Even thought it’s still winter, there are signs that spring is coming!

Take a look in your yard or go for a walk in a park or along a greenway and you’re likely to see signs that birds are thinking about finding nesting sites and making babies. I’ve seen bluebirds in and out of the houses in my yard for a couple of weeks now.

So you might want to do a bit of spring cleaning on those houses right now. You don’t have to remove all the bird nests from a house. You can leave a layer or two. Make sure to remove any bird eggs that didn’t hatch and any birds that didn’t make it. Make any repairs to the house to make it inviting to prospective tenants.

Need new bird houses? Get them up now!

Do a bit of research to find out what diameter hole is needed for which species, as well as where to put the feeder on your property.

You’ll be glad you took the time to do this when you get to enjoy all the perks that go with it: watching the adults bring in nesting materials, observing the many trips that are made each day to feed those hungry baby birds, and, if you’re lucky, watching the babies fledge.

Good luck!