"Build a birdhouse ready for spring nesting."
Location is the most important decision you'll make if you want to attract birds. If you already feed birds in a particular area, build a home there! Otherwise here are a few things to note when deciding on the location: 1. Not too close to your veggie/fruit plots 2. High enough to be safe from animals but not too high to be able to enjoy the entertainment! 3. Go for semi-shade or shady area, not direct sunlight. 4. Not too close to a regular path or play area. Birds like a little privacy! 5. A birdhouse close to hedges or trees is good. And of course, the birdhouse must be made secure from cats and other climbing creatures. If you do have cats prowling around, unless they are very lazy and the birds are extra bold in your region, you may have to get inventive with locating your bird feeders or houses! 
Building a simple birdhouse can be fairly straightforward if you have basic DIY skills. Use solid un-treated wood. The birdhouse needs to feel sturdy and safe. Most birds don't like a front step ( perch! ) so it's not worth having one. We had a family of nuthatches once who made it their business every morning to tap away little by little until they'd removed the perch completely. Fascinating to watch though! Once you've finished your wild bird home, don't be tempted to paint it in wild colours however creative you feel. Paint with an environment-friendly paint/preservative keeping to natural colours. And it's not advisable to paint around the entrance hole or the inside surfaces. Even if the paint is environment friendly, the birds won't like it! If you fancy a quick fix on this, browse the beautiful designs available. Have a look in your local garden centre or online. I found some great bird feeders and bird houses around the net.....( These pictures are my favourites! Browse the websites for more designs. ) All sorts of food can be used to encourage birds - fats, meat, fish, berries and especially seeds. This webpage has a few good pointers... Click here for chart of wild bird food Sunflower seeds are attractive to many birds and you could grow your own sunflowers in the garden and around the house. Find out more about growing sunflowers on this page: Growing sunflowers Leave the drying heads on the plant to encourage the birds and collect the ones they miss. Feed these seeds to the wild birds later in the winter months when other food is scarce. Don't give up if the birds don't move in to your birdhouse in the first spring, give it another year. Build or buy another one in the meantime and locate in a different part of your garden.  Happy Gardening! More "Birdhouse" Reading
Grow Your Own Winter Food: A good diet incorporating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables is a must if you want to stay fit and healthy and keep the bugs at bay during the cold winter months. Growing your own winter food is just one way of ensuring you get the freshest, tastiest produce packed with goodness straight from the garden to the kitchen table. This easy-to-follow self-sufficiency book shows you how to grow your own fruit and vegetables for winter use and includes facts on each fruit, vegetable or herb as well as nutritional value, recipe ideas and storage suggestions.  Grow Your Own Winter Food is perfect for those with limited gardening experience, with gardens big or small who are looking to become more self-sufficient. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow Your Own Winter Food Grow It, Cook It!: Many crops, including herbs, can be produced in a relatively small space with a little pre-planning and organizing: in containers, on a balcony, and indoors. Herbs are perfect for enhancing the flavour of cooking, treating minor ailments, and preventing colds and flu. Your own back garden will not only produce the best food on the planet for you and your loved ones, it is also economical, environmentally friendly and more fun than shopping. Gardening is more than a hobby; it's a way of life. .  This book provides all the information you need to keep your family and friends healthy, fit and enjoying life to the full. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow It, Cook It! Grow Your Own Pharmacy: If, like me, you want to be able to eat the best food on the planet, grow your own!  • Clear instructions on planning, planting, growing and harvesting the fruits, vegetables and herbs required for a healthy vitamin intake. • Recipes and menus to help incorporate the fruit and vegetables into your daily diet. Grow Your Own Pharmacy Herbs and Spices: Some herbs grow vigorously, some are tender and need special growing conditions, some are annuals, some perennials, some you can grow indoors, all can be grown in pots or directly into the ground. There are also certain spices, such as chillies, that can be grown in temperate climates.  This clear and concise directory of herbs and spices provides all the essential information to help you grow a selection of these flavour-enhancing foods in small or large spaces. Ideas for which herbs and spices go best with which foods also accompany each description, so that you can really enliven your repertoire of recipes. Order it now direct from the publisher... Herbs and Spices Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense is packed full of great ideas and tips. Granny brings traditional home-making up to date with cooking, gardening, needlecrafts and even games to play with the kids...Click on the link below to order your copy.  Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore and preparing nourishing home cooked meals for the family will certainly keep them away from the goodie shelf. Gardening encourages physical exercise and a good healthy dollop of fresh air. And you can get the kids involved too. Before the days of computer games and electronic pets, children used to have fun without rummaging about in the fridge every five minutes. Enjoy a few rainy-day games and crafts of yesteryear with today’s kids. They’ll love it and so will you! Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense Back to Garden Decor Back to Flower and Garden Tips Homepage Click here to subscribe to "Creative Gardening" - Your FREE monthly ezine! www.flower-and-garden-tips.com/birdhouse.html |
Crocus in the UK have a wonderful wildlife section that's worth a visit. This is their home page. 
This 'bed and breakfast' bird chalet is a great idea!