A Little Bit of Everything

It’s snowing a teensy bit in Georgia today, nothing too serious although I do see the cars crawling very slowly on the road back behind my home. Think I’ll stay home and not get out in it.

Snow in Georgia_wm

 

I wanted to give you a little update on the dovecote in the garden. I’m afraid things have gone from bad to worse.

Perennial Garden with Dovecote Bird House

 

Remember this?

Dovecote with Woodpecker Damage

 

I’m pretty sure it was caused by a woodpecker because the folks where I buy my birdseed said this is how the holes they create typically look. I called the company that is currently making Lazy Hill birdhouses and feeders and unfortunately, they now make the roof out of redwood, not cedar. I didn’t order any shingles since I’m hoping I can find some thin cedar that can be cut into tiny shingles. Know anyone who does that kind of work? I don’t want to use redwood to repair the roof since I’m worried it won’t look or age the same as the cedar.

So, while I was stewing about that and trying to figure out what to do…

Woodpecker Damage to Dovecote

 

Whatever made the hole, came back!

Dove Cote Damaged by Woodpecker 2_wm

 

Now the hole goes alllll  the way through. 🙁 Before something made the hole bigger, I had spent about 30 minutes one day trying to unscrew the screws that hold it to the post. I had planned to remove it to see if I could repair it before spring nesting gets going.

It required an Allen wrench and it was killing my hand because the screws were sooo long. I had them about halfway out and decided to stop for the day to give my hand a rest.

Dove Cote Damaged by Woodpecker 4_wm

 

A couple of days later when I went back out to work on it, that’s when I noticed the hole now goes all the way through. The pole was leaning a little that day so I gently pushed on it and out flew a bluebird. He didn’t come out of the hole, he came out of one of the little nesting doorways. Apparently, the bluebirds that nest in the dovecote several times each spring are also using it as a roosting spot for this cold, cold winter we’re having.

So I’m not sure what to do now. I don’t want to remove it and take away their roosting spot.  They are roosting in a different area of the dovecote, not directly under the hole. I’m afraid they will go straight from roosting to nesting this spring, so not sure how I’ll be able to repair it now…unless I can repair it in place on the pole. Any ideas?

Maybe I can just spray some foam insulation into the hole, for now, to prevent it from raining inside and rotting the inside out until the upcoming nesting season is over, then I can do something about it then.

Dove Cote Damaged by Woodpecker 3_wm

 

In the meantime, I decided to do something with these daffodil bulbs I purchased in early fall and never got into the ground. I was a little shocked when I took this photo and noticed I paid $24.98 for them!!! I remember just tossing them into my buggy at the store when I was purchasing mulch and a bunch of other yard stuff. I’m not sure I would have bought them if I had noticed the price.

I just Googled and the pricing online for bulbs is even worse…around $50 for 100, so I guess I didn’t too badly. Makes me feel a little better about that price.

Plant Daffodils in Container for Spring Blooms

 

I have two large planters I purchased this past summer.

Plant Daffodils in Container for Spring Blooms

 

Ever since I added boxwood topiaries in large containers outside my front door, I’ve become slightly obsessed with the look of a simple boxwood in a planter. So simple yet so pretty and elegant.

Boxwood Topiaries in Lattice Planter with Annuals for aTraditional Landscape

 

I was planning on doing something like this with the two large clay planters I purchased.

Boxwood in Large Clay Container

 Source

Since I never got around to filling them with boxwoods, I decided to save my poor daffodil bulbs from going to waste and plant them in the large planters.

Plant Daffodils in Container for Spring Blooms 1

 

You can see the bulbs are just starting to sprout. Sprout is probably not the correct word, but you know what I mean.

Plant Daffodils in Container for Spring Blooms 4

 

I positioned them where I thought I wanted them and then dug a hole for each. After I planted them, I sprinkled a little bulb fertilizer over them. Afterwards, I actually took a moment to read the bulb-fertilizer package and realized I was supposed to mix the bulb fertilizer down into the dirt. Uh, oh. That’s me…dive right in, read instructions later. This gave me an idea for a better way to plant the second container. I’m slow but I do catch on. 😉

Plant Daffodils in Container for Spring Blooms 5

 

This time I put the dirt in and sprinkled in a little bulb food. Actually, after I took this photo, I decided the dirt was a bit low and added more in along with more bulb food.

