Just a wee bit on the expensive side of birdhouses.
https://duncraft.com/collections/bl...afe-r-premium-observation-bluebird-house-pole
https://duncraft.com/collections/bl...afe-r-premium-observation-bluebird-house-pole
A bluebird house
- Thread starter Fox Mike
- Start date
badguybuster
Blackhawk
Good grief
xTopGun
Buckeye
sheezzz, you just have no appreciation for nature.....
Dang...yet another reminder I forgot to clean mine out this past winter.....too late now...
I have to replace them anyhow...they are old and chewed up.
I have to replace them anyhow...they are old and chewed up.
I must admit that both Blue Birds and Cardinals have been quick to inhabit the nest that the Woodpecker whacked out of the Bamboo in the back yard decades ago. I'll never forget that it sounded like an aluminium bat being struck at a machine gun cyclic rate while that Redheaded Woodpecker worked away. Cost me nothing, yet it is still the preferred habitat for songbirds.
GypsmJim
GypsmJim
I don't know what Harris / Walz has to do with birdhouses, but whatever.
My whole family has had bird houses and bird feeders since I was a little kid. I have made dozens myself. A house lasts a few years then it rots.
I am also into Windmills. I use a classic windmill design and use white pine and plywood. In the last 45 years I have built 3 and all are now gone.
My current windmill is built out of the same material as the bird house above. It cost 3x that. Because of it being maintenance free and having a long life span I don't think the price is excessive. It all depends on what your hobbies are.
My whole family has had bird houses and bird feeders since I was a little kid. I have made dozens myself. A house lasts a few years then it rots.
I am also into Windmills. I use a classic windmill design and use white pine and plywood. In the last 45 years I have built 3 and all are now gone.
My current windmill is built out of the same material as the bird house above. It cost 3x that. Because of it being maintenance free and having a long life span I don't think the price is excessive. It all depends on what your hobbies are.
coach
Hunter
But you can get a 10% discount. 
Exactly......the amount of times I've replaced my Bluebird houses is far more than the cost of this one which will last much longer and not be chewed apart. Same for the bat houses.
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2012
- Messages
- 10,870
I have learned rich people can save money, by buying quality I can’t afford. Quality made items that last longer save you money in the long run.
I have been the benefactor of several such cast aside items over the years.
I have been the benefactor of several such cast aside items over the years.
xTopGun
Buckeye
some years ago at an estate auction I bought a Stickley king size poster bed, with a king size "Shifman" mattress, the outfit was still wrapped in shipping boxes. The owner was tragically killed in an accident before ever opening the items.... I bid $180.00 for the whole outfit, retail price on the sales slips was just over $12K . . . . .
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2012
- Messages
- 10,870
Wow! You got lucky.
Years ago now, I saw an amazing head board on clearance. The finials on top of the posts were as big as basketballs.
The store owner said it was custom ordered, when they tried to deliver it, it didn’t fit around the corners to get it into the bedroom! It was over $20k this is 30 years ago.
Rich people know how to waste money too! $150 birdhouses would be trivial to them.
Years ago now, I saw an amazing head board on clearance. The finials on top of the posts were as big as basketballs.
The store owner said it was custom ordered, when they tried to deliver it, it didn’t fit around the corners to get it into the bedroom! It was over $20k this is 30 years ago.
Rich people know how to waste money too! $150 birdhouses would be trivial to them.
contender
Ruger Guru
I went to a customers house last week, and they have a few bird houses. I automatically saw where flying squirrels had chewed the entrance. I made a comment about that.
The lady replied; "Oh we know,, because we watch them on the cameras we have set up inside them."
Cameras inside bird houses. I never question such things. Each & every one of us has a hobby or a passion upon which we'll spend our money on.
"Hi, I'm Tyrone,,, & I'm a Rugerholic!"
The lady replied; "Oh we know,, because we watch them on the cameras we have set up inside them."
Cameras inside bird houses. I never question such things. Each & every one of us has a hobby or a passion upon which we'll spend our money on.
"Hi, I'm Tyrone,,, & I'm a Rugerholic!"
Yep it's a thing....and quite popular in the bird watching world.
Since we are being honest about "holic" things......I have a feeder with a cam.....and not going to lie I have looked at the houses with cams.
I also watch the "eagle cams" online. Cool stuff to check in on.
RugerForMe
Blackhawk
Building bird houses, bird food holders and such is part of my retirement plan.
Now I know how much to ask for a blue bird house.
Now I know how much to ask for a blue bird house.
Those are actually very cool bird houses.
There used to be an older guy living down the street and he had some nice bird houses out front.
I remember talking with him once about the pesky squirrels and he had to get some anti squirrel bird houses.
This was probably 8 or 9 years ago and I bet he paid a lot for them back then.
It’s a hobby just like any other hobby. Golf can get pretty expensive too for example.
There used to be an older guy living down the street and he had some nice bird houses out front.
I remember talking with him once about the pesky squirrels and he had to get some anti squirrel bird houses.
This was probably 8 or 9 years ago and I bet he paid a lot for them back then.
It’s a hobby just like any other hobby. Golf can get pretty expensive too for example.
I wonder how you make the other birds go away and have only bluebirds in the birdhouse. Around here the sparrows or something else would probably get to it first.
