I've tried a few tricks to attract birds into the little backyard garden we have at our home. I put up this bird nest on one of the trees but all that managed was just one inspection by an unimpressed squirrel.
I also put up this bird feeder to a neighboring tree but that went unused as well.
My next strategy had long-term focus. I planted a Muntingia tree, commonly called the Singapore Cherry in these parts. Although this is not an endemic species (and makes me feel guilty) it's a favorite of the sunbirds and the flowerpeckers that already visit us. The sapling has taken a liking to its home and is thriving. Yet I haven't been able to coax any of these birds to make this garden a permanent home.
A couple of weeks ago we had a surprise resident; this lone bat that has been regularly roosting on a branch of the gooseberry tree.
I'm not sure what species he is or why he seems to be alone (I always thought bats live only in colonies), but he's been coming back regularly. He had a difficult settling-in period because our gardener believes he will bring us bad luck and was bent on chasing him out. After explaining that the bat might be helping him by eating the bugs here he reluctantly dropped his animosity. Although he wasn't the kind of wings I was hoping to attract this guy has made the garden a little more interesting.
