#ThursdayDoors – For the Birds

Last week, I took a walk round the block adjacent to the office park where I work. I shared the doors I noticed along the way. One of the houses on that walk has a large number of bird houses on the fence around their back yard. I thought I’d share those today, as a whimsical doors post to welcome the month of May.

Birdhouses may seem like the simplest of all “home improvement” projects to undertake, but according to The Spruce, there’s a lot of thought and planning involved.

Factors that affect which birds will use a bird house or nesting box include…

• • Entrance hole size
  • Overall cavity depth and house height
  • Interior floor dimensions
  • General house shape and design
  • Materials used
  • House location and mounting style

To build the best bird house, you first need to learn what cavity-nesting birds are frequent visitors in your region. These are the birds most likely to investigate your house, and when you keep their needs in mind, you can build a bird house to invite them to become more permanent residents.

In theory, the birdhouse I purchased and mounted in our back yard is a Bluebird house. At least that’s what the guy who sold it to me said. He also gave me specific instructions. “Mount it on a pole” he said, “at least ten feet from trees or bushes.” When you add in the condition that I have to be able to maneuver my utility trailer around the yard, that actually doesn’t leave many locations for that pole. He also instructed me to mount it as soon as possible (I was giving it to my wife for Christmas) because Bluebirds would be in the market for new homes in February.

Bluebirds would like this house, because it included a deep cavity, the right size opening and it doesn’t have a perch. The lack of a perch was critical, because House Wrens and House Sparrows compete for nesting sites with Bluebirds, but they like a perch. Also, the house I bought is deeper than what a wren or sparrow might like.

That all sounds very scientific, but I’d call it a failed theory. Snoopy, the bird (species) that has occupied this birdhouse since Day-1 appears to be a House Sparrow. Snoopy (I call her Snoopy, because she sits on the roof a lot) doesn’t seem to need a perch and although she didn’t like the depth of the nesting box, she just filled it with sticks and debris until it got to a height she liked. She (a female) has had broods here for three years and seems to be setting up housekeeping again.

The modern version of Thursday Doors is the brainchild of Norm Frampton. Norm is a wonderful photographer and a door aficionado who hails from the Montreal area in Canada. Norm invites and attracts door fans from around the world to participate in this tribute to all things door-related. If you want to see more doors, and especially if you have a door(s) to share, flap your way up to Norm’s nest and follow his instructions.

The gallery is a little larger than normal today, because there were more birdhouses than I would normally use, but not enough to save for leftovers.

This one has a back porch.

A lot of work went into this one. I like the details.

All of them are decorated with branches and many have flowers.

I like the comical windows.

Those boats need a lighthouse.

Maybe for seabirds.

One of several houseboats.

I wonder how much of that depth is available for the birds.

This boat looks a little rickety.

I like the chimney. I wonder if there’s a working fireplace.

Any port in a storm.

That’s a pretty large entrance.

There are two houses of this particular style.

Pretty big flower in the back yard of this house.

I like the little roof over the door and the flowers.

I couldn’t always get a look at the “doors” since there is a fence in the way.

This looks big enough for the cousins from down south to visit.

Nice simple lines. maybe this is considered contemporary.

Side view. This house seems fairly well weather-tight

This looks like Dr. Seuss built it.

I like the decorative paint job.

Fairly large house.