Plant Daffodils in Container for Spring Blooms 7

 

I placed the bulbs in and covered them with dirt. I’ll let you know later if one pot of daffodils does better than the other. Will be interesting to see.

Plant Daffodils in Container for Spring Blooms 8

 

Well, since I’ve been creating this post, it now looks like this outside. There’s a walkway under there somewhere.

Snow in Georgia3

 

Not used to seeing the front porch like this. Snow is so pretty…if it just wasn’t so cold!

Snow in Georgia2

 

Have you seen this…someone posted it on Instagram the other day and it made me laugh because it’s sooooo true! 🙂 You say snow around here and everyone runs to the grocery store for milk and bread like we’ll be snowed in for years.

Southerner's reaction to snow

 

The birds are loving the heated bird bath.

Cardinal Enjoying Heated Bird Bath

 

I change the water in it every other day because they hang out there so much. They almost like it more than the food!

Cardinal on Heated Bird Bath

 

Hope you are as happy today as a Cardinal on a heated bird bath in the snow! 🙂

Cardinal Drinking from Heated Birdbath

 

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Comments

  1. What a good woman to keep the birdbath warm and provide a home for the bluebirds. They are so beautiful with that indigo blue color. I think I might just turn the birdhouse around so I couldn’t see the hole and not worry over it. Enjoy the bluebirds instead-so lovely to see.

  2. So sorry about your bird house! We had the same thing happen to one of the columns on our front porch. We kept hearing noise but once outside couldn’t ever see anything. Then the yard guy came to us saying it was a woodpecker, and we now have a hole in the pillar…something else to fix this Spring!
    Great snowy shots, the cardinal is beautiful! It’s supposed to start snowing here tonight…it never does when they call for it, so we’ll see!
    Blessings,
    Cindy

  3. Spray foam insulation is toxic, nasty stuff that would probably kill your birds and is very difficult to control. It works great for some things, but I’m sure it is not a viable solution here. Perhaps your county agent or a local bird-watching group could advise you. The woodpeckers I have met are tenacious and hard to discourage from their intended tasks and would probably try another place on the birdhouse. They almost destroyed one side of a friend’s house before she got rid of them. (Sorry, I can’t remember what worked– only the ongoing problems!)

    • I was going to check that, I wonder if they make anything safe for birdhouses. The house has been out there for about 6 years and they have left it alone until now. I guess they sensed we were going to have a bad winter, but even during the winter when we had ice and snow for 4 days in a row, they didn’t do this. It is frustrating!

  4. That cardinal is so pretty! I bet my 3 hens would love that heated bird bath right about now! Can’t believe how much snow we have up in Cartersville. Almost 4 inches! Stay warm!!

  5. Maybe you could cut some tin strips and nail or hot glue them over the hole. The foam insulation sounded good unless the fumes would bother the bluebirds or maybe the woodpecker would continue to peck the insulation? I doubt you’ll get a perfect match–it’s like our houses–having to reroof the whole thing. ;O) Best wishes–let us know. jw (I love your site. Thanks for all your work and sharing. I miss seeing your photos if I’m away a few days.)

    • Thanks, JW! You can see there was some kind of insulation-like stuff in there before, wish I knew what was. I think I’ll call the Lazy Hill Birdhouse folks back again and ask if they have any suggestions for covering the hole in the meantime. The birdhouse saga continues! 🙂

  6. I’m sorry about your bird house. I didn’t know our feathered friends have the urge to remodel their homes as well.

    I don’t know what the temperature is where you are, but here in Minnesota, it’s a balmy -2. The temperature, it is a rising. We’re supposed to be above zero on Wednesday. Just in time for the next big snowfall on Thursday. 🙂

  7. That was one determined woodpecker. Your last photo of the cardinal is wonderful. Oh, and I have grown fond of boxwood myself. I saw Debbie at COAPA made a cute wreath from boxwood and now I think I need one.

    Stay warm.

    Madonna

  8. Gloria in Pgh says

    Susan: I am soooo sorry about your dovecote!!!!! Such a beautiful sight in your garden. I hope you can get it fixed. Mr. Cardinal looks quite content with his heated bird “hot tub”!

