Run Down Bird Houses

I have several run-down birdhouses in my yard that are all unable to be used by birds.  You would never guess that someone who loves birds lives here.  But, it is true.  Two have been chewed at by squirrels and therefore no longer have an opening that is the right size (a safety issue) for nesting birds.  One of the chewed ones is on a tree that has partially fallen down, too.   Another house is hanging upside down, with the opening facing the sky.  I've tried to take that one down, but the tree has grown around the wire and it can't be moved without wire cutters, and who can find those?  (You have not seen my husband's workbench!)  Yet another is hanging sideways, with half of the roof missing.  This one has also become incorporated into the tree on which it hangs.

Today, a pair of Eastern Bluebirds were looking inside that last one, talking to each other about whether or not it was a suitable place to raise their family.  Yeah, right.  The food supply is not bad, but this is definitely a fixer-upper.

I would love to have Eastern Bluebirds set up housekeeping in my yard.  Imagine how much fun that would be?  Imagine seeing baby bluebirds right in your own yard?  I am thinking it is time to do something about these bird houses.  I am going to buy a bluebird house, hope the weekend is warm enough to melt the snow, and recruit my husband or son to hang it up for me!

"This is disgraceful!"

The light was just perfect when they were here.  I didn't do any post-processing on these photos at all, and that brilliant blue is exactly how the male appeared.  GORGEOUS.

Other yard visitors today included:

American Crow
American Goldfinch
Black-Capped Chickadee
Dark-Eyed Junco
Downy Woodpecker
House Finch
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Red-Bellied Woodpecker
Tufted Titmouse
White-Breasted Nuthatch

Mourning Doves

And who do you think I saw at lunchtime in Wildwood Cemetery?  I'll give you a photo clue.

Just outside the cemetery, next to the pumping station, I spotted some fresh beaver activity, as well as at least two dozen Mallards, two Canada Geese, one Hooded Merganser, one Downy Woodpecker and three Northern Cardinals.

 Mallard 

 Mallard (female)

 Downy Woodpecker

 Canada Geese

 Beaver activity

 Hooded Merganser

Northern Cardinal