N&O Birdhouse Contest 2009

JC Raulston Arboretum, Raleigh, NC

On March 19 to 21, 2009, people from around the Raleigh, NC area brought their newly built birdhouses to JC Raulston Arboretum to be judged.

Max was drawn to the contest as he has built his own birdhouses in the past. The birds have used some of them and have left others empty. Max, as is often the case, was clueless about why!

The Raleigh News and Observer (N&O) has been sponsoring this contest for some years. It is open to anyone four years or older who has the gumption to think they can build a pretty neat birdhouse.

The North Carolina Bluebird Society was at this years show as Max suspects they were at prior shows. This allowed people to learn a lot about building bird houses that the birds will actually like. The gentleman showing the standard Bluebird house also had other nests for other birds.

The show was set up in a classroom in the Arboretum's teaching building. They were lined row by row by age. The first row was the most boring. It was a row of beautiful wooden birdhouses built with precision by true craftsmen. They were outstanding birdhouses but they were eclipsed by the fanciful ones done by the children.

The birds might select the craft made houses with wonderful ventilation, easy cleaning and appropriate sized holes for the type of bird desired. These would make wonderful homes.

The children built elegant, beautiful and sometimes zany designs across all age groups.

Lighthouses and country barns were among the elegant. These were definite homes for birds that love the sea or yearn for a country view.

There was a gorgeous house built with plywood and glue that formed a geodesic shape. It would make a wonderful house for a bird that always wanted to live on the moon.

There was a birdhouse that was the sure thing for a big fat robin. It looked like a giant apple with a worm for the post under the opening. It was definitely large enough for a really large family.

If you like to know what you can build with Legos, all you had to do was come to the show to see a multi-colored house built with these blocks.

The imagination took to its wings as child after child entered bird houses into the contest. No two houses were exactly alike. Actually no two houses were even barely alike, except for the idea that some bird might think them attractive.
The array of sizes, colors and shapes put us older folks to shame.

The adults did share in some of the interesting and fanciful designs.

Children and adults who enter this contest have an excellent opportunity to learn how to build a house in which a bird can safely raise its young with proper ventilation and drainage. The resulting house will also have a way of being cleaned between birds and a way to be hung or supported. This on top of designing a house that will inspire awe in people.

With a lot of luck the N&O will be sponsoring a show next spring and those who can only read about the good work can get a chance to see the next generation.

Many people visiting the show with their children took advantage of the show to get to see some of the spectacular delights of the arboretum. A few even packed lunches so they could sit on the grass and enjoy the flowering magnolia trees.

Max writes about greenways, rare diseases, timely topics, places to eat, travel and other issues of interest. Max encourages you to add your comments.

Link one is to the NC Bluebird Society which has much to share.

Link two is about JC Raulston Arboretum.

Link three is about the N&O birdhouse contest.