    I wish I could send you a photo of what my yard in Pittsburgh looks like!! I would be so happy if it looked like your yard but I don’t think I’ll be seeing my grass any time soon. I have about 8-9 inches of snow piled up. My dogs love it although with this extreme cold and sub-sub-sub-SUB-zero wind chills they go out to do their “business” and then come right back inside where it is warm and cozy.

    People in Pittsburgh act just like Georgians do when the “S” word is in the forecast. The four essentials — milk, eggs, bread and toilet paper — simply disappear from grocery store shelves! I guess we all think we are going to be snowed in for days and days!! Must be the human nesting instinct!

    • lol I guess you’re right. That’s too funny! I thought maybe it was a southern thing. We laugh at ourselves down here for being that way. 🙂
      I don’t blame your doggies, I’d be streaking back in so fast…that’s a lot of snow!

  9. Regina Edmiston says

    Have you tried dollhouse shingles? My husband built a dovecote and he used dollhouse shingles on the roof. You will have to plug the hole first for stability.

    • I looked at some online bug they were cedar, too. I may have to order them anyway. Not sure if they would be the right size, but they might work. Yep, gotta find some way to plug the roof before I re-roof it. Thanks, Regina!

      • Regina Edmiston says

        I know you can also buy small bundles of cedar shingles (if you need thicker ones) at stores, like Home Depot. They are easily cut with a saw for the height (cross grain) and with a utility knife for the width and shape you need. You could probably patch the hole with “Ready Patch” applied in layers over something stuffed into the hole (paper, perhaps).

  10. Susan,
    I am so sorry to hear about your beautiful little bird house. Have you thought of contacting a contractor who works with cedar shakes? Perhaps he will have extras from an old project that he may even (cross your fingers) give you. Good luck. Wish I could be more help.

  11. Peggy Thal says

    Woodpeckers sure can make large perfect round holes. We had on in our old house by the eave . Also, in this yard we have a tree with a bullseye all the way through on top. They seem to always come back to the scene of the crime. They sure did a job on your cute little house. Maybe if you paint it with a thing called” Beak guard “. Also ,some kind of netting is suppose to work.

  12. A hot tub for the birds. That cracks me up!

  13. Lisa~A Cottage To Me says

    Please don’t be offended if I giggle at your snow! Please take a peek at Michigan snow http://cottagetome.blogspot.com/2014/01/you-want-it-weve-got-it.html ! this is when we think “Hmm, maybe we better get to the store for milk and bread!” All in fun, by the way, I love your heated bird bath with your gorgeous cardinal! Have a delightful afternoon!

  14. Thanks for the tips on planting the daffodils. I never thought about planting them in a container. The heated birdbath is brilliant! Again, something new I’d never seen before.

  15. Susan, I love that “Southerner’s Reaction to Snow” — that is hilarious!! I can’t believe that girl is wearing shorts and flip flops, but then again… It’s snowing here in N.C., too; ours looks about like your first picture at the moment. I didn’t believe it would really snow because they kept calling for it, and we hadn’t gotten any so far this year. Then I looked outside and it was coming down fast and hard. I rushed out to the grocery store (but not for milk and bread), I already had those. 😀 Anyhoo, it is really cold!!

    I’m sorry about your dovecote, as those things are so expensive to replace. My husband said from looking at the picture it looked like some kind of bugs had gotten in there and that’s what the woodpecker was after. What a shame, but I bet you can get it repaired when the weather is nicer.

    Enjoy the pretty snow and stay warm — love the cardinal pictures.

    Denise

    • I wonder if that’s what he was after, although I hadn’t seen any bugs on it. I figured he was trying to make himself a new home. I’m sure that roof was a lot softer to drill into than the trees around here. lol I hope when I finally get it fixed, he doesn’t come back!

  16. Susan,
    Love the photos! I’m in GA too and am glad I work from home. 3 hour commute times – ugh! For your birdhouse, what about asphalt fabric? Won’t look pretty but might work! http://www.homedepot.com/p/Henry-4-in-x-150-ft-181-Asphalt-Glass-Fabric-HE181195/100047055#specifications

  17. Great post, and love the misting of snow! It’s beautiful in any amount! I hear you all may get more. Lucky birdies who live near you, you are a dear! Wonderful photographs!
    Stay warm and take care!
    Nancy

  18. I would definitely try placing a piece of metal over the hole. It might discourage your friend if he tries to peck at it again, as it seems that he likes that particular spot. Do you have a Wildbirds Unlimited in your area? They may be able to help you find a way to deter the woodpeckers from destroying your dovecote.

