Chickadees checking out a home.

I went out to the garden yesterday to see when I could start taking my frustrations out on it planting my spring vegetables in it. As I walked up to the garden, though, I saw movement in one of the trees on the edge of it.

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This little gourd birdhouse blew out of the tree during a storm over the winter. We picked it up out of the snow, and re-hung it on the nearest branch. Now, a black-capped chickadee has decided to check it out. The mate sat in the branches nearby.

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The gourd seems like a good fit for the little birds. But there is a problem — it is too close to our garden. I think the disruption of us working in the garden will drive them off.

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So once the chickadee flitted out of the gourd for a moment, I moved the birdhouse a little further away from the garden. I hated to do it, because the chickadees might not come to it’s new spot. But hopefully this way they have a little time to get used to the new location.

I hope they come back. We’d love to have them as neighbors.