Build a Better Bird House

At Casa de Pajaro there are bird houses in every low lying tree close to the house. My mom and dad loved feeding the birds and watching them play from the dining room window. Since I bought the place, the birds have gone hungry, well not exactly hungry, as it is summer and food abounds, but I have not put out any seed. I have also been neglectful about adding water to the bird baths.

The last time I put water in the big bird bath, Olive the cat jumped up on the edge of the bath, scattering the birds who were having a spa party and knocked over the round saucer that sits on the old pedestal comprising the bird bath. The saucer broke in half. I tried to glue it together with a super-duper-fail-safe new kind of epoxy that should work on ceramics, but it didn't hold properly. So a bought some stuff called "goop" to fill in the gaps. It looks awful and smells toxic. I am afraid to put water in for fear of killing the birds. Now, I'm off to find another saucer. This time, I will try gluing the saucer to the pedestal.

The bird house situation worries me. The houses my mom left here are too close to the ground and I know Olive can get to these houses with ease. I need to build a sturdier house and install it either on a high branch or on its own pole. I figure the birds are okay now, there are bugs and worms and seeds everywhere, but when fall sets in, I better have a bird feeder and a house or two that are cat-proof. There is definitely a part of me that says "just leave the birds alone and let nature take care of them". But, I reply to myself "Mom and Dad have fed and housed these birds and their ancestors for 20 years - they won't be able to survive without my help." Okay, I have to admit that statement is pretty lame, but I really did have this conversation with myself and the mama bird part of me is winning out.

While I am looking for a giant saucer at the local nursery, I will also seek the wild bird feed and materials to build a better bird house.