  19. Susan, you absolutely must go to my post here – you will get such a big kick out of how things are in MY neck of the woods! http://www.finchrest.com/2014/01/snowstorm-ya-gotta-see-this.html

    • Fun! It was coming down like that for just a little while here. I’m not sure how much we got but I’m guessing 4-6 inches. Hope things warm up soon there and here, too! 🙂

  20. Hi Susan, I am by no means a woodworker or craftsman, but I’m wondering since you don’t want to take the dovecote off the pole to repair, why don’t you try buying a package of shims at the hardware store? They are tapered on one end, so you might be able to shove the thin end under the other shingles, and over the hole. It wouldn’t be permanent, and it won’t match, but it will be wood and it will cover the hole.. So it will buy you some time.

  21. PS
    We have an all-cedar shingled house – we’ve had woodpeckers put holes into our house that way – we hear one tap tap tap and they’re history anymore – we scare them away all the time and keep a vigilant eye on the house all summer long.

  22. Susan,
    How deep did you plant those daffs? I’ve planted the minature daffs in a container like yours and they do fine.
    Tete la Tete or something like that name. After they bloom, wait till the foliage dies back and then dig them up, put them in a mesh bag that will get air and plant them again next Fall.

    • I was trying to plant them about 5 inches down…hopefully I didn’t go too deep. Thanks for the tip, Betty. I was wondering what to do with them after I dig them up when the foliage dies back.

  23. I think you might have to leave your bird house as is, and repair it later. I vote for the cedar shingles and have a whole roof repaired.

    Where will you place your pots of daffodils? They will be pretty in the pots. I hope you post an “after” shot 😉

    Stay warm, we are expecting 8-12 inches of snow.

  24. Do you think it could be a squirrel? I had one do that to one of my bluebird houses, looked just like that, I tried to repair and run them off from it but finally just left it to them and bought another one. Wonder if the woodpecker started it and a squirrel finished it? They are looking for roosts too.

  25. Wow, you have some mighty hungry birds down there! That’s great you got a bluebird, and I think your idea of the spray foam is a good one. As long as you can control the flow. Good luck and thanks for all the beautiful pictures!

  26. Beleive it or not I envy you right now-Snow-how nice. We’re having non stop sunny skys here in Southern California with a drought thrown in for good measure! We will propably have water shortages come summer. I live your heated bird bath and the beautiful birds that come to visit it.

  27. How do ya like it now???? That snow, I mean!! Good thing you didn’t leave the house. I fed my birds this am and they are enjoying the food. In times of snow, birds suffer…so keep calm and….feed the birds! Awesome hole!!!

    • There’s a lot out there now!!! Pretty deep! I had sprinkled a bunch of food all over the rails of the deck in addition to what’s in the three feeders. When I looked back out, it was all gone and I saw a bunch of crows in the trees. I thought they had eaten it. I went back out to put some more of the rails and discovered it was just all covered in snow. I uncovered it and the birds have been eating it, too. It’s pretty but I hope it melts tomorrow! Stay warm, Donna!

  28. Susan, sorry to see that damage to the dove cote. The squirrels here have ruined our outdoor cushions and have invaded our owl house. I think you have a good plan to seal the hole and wait till spring to repair.
    Cold here with ice, but no snow this round. Stay warm……

  29. Hi Susan, Sorry about the birdhouse, it is so beautiful when undamaged! Did I miss a post on the heated bird bath? I remember you purchasing it, but didn’t see the followup. Could you share a little more info? I try to keep water out for the birds, but it freezes so fast here in KY with these low temps. Thanks!

  30. Do you have any trouble with squirrels getting your bulbs? They would dig them up here. I feed them in the winter along with the birds too.. I showed my husband your birdbath and he said be sure and tell her to put a good size rock in the bottom. We have had birds come in to take a bath in the summer and if the water is too deep the birds can drown. We felt so bad and after that I don’t put the water too deep and I added a rock. Keep warm, we only had 3 to 4 inches of snow but the ice and cold at 2. below was just to cold for me. Iam so ready for Spring….

