Page 10 - Discover Spring 2021
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Bluebirds CONTINUED
nests should be cleaned out in late January or early a tool that I needed. When I returned, there was
February each year. At that time, make sure that the a male bluebird poking around the two boxes and
house is still sturdy enough for two, possibly three looking inside. They were fresh from the store with
nestings. It is important not to dump the old nest all labels still intact, lying on their backs on a picnic
near the nesting site as, that will attract predators. table on the patio. It was as though he was telling
Bluebirds do not mind building one nest on top of me, “Hurry up and put these houses up before all the
another, and in fact may prefer to do so. Therefore, females are taken”.
a once-a-year cleaning may be sufficient. Also,
Those little guys do their jobs very well – if
bluebirds have a tendency to return to the same spots
they don’t, they won’t attract a mate, and they aren’t
where they successfully nested the previous year.
going to let that happen. Once a male has decided
Erecting two birdhouses that are several that your property is an acceptable location, he will
feet apart is perfectly fine. Swallows are also cavity explore every possible nesting site and take the
nesters, so if bluebirds don’t use both, the swallows female to visit each one. As mentioned earlier, it is
might like the empty one. There have been many a nail-biting experience when you are anxious to
cases reported of swallows have them as a family in your
nesting side by side with garden.
bluebirds. Both species are
We have a lot of snakes
wonderful birds to have in your
in this area, and snakes love
garden, not just for their beauty
bird eggs and little birds. If you
but also for bug control.
nail a birdhouse to a tree or
No matter how tempting wooden post, you risk it being
it may be, do not paint or stain visited by a snake. Snakes are
your birdhouse. The fumes good climbers, especially if
maybe harmful to birds, and they’re after food. They will
in any case, a newly painted eat every egg in the nest or
house will probably be rejected. every defenseless baby bird.
A neighbor recently installed a Metal stakes (like the ones
bluebird house on a tree in her that support road signs) are
back yard. She painted the house the simplest solution, and can
bright red, so it jumps out at you even a hundred typically be found at a hardware store or lumber yard.
feet away. She nailed it to a tree. She did two things They come in silver and green. Although they are not
wrong: she painted it, and she nailed it to a tree. She as attractive as a wooden post, they can be disguised
likely chose red paint thinking that it would attract by shrubs or decorative grass.
more birds. Bluebirds, along with all cavity nesters,
Snakes don’t like climbing those metal
prefer natural looking houses. Therefore, a weathered
stakes. The metal stakes that are easiest to find aren’t
house is more preferred, as long as it is still sturdy.
as tall as desired (they are six feet long), but they do
You will likely also have success with a new house. If
work. They have holes that will accept a bolt and
it sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb, predators
nut so the house can be firmly secured for several
will notice it too. Predators include young boys who
seasons. Wrens will nest in houses that move or sway
are curious, and cats, especially well-fed cats.
with the wind...bluebirds will not. Also, these stakes
This well-meaning lady obviously didn’t can be pounded into the ground instead of having to
realize that bluebirds are experts on finding suitable dig a hole, so they will save time and energy. Eight
nesting sites. No one needs to help them, especially foot long stakes are ideal, but besides being quite
not with brightly colored boxes. Once, while getting expensive, they are hard to find. If you must use
ready to install a couple of houses, I went inside for wood to secure your nesting box, wrap the bottom of
8 Discover Smith Mountain Lake SPRING 2021
