    When deciding to build a wooden birdhouse, choosing which type of wood to use can be important.
   Weathered wood works well for birdhouses. If you have access to boards retrieved from old buildings or packing crates, you have a wonderful recycling product!  Second hand wood is a great source for creating unique birdhouses and decorative birdhouses.
For finishing, using a wood stain or semitransparent colors will allow the beauty of the wood to highlight your creation!

     Design a wooden birdhouse for the Carolina Wren. The ♫ song of this bird is so delightful ♫ that it is worth trying to attract!   

     South Carolina is so fond of this melodic little bird, there is a picture of one on the S.C. state quarter! If you’ve put together some of the state quarter garden stepping stones (earlier post) , under or near your new Carolina Wren Birdhouse might be an excellent location for it!

     The wooden floor should measure 4″ by 4″.  The front and back walls should be 8″ tall. Cut a 1½” entrance hole 6″ from the bottom of the front wall.

     The Carolina Wren wooden birdhouse should be placed 4 - 6′ above the ground, post mounted or hung, near thick underbrush.

     Nestled deep in the woods of the Great Smokey Mountains lived three bears birds in a little Log Cabin Birdhouse.
     One day a little girl came along and peeked into the opening. She saw three little open beaks, and the little hairless bird chicks were just quivering! Being quite startled, she jumped and ran away.

The moral of the story…
Leave them alone, and mama will come home with treats for the quivery bird chicks!

Ok, I’m a tragic failure at story telling. But bird watching is great fun, and with birdbaths, and birdfeeders, and novelty birdhouses, you’ll have lots of bird company to enjoy!

           House Finches are wonderfully attractive little birds that like to be around people. So attracting them for close observation can be great fun!                         House Finches like wooden birdhouses mounted 8’ to 12′  high on a post, away from trees or buildings.  But the house finch will also nest in a wooden birdhouse near a window of your house. This way you can watch up close all the activity of egg laying, hatching, and feeding the little ones!             The best wood to use for a House Finch nest box is Red Cedar, rough-cut on both sides. This provides the birds with rough wooden surfaces for gripping, both inside and outside of the birdhouse.             The inside dimensions for the wooden birdhouses should be 6” X 6” X 8” (8” height)  Cut a round entrance hole 2” in diameter, to be 4½”  above the floor.             Complete instructions can be found at http://www.50birds.com/MPb0606-412-2.htm. 

            Always wear eye protection!  Other important safety features include using a work bench of proper height, and keeping all equipment out of the reach of little children!

     For outdoor garden decor, decorative birdhouses are great!

     There’s lots of unique birdhouses to choose from - the log cabin birdhouse for the mountain lover in you, the lighthouse birdhouse for those whose favorite hobby is beach combing, and of course the victorian birdhouse for those of us who love reminiscing.
    
      Birds will use them. However, some are more interested in the birds than the abodes. And for those of you who prefer unique birds to unique birdhouses, here are some hints for building wooden birdhouses for the birds you want to see:
    
     Chickadees look for an access hole 1 1/8″ in diameter at a height from 4 to 15 feet above the ground.
     If you’re looking to house a Tree Swallow, the access hole should be 1 1/2″ in diameter, located 1 to 5 feet above the ground.
     And the ever popular Bluebird  will seek to nest through a hole 1 1/2″ in diameter, but about 6 feet above ground.  (A word of warning: those pesky house swallows prefer wooden birdhouses designed for bluebirds. You’ll have to inspect it daily and clean out any house swallow nesting materials.)

I spotted this treasure among a few spectacular hand made decorative birdhouses while browsing around the internet.

Ah! That the website belonged to a dear friend of mine…
Even without the birds, this thing is a real eye catcher.  Outdoor garden decor extraordinaire!

But very simple lawn and garden decor and decorative birdhouses can also be very attractive in the midst of your own private garden sanctuary. I love to see decorative birdhouses and novelty birdhouses accentuated by clematis vines or simple ivy.

If you’re one of those birdhouse crafters, say “howdy!”  I’d love to see your handiwork!

…and there’s a lot of activity at the birdfeeders today! The House Finches are congregating and having a great time. Occasionally a Black Capped Chickadee will flutter up to these decorative birdfeeders, light, grab a seed, and flit away.

But for the House Finches, it looks like it’s mating time again. They appear to be feasting and celebrating; preparing to raise another brood for this year.

As you know, the nest will accomidate 4-5 hungry little finches, and the male will gather food and tend to his mate while she nurtures the babies.

I’m looking forward to watching all the activity in that little log cabin birdhouse just outside my window!

Looking to build your own birdhouses expressly for little winged occupants? The main features that determine which bird will use the birdhouse are size of the opening, and location.

      For instance, wooden birdhouses for Chickadees should be built square, 4″ x 4″. The entrance hole needs to be 1 & 1/8″ in diameter, and positioned 6 - 8 ” above the floor, with the roof placed 2″ higher than the entrance hole. Hang your birdhouse or place it on a pole between 4′ and 15′ abouve the ground.

     Black capped chickadees are great fun to watch at your birdfeeders. They’re very active little birds, and very cute! They fly to the birdfeeder, perch a second, grab a seed, then they’re off to perch somewhere else to eat.

So you’ve built yourself a little birdhouse, and you’re feeling all proud. As well you should!
Now you’re wanting to show it off a little?
Then maybe it’s time to get bold and artistic.
All you need is a thin pine board and some paint.

Since your new birdhouse will probably hang unoccupied for a few weeks, this is an excellent opportunity to transform your birdhouse into unique garden decor. (No matter what develops, there will not be another one like it. Anywhere!)

Draw or trace a design on graph paper, or directly onto the wood. Cut it out and paint it!
Now your only limitation is your own imagination! You can cut out stars, moons, clowns, balloons, faces, trees, or… well… anything!!

There you have it. Unique birdhouses are fun, and, well, unique!