  31. Woodpeckers always go after bugs in wood so I’m sure that’s what happened. I would consider placing a small piece of wood on the underside to stop up the hole from underneath and then a piece on the top side. There are some adhesives for exterior use that you could coat the wood with to stick it to the surface. Then figure out how you are going to finish the outside off. I think for now stopping up the hole so it stays dry inside is the most important thing.
    Being a northerner who lives in an area with heavy winters I always get a chuckle out of the way people panic about snow, but I do understand your areas aren’t equipped for it. Stay in and warm and away from the other crazy drivers!

  32. Is there any way to attach a piece of metal flashing or something similar over the hole until you can get it repaired this Spring? The squirrels do so much damage around here. :/
    Stay warm and enjoy your evening.

  33. check out a doll house supply company for cedar shingles–they would be about the same size

  34. Susan, Love your photos as always. I bet you’re tired of we northerners snow stories but I have one more for you. I live in a farmhouse built in 1846. Needless to say, after many years of refurbishing slowly—it is still drafty and we have sub-zero temps tonight! In the late 1970’s I drove home from work one snowy evening and parked my Pontiac Firebird in our driveway since two other vehicles filled our garage. Weather reports were filled with doom and gloom but our frig was well stocked so I dismissed the warnings as exaggerated. Well, the next morning I awoke to peer out my upstairs bedroom window. My pinetree lined driveway was beautiful draped in snow and ice however, all I could see of my car was a small oval section of the roof!!! That’s SNOW. To make matters worse, the drifts were so high I could not even get our doors open. It was wet heavy snow. We live in a rural area and there was NO traffic moving anywhere. We decided to cuddle up, threw logs in the fireplace and enjoy the beauty from inside. The storm continued. The second night brave souls were trying to travel down our road and a woman driving nearly blind spun off the road into our gas meter. Now we had no heat and road crews could not get through. In short, we were completely snowed in for 4 days. ( 2 without heat) Such fun. As I sit here tonight shivering, the memory of that terrible storm brings a smile. I can always be worse. Count your blessings.
    I too feed our birds, deer, squirrels etc. and we have lots of damage from not only woodpeckers but also carpenter bees eating holes in our garage. If you find a cure please post it because I have not found one that won’t harm the species. Stay warm.
    Always, Norma

    • Wow, Norma! How crazy is that…you are all set and someone smashes into your gas meter! Why do people insist on driving in this weather. That was some serious snow…almost completely hid your car! We have ice storms here every few years and one of those took out our heat for two days. Thank goodness we had a gas fireplace. I took our canary bird and all the cats and we huddled around that fireplace for a couple of days until the heat came back on. I’m not sure what will deter woodpeckers and such without harming the birds. I have a friend who also has a terrible time with carpenter bees drilling in her deck. I’ll ask her what she did to stop it.

  35. ~Susan~
    May be the woodpecker wanted to make a skylight ! that is unreal .
    What southerns do made me giggle! living in northern Indiana with 4 ft snow drifts in the driveway, a little dusting of snow would be more of welcome! I keep thinking a beautiful spring is coming soon !!
    Stay warm 🙂
    Paula

  36. MT Seversen says

    Hello Susan~~We can get your dovecote fixed!! I was heartbroken when this happened to mine several years ago. They’re beautiful, but terribly expensive! My offender was a squirrel. Anyway, I went to Hobby Lobby and bought a few corks that I estimated would fit the hole. http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/-16-cork-stoppers-522532/ . Please don’t use spray foam, it is so toxic, it would harm the roosting birds you have. I tapped the cork into the hole so it was nice and snug. I then bought these: http://www.amazon.com/Dollhouse-250-HEXAGON-CEDAR-SHINGLES/dp/B0083A9938/ref=pd_sim_sbs_t_27 and used them to cover the cork and surrounding damaged shingles. I glued them on cause I couldn’t fine nails small enough. They stuck out like a sore thumb, so I ‘colored’ them using a carpenters pencil. It didn’t match perfectly, but it looked much better. It’s now faded to match the other shingles and you’d never know it was a nice squirrel snack! Good luck!

