Western Bluebird Nest from my Bluebird Trail
Oak Titmouse Nest from my Bluebird Trail
These are photos of a Western Bluebird nest and an Oak Titmouse nest from two of my nestboxes on my bluebird trail. When monitoring a birdhouse or nestbox trail it is important to be able to identify the birds and the nests that you find being built in your birdhouses. It is also important to note when eggs are laid and when the hen begins to incubate those eggs. [continue reading…]
Bring In The Clowns photo by Mark Schmitt
The Acorn Woodpecker is easily identifiable by their clown-like faces. They also show a conspicuous white rump and white wing patches when they are in flight.
Just Hanging Around photo by Mark Schmitt
Woodpeckers, like parrots, have two toes pointing forward and two hind toes giving them a very strong and stable grip to climb bark and hang from suet feeders! [continue reading…]
Happy Easter
Ostrich Egg pysanky by Brigitte Jordan
A pysanky is a Ukrainian decorated egg. These beautiful works of art are made by the wax batik method and are made as decoration, not to eat. A small hole is usually made at both ends of the egg and the contents are blown out before the design is written on to the egg with an instrument called a kystka. The kystka is a pen that writes with melted beeswax. Beeswax is used because it has a high melting point which makes it easier to get even lines that will not smear.
This ancient method of decorating eggs was in practice well before the time of Christ. Peasants believed that great power is embodied in the egg and they decorated eggs in the spring to celebrate the warming of the sun as it brought new joy and vigor to life.
You can see the fine detail of the flowers beneath the deer on this pysanky and the bird singing atop the newly blooming apple tree in this depiction of Spring. The photos that follow show the other three sides of this beautiful egg made by my wife Brigitte depicting the four seasons.
House (English) Sparrows photo by Deanne Fortnam
I am a long time bird advocate. I have been building birdhouses or nest boxes, as we call them, for over 25 years now. There have been many different styles, sizes and materials used for building nest boxes over the years but it all comes down to what is best for the bird using that particular nest box. This of course depends on the species of bird and that species’ behavior. The materials you use for building the nest box may also depend on what you can afford or what you have available. The main thing you must always keep in mind is what is best for the bird.
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