Apr 17
2007
We Are Landlords
I am so proud! We are newly minted bluebird landlords…
You may recall that I have been pondering a bigger commitment to my birding adventures. I had considered becoming a purple martin landlord. I did all the reading, scoped out the property, looked into houses and poles. I finally decided to postpone that commitment. The reason? The challenge of putting in the pole securely was one, given that we are not particularly adept at anything that involves tools and concrete. The bigger reason, however, was that I read because purple martins only eat flying insects, most purple martin landlords feed their birds in extended periods of bad weather by throwing mealworms and other tasty morsels up in the air near their house. Some have even mastered using a slingshot to get the worms really flying high and looking appealing. All of this in the wind and rain!
Now, you may already be able to tell that I would undoubtedly be one of these slingshot-wielding bird lovers because I have no desire to see any bird or animal suffer or even, for that matter, be unhappy. I would no doubt toss and turn all night long on windy and rainy nights worrying about how and what I would feed them and how I could possibly improve my slingshot skills.
So, I came up with a Plan B–Bluebird Landlord. Yes! The logistics are somewhat easier, even if the responsibility is on par with being a purple martin landlord.
Bluebirds had become seriously endangered because sparrows, a non-native species, were taking over their natural nesting places–the hollows of trees. Swarms of good-hearted bird lovers have rushed to the rescue by establishing bluebird houses and nurturing their little flocks. Sweet.
“We have a lot of space,” I said to myself.
So we installed our own Bluebird Trail! I bought several bluebird house kits from the National Gardening Association. Ben and I spent a Sunday afternoon assembling them, painting them and installing them strategically around the property. (Okay, Ben disappeared after the hammering part was done. The whole time I was working, Harry was in his office doing law stuff.)
Each week, you’re supposed to check the houses to make sure that sparrows haven’t moved in and to take stock of your bluebird situation. There are even societies and websites where you can report your bluebird arrivals, nestings and eggs.
Oh happy day! One day as I was doing my rounds, I opened up the sly little lock mechanism on the side and saw that we had a tenant! Whoohoo! What’s more, it appeared that ANOTHER bird was working on a nest at another box.
Now, I haven’t actually SEEN the birds, mind you. But I did check to see that these LOOK like bluebird nests and not sparrow nests. No twigs, feathers, string or other messiness of sparrows. So I’m THINKING they are bluebirds.
Nevertheless, the first reasonably warm day, I intend to stalk the bluebirds. I will carry out a stool, my camera and my binoculars and just watch the little house and see if I can tell who has moved in.
I bet you wish you could be with me, huh? The fun never stops!
