Smitten with Bluebirds

After years of hoping, we finally have permanent resident Eastern Bluebirds. For years they hung around on the fence line and visited our birdbaths, but they never set-up housekeeping. So, we decided hoping wasn’t enough, we rolled out the welcome mat several year ago, and it worked.

(Photographs Virginia Bluebird Society)

The steps to encourage your home to become their home:

• 70% of their diet is insects—do not use any chemicals in your yard and garden
• Include flowers in your garden that attract insects of all kinds
• Provide a proper house that helps to prevent predators
• Bluebirds are year round residents, winter water was our first attractor
• Plant native plants that provide winter berries and habitat

My love for these beautiful birds was rekindled last night; I attended the program “The Joy of Bluebird Monitoring” hosted by the Hampton Roads Horticultural Society, presented by Master naturalists Lois Ullman and Jan Lockwood.

These ladies offered entertaining stories and practical application facts that will enhance my bluebird experience. At the end of the program they played a 10 minute video of what happens in the nest box. From making the nest to babies flying the coop, it was, well, to say I was grinning ear to ear throughout that video is an understatement; I am totally smitten with bluebirds.

To learn more about what you can do to encourage these delightful resident’s visit the Virginia Bluebird Society’s website.

Spring is getting closer!

Lisa

Lisa Mason Ziegler is a commercial cut-flower farmer in Newport News, Virginia; she lectures and writes about organic and sustainable gardening. You can email Lisa at [email protected] , call her at 757-877-7159 or visit her website www.shoptgw.com .

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