Daytime Gardeners Suggest Spring Cleaning for the Birds!

Daytime Gardeners of North Haven Suggest Spring Cleaning for the Birds!

Spring is definitely just around the corner. Some of the early bulbs are breaking through the ground now, and a robin and bluebird were spotted this week. The Daytime Gardeners of North Haven believe that attracting birds, bees, and butterflies to our yards is an important part of gardening. The end of February is the time to prepare your bird houses for birds who use nesting boxes. Male bluebirds are among the first to scout potential housing for its mate. They will check out a variety of nest boxes and tree cavities that may be suitable, but it is the female bluebird that makes the final choice.

If you already have bluebird houses installed, it is important to clean out any debris so the bluebirds will not think the house is already occupied. If you have provided nesting material such as pine needles, or straw, so the birds could use the houses for shelter through the winter, clean this out now and leave the box empty. If the nest box is selected by a pair of bluebirds, they will build their own nest in the clean house.

If you do not have a bluebird house installed on your property, and you have a location that will be attractive to bluebirds, you may want to put up a house now. Bluebirds like open lawns and meadows so they can hunt insects. The nest box should be about 4-5 feet above the ground, and it is nice if there is a tree or shrub near the front of the house so when the fledglings leave on their first flight, they have a safe place nearby to land.

In order to have success with attracting bluebirds to your property, it can be helpful to learn more details about what these birds like, and what you can do to not only attract them, but to protect them from predators. The North American Bluebird Society is an excellent resource for more information: http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/

Daytime Gardeners of North Haven is a member of the Federated Garden Clubs of CT, Inc., New England Garden Clubs, and National Garden Clubs, Inc. New members are always welcome. For information on our activities and membership, call Daytime Gardeners at (203) 239-1557, and be sure to visit us on Facebook!