A Good Idea At First, But......

17 years ago

Since this forum has been slowing down for awhile, I wanted to share an idea I had...

My Dad has been in an assisted living facilty for a few months, in the specialty care unit, where most of the residents have ALZS...I have grown to love these precious people and enjoy visiting with them...anyway, there is a beautiful courtyard off the dining area with a gazebo and it's a perfect habitat for the blues and other cavity nesting birds. I wanted to put up a nestbox in hopes of attracting the blues (or the dees) which I thought the residents would enjoy watching the process..I was so excited about this until I realized that this project could possibly place the birds in jeopardy, as the residents might innocently tamper with the box, nest, eggs, etc. and unknowingly cause harm.

Too, it would be impossible for me to monitor the nestbox on a daily basis, so in place of this idea, I am going to purchase several different bird feeders and place them in the courtyard. I think they will enjoy watching a variety of birds at the feeders, especially in the spring when they are outdoors more often!

Well, it feels like spring today...75 degrees! Looks like more of the same for the remainder of the week! What a weird December we have had weather wise...sure doesn't FEEL like Christmas!

Donna

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

griffin_MD
17 years ago
Donna, my youngest daughter worked at an assisted living community for a number of years and I would love to have been able to put up a bluebird nestbox for the residents to enjoy. Unfortunately, many of the residents had bird feeders up and, as you might imagine, fed the worst type of bird seed. House sparrows were everywhere!!! I gave suggestions to the director about types of seed to use in the community feeders (boss, safflower) and encouraged her to pass this info along to the residents, but people will often buy what is the least expensive. I wasn't willing to chance the safety of nesting blues there, though.
Kathy
donnalovesblue
Original Author
17 years ago
Kathy...many thanks for your response. The bird seed I use at home is a mix of boss, sunflower hearts and chips and a fruit and nut blend...not the cheap, wild bird seed mix. I would use it in the feeders at the facility and be totally responsible for the feeders. There are a few residents I feel could easily help fill the feeders, with little instruction.

You brought up a good point about the house sparrows. I've not been in the courtyard enough to observe whether they are present. The facility is in a residential area, with a strip shopping area just a few blocks away, so I suspect hosps are close by.

This courtyard is just lovely, well landscaped and maintained so I was hoping to add to its beauty by inviting the birds which would provide much enjoyment for the residents. Sadly, but understandable, providing nesting opportunities is not in the best interest of the blues.

