Wednesday, 3 August 2011

Birds in the Garden


When I moved into my new home two and a half years ago, the backyard was surrounded by evergreens and a huge expansive lawn. I thought it was a wasteland - no flowers, no shrubs, and very few birds. But, it had potential!

Today, I am sitting on a large deck at the back of the house,  surrounded by a bed full of perennials, flowering shrubs, and evergreens. And it overlooks a huge island bed filled with more of the same.

Over the years, the diversity of the plants has grown and evolved, and so have the birds. I can't believe the robins, gold finches, cardinals, hummingbirds, wood peckers, and cedar wax wings. However, there has been one bird I have been missing. They are feisty (at times, aggressive), have a perky tail and a sweet song: the house wren.

They have nested at every house I have lived in, but this house has no bird houses. So I put up a little house on a six foot post - faced the opening hole to the south east. I knew I was late in the season but  I did everything to the wrens' specifications. I sat back, waited and hoped that a couple would take up residence in my new birdhouse...

Sure enough, I was soon rewarded! My garden is now complete with these house wrens filling the air with their beautiful chorus of song. These little birds are a power house at cleaning up insects too.

Having a variety of birds nest and/or dine in my garden is one the many joys of gardening for me!

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