I made a housewarming gift for all the soon-to-be nesting wild birds! Yesterday I stuffed a handful of unscented dryer lint and a bunch of yarn clippings (none longer than 3" in length; don't want any birdies getting tangled up) into a suet cage and hung it from one of the arms of the garden birdfeeder. I'm dying to see one of them taking some of the offerings, but no luck. They're wiley, those feathered ones; every time I check on the nesting materials, the cage is swinging wildly and whatever bird was there is long gone. Maybe next time!
On an annoying and potentially dangerous note, I saw several red wasps going in and out of the garden birdhouse--the one the bluebird couple is interested in. The female chased away a couple of them yesterday and went about her business of sitting on top of the house and spending time inside doing who-knows-what. But this morning, I saw her stick her head inside and then hop on top of the house. Seconds later a big wasp exited the house. She chased another out, too, but I'm afraid the wasps are going to try to set up housekeeping. If things look the same tomorrow, I'll open up the box and try to do something to repel them. Natural, chemical-free remedies are most welcome, if anyone wants to suggest something.
Got to do a bit of gardening this morning! I trimmed all the dead stuff from the butterfly bush and was pleased to see how full of new growth it is and the fresh leaves sprouting all over it. If all goes well, I'll be mulching and trimming and working much more in the garden soon.
Be well, everyone!
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3 comments:
I don't have any suggestions about the wasps - I hope you get some, it would be a shame if the bluebirds can't move in.
The nesting material gift is wonderful, too. I never thought of doing something like that. Most of the birds I see around are either little brown sparrows or crows. Once the trumpet vine blooms we'll get some hummingbirds and I think there was a mockingbird around here last year - hope it comes back.
We dasn't likes wasps. I hate seeing them chase hummingbirds away from our feeder at the cottage.
If those red beasties are attracted to sweet stuff, there's a simple, safe, homemade trap you can find illustrated here:
http://eartheasy.com/live_natwasp_control.htm
I've never tried to put a link in a blog response before so apologies in advance if it didn't work or messed up your layout.
Oh, Dawno, those trumpet vines are so pretty! The hummingbirds do love those.
Thanks for the link to the wasp info, Frank. We dasn't like wasps, either, we dasn't. Fortunately, they seem to have abandoned the bird house. Whew.
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