Sorry, but $150 for a molded plastic birdhouse that probably cost the manufacturer $5 is just plain dumb. A couple of hours, max, in the garage with a few hand power tools and I can turn out one that is better made and I get the added advantage of doing something in my garage.
Sparrows "typically" do not nest in boxes. There are four types of Sparrow in my area, and more finches (mostly Gold, House and some Purple) than anything else. I have never had them nest in any Bluebird box. Wrens are the main concern for the most part with Bluebird boxes in my area. Heck I've had Carolina Wrens and Creepers nest in my grill, smoker and a boot. I did have a Bluebird box that was placed poorly. Bluebirds are picky about which way they face and the area surrounding the box. The poorly placed box was ignored by the Bluebirds and used by Chickadee's a few seasons, and once by Titmouse and once by a Nuthatch. I have six Bluebird boxes up. All active with Bluebird except one...the poorly placed one that I kept that way curious to see who would use it next. However, I need to repair/replace it. A bear tore the front off of it this past fall.
I showed this thread to my wife. She likes birds.
I love the idea of a bird house with a camera set up inside. That would be so cool.
But just setting up a bird house does not mean a bird will move in, right? How do you get a bird to live in it? Will they just naturally find it on their own?
Down at the beach there are some mourning doves. They had made themselves at home up in the awning over the front door. It’s semi protected.
If I installed a house right next to their nest, would they move?
There is a store here in Dallas “Wild Birds Unlimited” I guess I should go talk to them. But they would sell me a house regardless of if I need it or not.
I love the idea of a bird house with a camera set up inside. That would be so cool.
But just setting up a bird house does not mean a bird will move in, right? How do you get a bird to live in it? Will they just naturally find it on their own?
Down at the beach there are some mourning doves. They had made themselves at home up in the awning over the front door. It’s semi protected.
If I installed a house right next to their nest, would they move?
There is a store here in Dallas “Wild Birds Unlimited” I guess I should go talk to them. But they would sell me a house regardless of if I need it or not.
Here is a picture. You can’t see the nest but it’s up there inside the red circle.
Two nests actually, this side and the other side of the awning as well.
Two nests actually, this side and the other side of the awning as well.
Here's my story. We moved to the country about 30 years ago and our good friends lived beside us. The friend built some blue bird houses to specifications from a bird book.
We put our bird house up and watched with anticipation to see if blue birds would move in and nest. Sure enough about 2 weeks later we had a pair of blue birds in the house making a nest. We watched them sitting on their nest and all of a sudden some english sparrows came in and chased the blue birds away and built their nest right over the blue bird nest. Made me mad so I just went and took the bird house down and said to heck with it.
Similar story, I grew up on a farm back in the 1950's and my Mom decided she wanted to put up a purple martin house, you know, a big one up on a pole with like two stories and several holes on each level. She waited just like me for my blue birds. Finally she had purple martins move in and Mom was quite disappointed. Purple martins are some of the dirtiest birds you will find, and she was disgusted.
We put our bird house up and watched with anticipation to see if blue birds would move in and nest. Sure enough about 2 weeks later we had a pair of blue birds in the house making a nest. We watched them sitting on their nest and all of a sudden some english sparrows came in and chased the blue birds away and built their nest right over the blue bird nest. Made me mad so I just went and took the bird house down and said to heck with it.
Similar story, I grew up on a farm back in the 1950's and my Mom decided she wanted to put up a purple martin house, you know, a big one up on a pole with like two stories and several holes on each level. She waited just like me for my blue birds. Finally she had purple martins move in and Mom was quite disappointed. Purple martins are some of the dirtiest birds you will find, and she was disgusted.
RugerForMe
Blackhawk
You build them to specs, like a 1.5" hole, box inside of 3.5 to 4" and where the box is placed to attract blue birds.
GypsmJim
GypsmJim
My Dad, Grandpa and Uncle all loved Purple Martins. We had 2-story bird houses at each house. I never knew they were dirty.
Kevin birds are cool! Trust me "something" will find it and nest. Set it up by food/water source....if anything a Wren will take it over. I wish I had the cam house when the kids were kids. All my kids loved to bird watch with me. My oldest Daughter is still into it...and my Son was even allowed to put a window feeder on his barracks window at his last command.
Wild Birds Unlimited is a national chain store. They have some good products, decent books, seeds, etc...but a bit pricey. The folks are usually older, knowledgeable and easy to hold a conversation with vs a typical teenager in a retail establishment. I really think you and your Wife would enjoy a visit and just browsing. They may inquire as to what your needs are and try to get more info from you to successfully assist you but won't be pushy. They have a website also.
Awesome! Thanks for the information. I didn’t know that about the wild birds unlimited store. I’ll have to stop by and see what they have.
I know when my parents retired they did a lot of bird watching activities and belonged to a club of some sort.
There is a very funny movie with Steve Martin and Jack Black called “The Big Year.” I think it’s got Owen Wilson in it also. They go to extreme lengths to see some bird.
Yep that is a hilarious movie!
stonebuster
Blackhawk
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2017
- Messages
- 644
I drove a steel fence post on the ground & slid heavy PVC pipe over it so the critters couldn't get the bluebirds but a Black bent fence post 90 degrees to the ground. He's eating the suet in photo. We don't put suet out in bear season anymore.
Last edited:
Yup......been there before. I still put suet cages/boards out but bring all feeders in every night once bears are spotted in Spring....I pretty much leave the feeders out JAN-MAR.
