New Homes on Piermont Pier
Have you taken a stroll along Piermont Pier lately? If not, you’ve missed dozens of imaginative birdhouses that have sprung up, mounted on the gnarled weather-beaten trees that grow sporadically along the pier.
A few are tiny while others like the double decker house and a red, white and blue bird are ample enough for several bird families. My favorite is in the form of a camper. Materials vary; one made with what looks like Legos has a little lady waiting just inside the opening. There’s also cork, small twigs and branches, a carved-out log and a cigar box adapted for a front terrace. The most remarkable, mounted out toward the end of the pier, is a carved bearded face with the entrance into it by way of its open mouth.
The close to a mile long pier is a favorite spot for a group of fishing buddies who congregate several times a week year-round. Rumor has it that some of the houses are the work of one of the local fishermen referred to as Freddy Birdhouse.
While some of the imaginative birdhouses are more folk art than nesting spots, hopefully others provide a comfortable home for the wide assortment of birds that gather around the pier.
Photographs by Kathleen Sykes
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