  37. Susan, I think you can find cedar shakes for the dovecote. I did a quick ebay search and found a bunch of shingle options for dollhouses and birdhouses. Avoid the insulation fill for the hole. Good luck–the dovecote is a great feature in your garden.

  38. Beverly Kennedy says

    I really enjoy your blog and look forward to receiving it!!! Love the snow pictures!!! I grew up in Mississippi and know what a problems only a few inches of snow can cause!!! After living twenty eight years in Connecticut I am accustomed to the snowy cold weather but this year has really been a record setter!!! Hope you thaw out soon!!! So sorry about the damage to your dovecote! Woodpeckers can be a real pain and super difficult to get rid of…they are probably looking for insects. I would seek the advice of one of the local bird groups who are familiar with the species of woodpeckers in Georgia!!! They can probably recommend how to make the repairs and get rid of the woodpeckers for good!!! Good luck!!!

  39. I love that heated bird bath! And the picture of the dancers in the snow, so funny! That’s how I’ll be if it ever rains in California again!

  40. Susan, you might try a piece of styofoam , to go down in the hole. You could wedge it down in, for a good fit! And, for the wood, google craft woods….they have all kinds of shaped wood, or thin single pieces you can cut. Just take another piece of wood off, and make you a pattern. Also, Michaels and Holly Hobby have craft woods. After you fit in the styofoam, cut a piece of thin tin, and put over the hole, then glue the wood on top! Think this would work………Good Luck Liz Hamrick PS: Let me know if this works!

  41. Where did you find the heated birdbath? My mom would LOVE one!!! Thx!!! Love the pictures!!! I plant bulbs in my pots & then put pansies on top!!

  42. Love woodpeckers, but wow, what a hole! I wonder if you should find something like an insecticide soap to wash the dovecote and remove the attraction?
    Have you thought about planting some pansies on top of the bulbs? That way, the bulbs can come up between the blooms in the spring and give you flowers now as well as daffodils later. Love the layered look, and the pansies will look so pretty, too.

  43. Maybe it was meant to be and you can let the bluebirds have it. Call it their renovation!!

  44. Sorry to hear of your birdhouse woes, Susan. Strictly off the top of my head with absolutely no guaranty that either suggestion will work , I am wondering if you could plug the hole with ‘a cork’ (secure it with a product called No More Nails) and perhaps top it off with some wood filler. Secondly for the shingles, they remind of what carpenters call ‘shims’ that are usually made out of cedar (most are treated against bugs) so they too with a little alteration might serve your purpose. As said, it is just ‘a thought’ and during your snowy days use for a cork might be a perfect excuse to pop that bottle of wine (or jug of moonshine) that you’ve been hoarding …. winks!
    Have a super day. Hopefully the suggestions might help. Stay warm ….. Hugs -Brenda-
    P.S: ‘Corks’ can easily be carved with just an utility knife.

  45. SharonFromMichigan says

    Susan, I really want to plant spring bulbs in some large pots, unfortunately the two large bags of miracle gro soil we bought during the summer are now in the bed of my son’s truck for extra traction in this wicked winter. I was thinking about opening one of the bags to get some of the dirt out for planters, but both bags are frozen solid. I will have to do the bulb planting next year and remind myself to do it in the fall before everything freezes. I like the idea of plugging the woodpecker hole with a cork and then attaching replacement shingles over that. Hopefully the birds inside won’t mind you fixing their home! We’re supposed to warm up tomorrow to 20 degrees for the next couple of days! LOL – bring out the hula skirts! This weather always makes me think about the movie “Grumpy Old Men” with their antics around the ice fishing shanties! Stay Warm.

  46. Cherry Goodson says

    Susan, so sorry about your hole in the dove cote. Woodpeckers can be such a pain. Our squirrel destroy our bird houses as well. Have a question for you. These last few summers we have been blessed with bluebirds in one of our houses. This past summer they came and checked out the house but, never laid eggs. Do you clean out your dove cote every year? Someone said that maybe that was the problem. We have not cleaned it out before and they came back but maybe there are mites, etc. in there now. Just wondered what you do every year with the house. Thanks, Cherry G.

