Friday, March 23, 2012

"Bottles", They're for the birds!

  Years ago, when my wife introduced me to one of my favorite vacation spots, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. I came across an interesting thing call a "bird bottle". Nestled under the eaves or beside a favorite entryway, these glazed clay creations have made happy homes for small birds since 1699. A distinctly Williamsburg accent,  bird bottles are reproduced from an original excavated from the yard of the James Geddy House. These unusual birdhouses were apparently quite popular in 18th-century Williamsburg. Fragments have been unearthed throughout the area, and a 1746 inventory and 1752 advertisement provide further evidence. Though it's tempting to attribute their use to an enthusiasm for bird watching, bird bottles served a more practical purpose: nesting birds made ideal insect control around homes, kitchens, and stables. 
  I just thought they were really neat and wanted to share them with you! Attracting birds to your garden is a great way to help control insects without chemicals. Especially with then "House Wrens and Finches"  that these little bottles attracted! These are a few pictures of a couple of mine!
 







  

  As you can tell the birds love them, so order you a couple and get a little history hanging in your garden. I know we love them and they make a great conversation piece as well when you have people over! We have four bottles and I want more! If you would like to see them, I am gonna post a link yo my wife's blog. She posted an article with pictures of some more of our garden! "Maple Cottage Stitcher" more of our garden!

This post is linked with:
Funky Junk Interiors, join the party
Tuesdays Tweets 


Psalm 104:17 "Where the birds make their nests; The stork has her home in the fir trees."

53 comments:

  1. Love it! My youngest daughter, who lives in New York, visited Colonial Williamsburg and purchased a bird bottle for me as a gift! Birds have made nests in it a couple of times, but never stayed to raise a family. I think it is too close to the front door, so this year I am going to hang it on the fence in the Spring Garden ~ when it stops raining, freezing, snowing here! :~D

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  2. such a clever idea! thanks for linking up

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  3. What a great, informative post. Thanks, Clint!
    Hope you all have a blessed weekend!

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  4. Those are very intersting! I seen some birds yesterday going in and out of the cracked playhouse door of my kids. They were building a nest in there! We shut the door so they wouldn't lay their eggs in there. Today I seen them trying their best to figure out how to get back in there! Right now the birds are very active in looking for a good place to nest. They are even checking out my front porch. We had to put cardboard in the corners to keep them out. We let one bird keep her nest there because she built it so fast and already had eggs in it but we'll never do that again! lol

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  5. Interesting little history lesson. I may just have to get one or two.

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  6. What a great idea!!! We have lots of colorful birds in our area, and pesky bugs etc...so it's a win-win!!! Greetings from the ocean shores of CAlifornia, Heather :)

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  7. I have never heard of bird bottles - and I am intrigued!!! They are so cool!!

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  8. Well aren't those just the cutest bird houses ever and I love the history! Thanks for sharing! :)

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  9. I have never ever seen anything like that! That is just awesome! What a great idea!

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  10. I've never heard of a bird bottle. Like everyone else, I think they're the greatest thing since sliced bread! I'm surprised none of the area potters don't know about these. What a great item it would be to sell.

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  11. Hi Therer
    Lovley idea :)
    and do not miss.,..
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    last week 110 Lovley Blogs..
    It is FUN:)
    WELCOME
    Håkan ( The Roseman)

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    1. Hello there! thanks for stopping in. I will hop over there!

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  12. I have my grandparents' bird bottle, and I did a post about it a while back, if you want to take a look: http://learningtable.blogspot.com/2011/05/bird-and-bottle.html
    Our bottle is already seeing some action this year--a couple has been checking it out this week.

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    1. Ours are being built in as we speak as well. Some may have eggs! I will go take a look!

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  13. Great and beautiful idea.

    Regards and best wishes

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  14. These photos bring back happy memories of a trip to Williamsburg with a friend. She died the end of January and I ran across photos she had of our trip there. A wonderful place full of practical ideas like these bottleneck bird houses. We actually looked at them while there.

