Hide and Seek
When I asked the Pres to come with me into the woods and cut some of the branches from the downed hemlock, he looked at me and said, "Oh, you're going to make some decorations to hang outside for Christmas?"
"No, I am going to build some shelters for the birds near the feeders." His response was total silence, then, "Hon, the feeders are right near the trees. They have plenty of shelter." "But not the birds that are ground feeders," I said. "They need a quick place to hide."
Off we went carrying the lopers and pruners walking through the briers.
And so we snipped. Then we carried all the branches back to our yard. The next morning while the dogs were busy doing their "thing," I walked back and forth from the pile of branches. I know it doesn't look like much, but I was hopeful that the birds would "make it work."
Strategically I put down some old pieces of wood that would give it a little height. I intentionally catered to the short birds because, I mean come on now... When was the last time you saw a tall bird at a feeder in this neck of the woods??...LOL
Then I placed the branches, trying to build them up a little over the chunks of logs already on the ground.
Well, looking at it from the house, it really didn't look like much and definitely was not anything pretty.
However, about a week later....
Mother Nature gave us a little slushy, icy combination Monday night into Tuesday morning and I not only got to drive the Subaru for the first time in bad weather, but also got to watch the locals pop in and out of the small hiding places that formed with the branches.
Well, this morning, while working on that had to have puzzle (UGH!!!) and before heading to Newport to drop off goodies to my daughter, I spotted a few of the locals playing hide and seek.
Watching the Sparrows and Chickadees bobbing and weaving through the hemlock, I knew they were making it work for them. Doesn't it just amaze you what a few scraps can do?
"No, I am going to build some shelters for the birds near the feeders." His response was total silence, then, "Hon, the feeders are right near the trees. They have plenty of shelter." "But not the birds that are ground feeders," I said. "They need a quick place to hide."
Off we went carrying the lopers and pruners walking through the briers.
And so we snipped. Then we carried all the branches back to our yard. The next morning while the dogs were busy doing their "thing," I walked back and forth from the pile of branches. I know it doesn't look like much, but I was hopeful that the birds would "make it work."
Then I placed the branches, trying to build them up a little over the chunks of logs already on the ground.
Well, looking at it from the house, it really didn't look like much and definitely was not anything pretty.
However, about a week later....
Mother Nature gave us a little slushy, icy combination Monday night into Tuesday morning and I not only got to drive the Subaru for the first time in bad weather, but also got to watch the locals pop in and out of the small hiding places that formed with the branches.
Well, this morning, while working on that had to have puzzle (UGH!!!) and before heading to Newport to drop off goodies to my daughter, I spotted a few of the locals playing hide and seek.
Can you spot the little guy? The Black Capped Chickadees were just too fast for me but then again, we have all Winter.
Watching the Sparrows and Chickadees bobbing and weaving through the hemlock, I knew they were making it work for them. Doesn't it just amaze you what a few scraps can do?
Sharing a simple idea for how your yard-birds can play hide and seek:
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