"Better Birds and Gardens?" Maybe that would be a good title for a magazine and it appears that it would be very popular judging by the e-mail I received regarding two columns I wrote about making birds feel welcome in your landscape.
If you missed either of the columns - "Make your garden 'bird friendly' this winter" and "Invite flying guests to your 'bird motel'" - you can find them archived at my web site. Go to www.landsteward.org then click on "The Plant Man" in the menu. Simply scroll down and click on the column titles.
One e-mail in particular, from a reader named Judith, seemed to sum up a lot of the questions that I received, so in this column I'll reproduce parts of her e-mail and insert my responses along the way!
Judith: I have several questions. First of all, my house is now almost 12 years old. I have planted lots of trees, simply because I love trees. I've planted Ash, Maple and Pine trees. They are now big enough that I see old bird nests in them during the winter when the deciduous trees have lost their leaves. I believe some of them are now big enough to support bird houses and have copied the article you referenced from the North Carolina Extension Service about building birdhouses. You suggested hinging the tops for easier cleaning, which is a great idea since birds are messy! In cleaning the birdhouses you obviously would not want to use any harsh chemicals but would liquid dishwashing soap be too harsh? Or should I just give the birdhouses a thorough squirt with the garden hose?
Steve: You are certainly right NOT to use any harsh chemicals when cleaning a bird house. My advice is to stay with the garden hose and use a stiff-bristled brush if necessary. If you do need to use a small amount of soap, be sure to rinse off the residue very thoroughly with the hose. Let the birdhouse dry completely before closing the hinged top and re-hanging.
Judith: I also wonder about putting out lint from my clothes dryer in the spring for the birds to use in building their nests. The lint seems so soft and seems like it would make a nice lining for their nests. Any suggestions as to how I could put it outside so it wouldn't blow away before they got to it? Also, I have dogs so assume they wouldn't want any of the lint that doggie beds have been washed in since they might smell the dogs.
Steve: Lint seems like it would be ideal, because as you say, it's so soft and fluffy; a bird's equivalent of a feather bed! However, when lint comes out of a dryer it has been infused with detergent and fabric softener and maybe even bleach. Because of that possibility, I would tend to rule out the use of dryer lint. However, I'd be interested to hear from other readers on this subject. Let me know!
Judith: Lastly, you said you could give spring planting suggestions that would help attract birds, which I would appreciate. I have done plantings to attract butterflies but didn't know you could do plantings to attract birds. My neighbor puts up a Purple Martin house every spring and some years we are lucky enough to attract them - they are such fun to watch, especially when they have babies!
Steve: My best suggestion would be plants with berries. You may even want to consider some that you can share with them! After all, your family can enjoy berries as much as the birds do. Take at look at bushes such as blueberries, blackberries, Nanking cherry, sand cherry, and even some cherry trees.
Here's a fascinating web site for wild bird enthusiasts: http://birds.cornell.edu/birdhouse It's an informative non-profit site that even has online "bird house cams" during nesting season! Again there's a direct link you can click on from this column at my web site.
The Plant Man is here to help. Send you questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, including archived Plant Man columns, visit www.landsteward.org where you can also subscribe to Steve's free e-mailed newsletter.
