FireFly

Introduction

Making Wooden Birdhouses, Tables and Feeders

Birdhouse Projects
- Hollow Log
- Flowerpots
- Triangular Box
- Basic Boxes
- Garden Shed
- Mexican Mission
- Log Cabin
- Waterwheel
- Mailboxes
- Covered Wagon
- Lamp House
- Beach Hut
- Country Cottage
- Medieval Tournament Tent
- Witch's House
- Duck House
- Purple Martin Condo
- Dovecote
- Old Schoolhouse

Bird Feeder Projects
- Old Tools
- Triple Decker
- Flat Tree Feeder
- Scales
- Pagoda
- Natural Branch
- Clock Tower

Further Reading and Acknowledgments
Index

Introduction

There are two good reasons for encouraging birds to feed in your garden. One is to help counteract the effect that modern urbanization has had on their natural habitats and feeding habits, in a small way redressing the balance so to speak. The second is purely selfish, and embraces the enjoyment, pleasure and relaxation that watching their colorful rituals, displays, and antics can bring to the keen birder, gardener, or householder alike.

But, to encourage birds in your garden, you must offer them something in return, their most obvious needs being food and water. If you can also provide somewhere safe for them to raise their young or shelter when the weather's bad, then they will learn to feel safe in your garden.

This book is intended for those practical people who enjoy creating something just a little different: feeders, bird tables, and nesting boxes that will help you to introduce you to a new and worthwhile interest, while at the same time involving you in a fascinating and rewarding pastime.

The projects range from basic and simple feeders to decorative and more ornate birdhouses. Each is designed to enhance your garden or yard, each animated by the birds' natural ability to fly.

 

If you enjoy woodworking and birds, this book offers you plenty of projects, from basic bluebird boxes to log cabins, covered wagons, and pagoda feeders.
- Dan R. Kunkle  Wildlife Activist  2002 08

A helpful how-to book... plenty of photos for illustrations and drawings showing cutting and building techniques.
- Linda Turk  Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal  2004 10 10

Step-by-step instructions and photos... information on encouraging birds to visit... will be equally at home as fanciful decorations.
-   Country Accents  2004 05

Perkins provides clear instructions on how to build a simple feeder all the way to elaborate multi-level birdhouses that will make your fly-in guests the envy of the local feathered scene.... You will soon find yourself building a variety of shapes and sizes to make your backyard and perfect resting place.
- Terry Peters  North Shore News (North Vancouver)  2008 06 25

Step-by-step illustrations, creative touches and good basic bird-friendly designs for the do-it-yourselfer, the bird lover and the woodworker.
- Lois Cooper  Muskoka Today (Gravenhurst ON)  2008 11 13

Absolutely fun... quick projects and lots of ideas to share with children or beginning woodworkers, this is one of the best of the many birdhouse books available.
- Barb Siddiqui  WoodCentral.com  2009

This book is absolutely fun.... For some fun, quick projects and lots of ideas to share with children or beginning woodworkers, this is one of the best of the many birdhouse books available.
- Barb Siddiqui  WoodCentral.com  2009

For some fun, quick projects and lots of ideas to share with children or beginning woodworkers, this is one of the best of the many birdhouse books available.
- Barb Siddiqui  WoodCentral.com  2009