11_2014 Dave's woodworking projects

While I was in Houston, Dave worked on two wood-working projects: a roosting box and a shelter for Flickers.

The photo to the left is the beginning stages of the roosting box.  

A roosting box is something birds can use to shelter from the cold in winter. It has a hole at the bottom of the box (versus nests with holes at the top) to keep the warm air in. It has multiple perches for a group of birds who will huddle in the cold. A bird's next will never have perches.

Dave scored the back as well as some birds can use these to 'climb' the box once inside.

With most of the roosting box assembled, you can see all the perches for the roosters.

Ready to go!

Note the little extra square by the hole - this protects from mammals reaching inside and possible grabbing birds.

Looks great!

The second project is the Flicker (or other bird) shelter. These birds often hang on the sides of trees during bad weather. This shelter offers them someplace to hide during bad weather.

The inside of the box has a single perch (note that this is a double occupancy box).  And the back wall is scored to provide a place to hang if the bird prefers that.

Front covers added. This box isn't as closed in, but it does provide far more protection than hanging on a tree trunk being snowed on.

The finished product!

Dave mounted the Flicker's box on our back porch under an overhang.

He really takes a lot of time to get the details right. I think most houses aren't built as carefully!

The songbird roosting box is on the side of our back deck. We can see it from the kitchen window.

So, will they use it?  Who knows. We know that Dave got them up before the big snow started. And we know that a Flicker and Red-Breasted Nuthatch did go into this box. Very exciting! Glad they have it available for them.

And what about this one? Dave saw a Junco exit it so we chose to believe that during these really cold nights, the box is full of a bunch of toasty warm Dark-Eyed Juncos!