DEAR JOAN: A decade ago, we put up a bluebird house and followed all the directions. We are sorry to say our house is only used as a toilet!
I have tried cleaning it with a weak solution of Clorox, brushing off the (guano), cleaning it with plain water, but no luck. What can we do?
— Norma Hill, Cary, North Carolina
DEAR NORMA: They say when you put up a new birdhouse, feeder or bath, you need to be patient, but my friend, you’re taking that to a new level.
It might be best to start all over again, and maybe figure out what went wrong.
The first step involves the actual house. Most birds prefer houses of unpainted wood that blend with their surroundings. Highly painted, whimsical or decorative houses tend to attract unwanted visitors.
You also want a box specifically built for bluebirds. The interior size can vary, but the entrance hole needs to be correctly sized, big enough for birds to easily enter and exit, but not large enough to let in predators. No front perch necessary.
Bluebirds, whether they are the Eastern bluebirds in your neck of the woods, or the Western bluebirds in my area, like to nest in open spaces, where they have room to swoop around and snatch insects out of the air. Placing the birdhouse so it faces your house or another structure can be off-putting to the bluebird
The birds like a clean house, but it’s best to avoid chemicals and harsh cleaners. Usually a good sweep out after nesting season and a light dusting of food-grade diatomaceous earth to take care of pests should be sufficient. Rubbing a bar of unscented soap on the ceiling and walls can help keep wasps from building nests inside.
The birdhouse should be secured to a solid perch, and growing native plants nearby will help attract the birds.
Now is a good time to put up birdhouses. The birds won’t start nesting for a few months, but they can use them as shelter in bad weather — and start exploring the neighborhood now.
None of this will guarantee you’ll attract a bluebird pair, but it will improve the chances. Here’s hoping the second time around will work out better.
Remembrance of a friend
News recently reached me of the death of Ruby Waderich, who for at least two decades was likely the best friend Solano County Friends of Animals ever had.
I met Ruby several years ago, when she asked me to promote her Give a Buck campaign. Ruby reasoned that most people could afford to donate a dollar to the nonprofit, all-volunteer group, and that those bucks would quickly add up. And she was right. In the first couple of weeks, readers of this column donated almost $3,000, a windfall for this small group.
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Ruby was tireless, fostering hundreds of cats. She also loved the pigeons that visited her yard. She was one of the kindest and most dedicated people I’ve ever known.
In her memory, I’m asking readers to Give a Buck for Ruby by sending what you can spare to Solano County Friends of Animals, P.O. Box 235, Benicia, CA 94510.
Rest in peace, my friend.
Animal Life runs on Mondays. Contact Joan Morris at AskJoanMorris@gmail.com.