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    1. I am so sorry to hear of your loss! But great memories are great to have. Thank you for sharing!

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  15. I've never heard of the bird bottle. They are so cute. Love the idea.

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  16. These are terrific. Would love to see some of the originals.

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    1. Three of the pics are mine, they hang on the house and buildings! The one hanging on the green building I believe is on a Williamsburg house. They do have some of the originals pieced together in one of the museums at Colonial Williamsburg. You would have a hoot there with your camera!

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  17. oh how neat, i've never seen these before...colonial williamsburg is one of my favorite places on earth!

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  18. I love this, Clint. I saw a garden shed online some time ago made from reclaimed wood and green and clear glass bottles. Some of the bottles were turned with the openings on the outside so birds could get in them and from inside the shed you could see the bird's nest and the activity. Wish I had bookmarked it, cuz I'd love to for you to see it. So cool. (Thanks for visiting my devotional blog and leaving the comment. Made me smile to see it.) God bless you and your family.

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  19. love this idea - my kids would ADORE these!

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  20. These are awesome...I think I 've seen them before. I would love to have one, we get alots of little birds in our yard!

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  21. Clint, I love this post. I love those bird houses and Colonial Williamsburg. Thank you for sharing this. Wow, your wife has a blog great I am going there now!
    Dolly

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  22. I've seen these in catalogs and have always admired them.

    Thank you for sharing at Your Sunday Best, Clint. :)

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  23. Thank you Clint for sharing this little historical tidbit and your modern use of it. I hope to get out and see Colonial Williamsburg sometime. These bird bottles are adorable, functional and inviting to little birdy insect eating helpers. It's a win, win.

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  24. What lovely items, never heard of bird bottles before. I'm not sure clay would be the best material for our winters as it would probably crack. Thanks for stopping by my blog this morning.

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  25. Nice idea. They also make a good place for a winter roost. I gave my parents one several years ago and when we were there over Christmas there were a dozen or so house sparrows hiding out in it keeping warm.

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  26. I have been to Colonial Williamsbug many years ago. I probably seen those bottles and didn't pay any attention. That is such a great idea.

    Now I am going to go to your wifes blog and check it out.

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  27. Well how neat! I've never seen these before. Have to check it out.

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  28. I LOVE this idea! I've never heard of these, but what a clever and beautiful addition to a home/garden.

    I love attracting birds to our front yard. Thanks!

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  29. I love birdhouses, and this is a great idea. Now, if I could just figure out how to keep wasps from building their nests in the birdhouses I have! They always seem to beat the birds to the house!

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    1. If the birds want to build in them they will get them out!

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  30. I should have bought one when we lived close to Williamsburg and had my chance. Love your pictures of them!

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    1. You can still order them off line! Nice you stopped by!

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  31. I lived in Raleigh, NC for a while and visited Williamsburg several times. I haven't been in a long time, think it's time for a return. Love the bird bottle!

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    1. Hello Betty!My mother and aunt live in Winston-Salem and my sister lives in Highpoint! And yes you do need to good back and visit!

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  32. Very cool! I don't think I ever paid attention to this and I was just in Williamsburg and I love the gardens there my favorite spots! Thanks for sharing Clint :)

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    1. We love Williamsburg very much! Thank you for stopping in!

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  33. What a great idea! They look very pretty.

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  34. I was in Williamsburg last November. One of my clients is the Williamsburg Pottery. I support their accounting system. Thanks for stopping by my blog. Glad to find you. I'll follow your adventures from now on.

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    1. Thank you for stopping in! We love the Pottery Factory, we go there every time we go shopping there! We go often to Williamsburg! Thanks for stopping in and following!

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  35. Hi Clint, I thought this might be what you were talking about and I love it! I must get one....love birds...thank you so much for sharing with us over at Hibiscus House.
    Dolly

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