It has been a busy spring! We’ve seen more nesting birds than we usually do. One of the things I love about The Cabin is that we have bluebirds here. Bluebirds like open spaces, and this is the first home we’ve had with enough space to attract them. We’ve got several bluebird houses and a pair selected a different house to nest in. We got to listen to the babies when they hatched and see mom and dad flying in and out as they cared for them. We even got a few glimpses at the babies before they flew away.

I’ve always liked wrens; their little flipped up tails give them a sassy vibe, and I’m all about sassy. This year, wrens have built a nest in the rafters of our carport. While we haven’t located the nest, the top of a nearby fence post has become a favorite place for mom and dad to perch. I’m thoroughly enjoying the impromptu serenades throughout the day.

Some birds of unknown species build a nest on one of our downspouts every year. Kenn says they’re barn swallows, but I disagree. Barn swallows don’t build typical nests and this nest is nothing if not typical. Whatever type they are, I’m not sure if they’ve ever successfully raised babies. It’s quite possible that they have; they location of the nest makes it difficult to see so we don’t see the parents flying in and out like we might if it were in a different location.

We’ve also seen brown thrashers hanging around the shrubs near the deck so I suspect there is another nest we haven’t seen. I’m going to be replacing most of our birdhouses over the next few months with varieties that are a little easier to clean out. Hopefully, we be able to see even more families next year!

Several years ago, Kenn surprised me with the gift of having the yard at our previous house certified as a wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. He had to jump through several hoops including providing a diagram of our yard including the plants, food, and water sources available for wildlife. I proudly displayed the certification sign in our yard. All of this years bird watching reminded me that I need to get our current yard certified. After all, we have four acres of land, with somewhere between two to three of those acres being wooded. So, I went online and found out that the process has gotten a lot easier; I just answered a few questions, paid my fee, and boom! Done. Now, I just have to wait for my new sign to come in.

Are you a bird watcher?