hand painted nesting aid - blue tits

All the birds are already there and it comes to a showdown in the front garden! The little birds are finding less and less to eat and their nesting opportunities are becoming rarer and rarer. Wall crevices, roof trusses and old trees are rare and predators like magpies, cats and crows outnumber them. Nature conservation organisations make no secret of the dwindling numbers and it is time to reach under the wings of the little peepers!

This birdhouse was designed for the little birds in the garden and lovingly handcrafted. It is a cute painted unique piece and a tribute to the little songbirds and the work they do. They tirelessly catch unwelcome insects and keep the mild summer evenings we love so much free of mosquitoes. As garden ceramics, the little bird house blends beautifully into the picture.

Every step in the production process, including the filigree drawing with colour bodies and engobes, is handwork and requires not only a steady hand but also an alert eye and patience.

The small nesting box is hand-turned on the potter's wheel and has some special features to make it as easy as possible for the future tenants and to persuade them to stay.

For this purpose:
- A canopy was added to protect against the rain
- A hole as small as possible was made to avoid "foreign use".
- A hole was punched out at the front for sticks as an approach aid.
- A small hole has been punched on the right and left side for fastening to a tree.
- The roof is removable to allow cleaning in autumn.
- A very small hole has been punched at the bottom to allow any water that may have run into it to drain off.

To blend in as well as possible in the garden, the nesting bulb was hand-painted with two blue tits. The words "for rent" and "no cats allowed" were also added. We could not conclusively clarify whether all cats know English, but the results speak for themselves! Finally, the nesting aid was covered with a high-gloss glaze on the outside.

The dimensions are approximately 12 x 10 cm. The bulb itself has a diameter of about 9 cm. The entrance hole is about 3 cm. This makes it well-suited for tail, blue and fir tits. The relatively small hole prevents the nest from being "rented out" to starlings, for example.

The small nesting aid is not completely watertight and must be brought in when it freezes. At this time, however, field mice and shrews are also happy to have a safe hiding place and would consider temporary outside use.