A last evening song
It's almost dark, and a mockingbird is still singing. Their song cycle is lovely, and now a familiar voice almost year-round.
It's an expectant time, songs and calls encouraged by longer days marking territories and prompting notice by potential mates. I saw a bluebird pair at the Garden yesterday morning investigating one of our nest boxes. It's not one of the most desirable, so I don't think they'll set up residence. But, it was fun to watch them ducking into the box in turn, seemingly trying to decide if THIS box might be suitable.
It's an expectant time, songs and calls encouraged by longer days marking territories and prompting notice by potential mates. I saw a bluebird pair at the Garden yesterday morning investigating one of our nest boxes. It's not one of the most desirable, so I don't think they'll set up residence. But, it was fun to watch them ducking into the box in turn, seemingly trying to decide if THIS box might be suitable.
I'm really interested in attracting more birds to the garden. I'd love to hear more about your nesting boxes, what they're like, where you get them, etc. Lovely blog, lkwsc, catmint.
ReplyDeleteLisa, I too have a pair of Bluebirds checking out my nesting box. Thought they were going to use it last year and it ended up that a Chickadee moved in. This morning when I put out the meal worms for the birds the singing was filling the air...beautiful music!
ReplyDeleteCatmint,
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting and for your nice comment!
The key for encouraging birds to your garden is providing food (seeds, fruits, insects), habitat (trees and shrubs, usually), and water.
In Australia, you'll have a different group of birds to attract, but the basic principles apply.
Nest boxes are provided for cavity-nesters (birds that normally would use older or dead trees to excavate holes for nesting sites). Since we tend to tidy up too much (in terms of dead trees), their habitat (I guess around the world) has decreased.
In the Eastern U.S., bluebird numbers have greatly recovered after nest-box promotion some 20 years ago. Prior to that, populations of Eastern Bluebirds had dramatically declined with loss of habitat.
Janet-
ReplyDeleteGood for you for putting out mealworms -- our home garden isn't such good habitat for bluebirds, but maybe if I put mealworms out....