A couple months ago, Anthony and Bob built a birdhouse. I don’t think I wrote a post about it, I meant to. It was quite the ordeal. Anthony wanted to build a “play house” out of old scraps and asked for help. I volunteered his dad. But Bob is entirely too practical without a lot of wild imagination and shot down his plans. The flimsy “frame” wasn’t “practical.” Well..duh. It wasn’t supposed to be. Anthony just wanted to build something with a hammer and I made the mistake of asking his dad to help.
Well…that little fiasco actually resulted in something pretty cool. Practical dad went online and found some plans for a birdhouse. They went together to the lumber yard, got some supplies and worked together in building this little house. Bob even let Anthony do most of the building (which is a big deal).
Anthony’s dream of building something came true and they ended up having a nice father and son construction experience {insert Tim Allen “Home Improvement” manly laughing here}.
We hung the birdhouse in a big tree out by the kids’ playground and waited.
One day we noticed some straw-like material hanging out of the opening. We were hopeful that someone was moving in. We checked it every day but didn’t see a lot of activity. Several weeks went past.
Then one day we were outside playing and we noticed a little brown bird going in and out and hanging around. We were so excited! We thought someone finally moved in and Anthony was thrilled!
Me and Bob sat outside with the boys playing one afternoon. We watched. We then realized that we actually had a family living in our birdhouse. Bob snapped a few pictures and went online to discover that we had a Sparrow Family.
And we had babies!
These are pictures of the daddy Sparrow taking bugs into the nest. If you look close, you can see a bug hanging out of his mouth. He will go in and then you hear all the babies chirping. It’s the neatest thing!! Usually we can watch the mom and dad alternate bringing in bugs for the babies all afternoon. They are just like human babies and seem to eat a LOT.
Bob took Anthony out to get a bird feeder but so far we haven’t seen them use it. We want to offer them mealworms or something but aren’t sure where to put them so that they can get them. They will not come down to the ground near us and tend to hang out on the branches above the birdhouse.
It’s been very cool for the boys. They love to sit there with us and watch them fly in and out. It’s fun to see how mommy and daddy Sparrow care for the babies together. It’s been a great learning experience.
I never thought in my old age (ha) that I would turn into a bird watcher…but I’m starting to see why it’s so interesting.
Oh so sweet I too have a bird house in the yard. Love your little Sparrow so sweet
I remember it a bit differently, but whatever you say…. I just remember trying to get him to agree to building something he could be successfully at, like a birdhouse, instead of a full sized playhouse for him and his brothers to play in.
He did most of the work, with me just making sure he cut straight, nailed from one board to the other, things like that. It was pretty cool when it was finished, and I think he’ll agree that he did it not me.
But anyway, I agree that it’s funny being birdwatchers now. I find myself watching each time I’m out there to make sure mom AND dad are both still flying into the birdhouse.
We haven’t seen them eating any of the seed yet though… maybe when the “kids” get a bit older.
.-= BobTheWizard´s last blog ..The Birdhouse =-.
We don’t have any birdhouses, but do have several nests in our five big poplar trees, and no nest in our still small apple tree. We have various kinds of birds in them. Meadow larks, sparrows, crows, and pigeons.
Oh my goodness, that is so sweet! I love that.
.-= Natalie´s last blog ..Madness. =-.
That is so cool! Two birds have recently finished a nest on one of the columns on our porch near our front door; no fancy house for them though! They should be grateful that we don’t evict them–they scare the bejezus out of us when we walk on the porch at night and they swoop out and fly away–all I can think of is getting pooped on or getting one caught in my hair.
LOL!! I can totally see a little birdy getting stuck in your hair! Poor birdy!
Our sparrows will buzz over our heads really close when they dive out of the house, it’s startling so I could totally see getting freaked late at night coming home on the porch.
ok lol poor boodle
How cute! and what a great idea for a father son activity. I think I’m going to suggest this one to my husband. By the way, I guess I’m getting older too because I love sitting and just watching the birds in the yard.
.-= Katrina´s last blog ..Cinnamon Shore, Mustang Island, TX =-.