Donna
Related Discussions
searched first...but ? again, how to make ES blue?
Q
Comments (3)
Holy-Tone is what I use. Miracid will do the same thing. when I see blooms starting to flush pink, I give it another dose of Holy-Tone. Just keep the soil acidic and you will be all set.
...See More
I LOVE this flooring...but it might not be a good idea.
Q
Comments (5)
You're not in love. You're in lust. No logical reasoning can make you give up Mr. Hot Stuff in favor of Mr. Average Good Guy. You are set in your mind and are only shopping around opinions until you get one that gushes and tells you to go ahead "because you love it.". It won't matter if you get 10-1 against. That's not what you want to hear. Your gonads are out of control. If "everyone" hasn't been able to convince you so far, then how are a bunch of strangers on the internet who only say the same things going to convince you. They won't. You'll still do what you want, facts be damned. Just in case you are actually open minded though---a glossy floor is downright dangerous in a kitchen. A kitchen floor should be non slip.And so should an entry way, for that matter. You don't want to come in out of the rain and fall and break a leg because you slipped. When you mop or have a spill, it will be a serious skating rink. It's also high maintenance. It will show every single bit of dust and foot prints. 5 minutes after you dust mop, it will look like you haven't done it at all. If you walk across the floor with sweaty feet, it will show. And you'll have to clean it again. Then the dog walks across it. Then you clean it again. Then the kids and the dog walk back across it. And you give up and let the footprints stay. And you hate them. And you hate the floor. Except for that 3 minutes after you've cleaned it and wiped it dry with a microfiber cloth. Then it's gorgeous and you love it again. It's a relationship that only works if you absolutely LOVE to clean from morning to night. Or you have a maid who loves it. Or you admit defeat and learn to love the smudges and dust specs. Now at least you can't say no one told you what living with a floor like that will be like. The exciting guys are always the biggest PIAs who drive you crazy and the steady reliable ones are the ones that take care of the baby when she's sick and you in your old age.
...See More
The first panel is up! But, I have a few questions
Q
Comments (16)
pps7 - I have the Opus rods in antique brown with the beaded ball finial. They are adjustable, like dana g said, but the one in the middle is slightly larger and the two on each end are slightly smaller to fit inside of the middle section. I don't really notice the size difference once the rings are on and the panels are hung. I think you might be able to combine two sets of rods. If you use the medium size (50"-96"), you will have a 50" larger piece and 2 smaller pieces that are 24" long. You would be able to use only 5 pieces, tho (small, large, small, large, small). If you use the large size (96"-144"), you will have one larger piece that's approx. 54" and two smaller pieces that are about 47". Again you would be able to use only 5 pieces, but could get the length you need, I think. Just yesterday, I decided to not use the rings that go with the Opus rods. I was able to find some wood rings that are 'fatter' and match the rods perfectly! I found them at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Even tho the rods are metal and the rings are wood, they look fine together. I hope to post some pictures very soon. Good luck with your project and let me know if you have any other questions.
...See More
OT Peony Poppies with roses - good idea in theory, but...
Q
Comments (64)
I love a very full, cottage look, so I tend to actively seed poppies in areas I know will be more densely planted come spring. I loved how the poppies emerged from drifts of Jupiter's Beard, Statice, Lomandra in shadier spots, and some other plants in the front yard. It helped limit the sight of the lanky plants certainly. Amidst the roses that are grown in a more traditional way, the poppies stand out like sore thumbs. However, I love the flowers and it's not a public rose garden, ha. I can grow lanky poppies and not feel one bit worse for it. I tried some of the 'Erewhon' and 'Blue Shift' Sweet Peas from Annies in that area this year and they were beautiful! Great cut flowers. It's probably a bit cooler here though. I had them on lattice amidst other climbers. 'Jeri Jennings' is next to some volunteer dark purple sweet peas. The picture above shows some sweet pea foliage, but the flowers mostly finished before 'Jeri' started blooming recently. Right now I've got Nigella springing up in an area that is almost exclusively populated by succulent/drought tolerant plants. It's a strange look, but fun until I consider that I'll need serious gauntlets to rip out the dead Nigella soon. Puya are amazing until you weed around them and I'm mostly growing the smaller types like P. mirabilis and alpestris. A lot like roses actually!
...See More
dzyg
17 years ago
Donna, we have an assisted living center near us, closer to the park where I have five bluebird houses. They too love to hang feeders out and have tons of HOSP all over the place. I have trapped HOPS that get into my nestboxes down there but I know I cannot say anything to them about what kind of seed they put out. You had a really nice idea though with the nestboxes, hopefully your bird feeders will be a success and the HOSP will stay away.

I would love your Winter weather. We just got through a little cold snap, the high temps didn't get above zero for two days and the lows were cold in the minus teens for most of the week, with windchills in the minus twenties. Now that it has warmed up a bit (highs in the teens) we have gotten more snow and should get more again on Saturday night. I really am looking forward to Spring which certainly doesn't come soon enough around here in WI.

Donna
Ann
17 years ago
Maybe if you mount the house just out of reach, and take a small light stepladder with you when you visit? I have one that's very sturdy and probably only weighs 5 lbs.

Maybe someone else who visits would be willing to help you check on it in between your visits?

I'm sure no one will shimmy up the pole!

I would imagine that they'd get just as much joy, if not more, as we do from seeing nesting birds, especially blues. I think it's an awesome idea!

Ann
nhblues
17 years ago
My grandmother is at a elderly care center in Southbury, CT and although they don't feed the birds, they do have a nest box in thier courtyard that fledged blues last year... maybe if you don't feed the birds, they will be ok (and yes, maybe at a higher elevation so as to avoid tampering?).

A Good Idea At First, But......

Comments (5)

griffin_MD

donnalovesblue
Original Author

Related Discussions

dzyg

Ann

nhblues

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

A Good Idea At First, But......

Comments (5)

griffin_MD

donnalovesblueOriginal Author

Related Discussions

dzyg

Ann

nhblues

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

donnalovesblue
Original Author