    • That may have been it. The folks at Wild Birds Unlimited told me to always clean out the previous nest because they often attract bugs and the birds won’t build where there are bugs. I have before cleaned out an old nest and found it full of some kind of insect, so it is good to do. I don’t clean it out between nestings in the spring normally because they keep using it. My bluebirds normally nest in the same cavity three times in a row during the spring. I’ve also seen them change cavities in the dove cote…maybe they notice the other one got bugs or something. Long story, short…you do want to clean it out in the fall when you know the birds have finished nesting in it for the spring/summer nesting period. That way it will be ready for spring. The birds around here all start their “house-hunting” really early each spring…so you want to make sure it’s cleaned out before they do that. 🙂

  47. Hi, Susan – boy, those bluebirds and woodpeckers really did a job on your dovecote! Found these cedar boards (you’d have enough for a lifetime of repairs!) on eBay:
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/8-Thin-Boards-Crafts-Spanish-Cedar-4-Bookmatched-sets-Nice-Grain-16-/191049484744?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c7b6fc9c8 and also found this supply company, but didn’t know the thickness you needed:
    http://www.itascawoodproducts.com/shop.php?product=cedar&cart_id=
    Make sure you put foil or something underneath that hole before you shoot in the insulating foam – that stuff spreads faster than pancake batter on a hot griddle!! LOL Have fun fixing it up! ~Faith

  48. Hi Susan I hope you were home safe & warm in all this mess. Did you get a lot of snow? Are you above or below Atlanta. We are about 40 miles north & were supposed to get a dusting of snow. Our dusting was about 2 1/2″. Closed schools & roads. Lots of accidents, but all in all we weren’t as hard hit as some places. Glad it’s over, beautiful but cold. It’s supposed to be 65 by the weekend. Such crazy weather!! Love reading your blog, thanks for writing it!!

    • Thanks so much, Penny! I live about 20 minutes north of Atlanta. I left to go somewhere just as it was starting but then thought better of it and turned around and came home. Glad I did, now! Thanks for asking, Penny. I think we got around 3-4 inches here. This IS crazy weather…but so typical for Georgia…one extreme to another! Glad you were safe and warm!

  49. Esther George says

    Hi Susan I’m sorry about your bird house I wish I had a solution I know the Brits use a lot of copper for roofing because the colour softens within a year guarantee no more holes. Talking about Daffodils they cost $45- for 100 over our part of the planet, not much difference. About birds behaving badly we have scary birds called Magpies one year I like you planted Daffodils in pots a few days later saw these monsters pulling the bulbs out, I think they mistook them for worms. Till next time happy planting. Regards Esther from Sydney. PS I have 3 Bulb catalogues sitting here Oh the temptation……

    • Wow, that’s amazing that they could get them out! I bet they were surprised when there wasn’t a wiggly worm on the other end. lol Ohhh, I love looking through gardening catalogs and dreaming! Have fun, Esther!

  50. Here in Colorado as the latest snow storm is ramping up……….I ordered grape hyacinth bulbs 2 weeks ago & are forcing them indoors in a beautiful round glass bowl with rocks & they are already “sprouting” !!!!! So excited to have some spring reminders here soon ! GOOOOOOOOOO BRONCOS!!!!!!! Omaha! HURRY HURRY!

    • Susan, those will be sooo pretty!

      • We had the same problem with woodpeckers on our cedar shake siding….holes all over the place. Of course we wouldn’t harm them, but we couldn’t stand around all day shooing them away. We decided to hang mylar strips on pieces of wood, like a mobile, then hung them on the gutters around the house. The wind flutters the mylar and the woodpeckers are terrified of it. You only need to do it a few months till the woodpeckers are persuaded to go elsewhere. Worked like a charm. You can buy mylar cheap at party stores and cut it into strips.

  51. A few years ago my daughter was home alone & heard someone walking around in a closed room. Called 911. They responded but no one/nothing was found. A few days later we heard it again – discovered that it was a woodpecker tapping on the glass! Took weeks to discourage him. He vacated but next found our neighbors metal roof,

  52. Gina Mc Laughlin says

    That is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen:) I’m from Cape Town, South Africa,
    we don’t have Woodpeckers here. Such a beautiful Dovecote !

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