For the Birds

by Chérie L. Turner

Anyone driving along Highway 395 through Topaz, California, in the past five or so years couldn't have missed the sign: Birdhouses for Sale. This is the home of Sonny Swaffar. Swaffar makes birdhouses of all sizes and shapes and displays them en masse in his front yard. For the adventurous birdhouse lover or curious passer-by who enjoys exploring rustic, handmade work, a stop at Swaffar's is time well spent. Those fortunate enough to catch Swaffar at home will enjoy his easy hospitality and the history and enthusiasm he shares.

Originally from Bakersfield, where he owned and operated Chevron stations, Swaffar relocated to Topaz about eight years ago with his wife; until her death in 2002, she was an artist and birdhousemaker herself. Swaffar has always enjoyed making things with his hands and about ten years ago began selling his birdhouses as well as benches, coffee tables, plant tables and more.

His reuse of old materials gives Swaffar's works their unique and rough character. "I use wood that's 100 years old or more," he says. Swaffar also incorporates found antique objects into his works: horseshoes, rusted tin cans, bones, old bottles, hinges. He collects these objects from places like an old dump in Smith Valley. Swaffar keeps track of which wood he uses for which birdhouses—whether it's culled from a miner's shack, circa 1869, or from a 19th century Jeffrey pine—and this history becomes part of the story behind each piece.

Swaffar particularly enjoys creating oversized birdhouses. He once erected a four-foot creation that had 15 different bird homes and weighed 120 pounds. Each of Swaffar's creations are unique, although on request he has recreated variations on some of his most popular designs, such as one that resembles an old saloon. All of his birdhouses are made to be used, outdoors, and they share a raw beauty that only seems to increase with weathering and age.

Swaffar estimates that his birdhouses reside in 37 states and 6 countries.

Sonny Swaffar and his birdhouses are one of those rare experiences found along the remote stretches of highway in the stillrural environments of our region. Encountering Swaffar reminds one that, instead of speeding by, it's often more rewarding to stop the car for a spell and discover the people along the way.