Garden Bird Feeders

Archive for July, 2009

My older sister and brother-in-law came for a visit one week-end. She came to find me with the news that there was a goose that had been injured and had crawled under their car when they parked.

My family knows me and animals. If anybody could do anything for it, it would be me. So I go out and lay down on my side and gently as possible, extricate said goose out from under their car where it was seeking shade.

He’s a big one- all white with a hump on his yellow beak and pretty blue eyes. I took him in the back yard and put him under a shade tree. Then, since he’s visibly panting, I brought some nice cool water. He knew what that was and plunged his entire head and neck in to drink, lifting his nose skyward again and again.

I had never met the acquaintance of a goose before and wasn’t sure what to do next other than just offer peace and quiet. So we gave him that.

He had been shot and the bullet had gone clean through. They shot him under one wing, it went through the cavity without hitting any vital organs and out the other shoulder opposite. Maggots had formed in both wounds. I called a vet and she said they were good to clean the wound, that they were eating the rotten part, but I could pour some peroxide in the wound to kill them.

My younger sister had dubbed Sir Goose with the name Gibson. He didn’t like me pouring that in there because it made them squirm and itch. He at least got them dug out and the flesh started healing.

Over the first few days I brought him clover and chicken food with his water. He wasn’t interested in anything. Merely wanted to be left alone to die. He managed to drag himself to a large clump of lillies to hide. Good thing I wasn’t working that spring because he needed round the clock care.

Everytime he would hide, I would get him and put him in the middle of a clover patch with his water. He would look at me like he was thinking “why can’t you leave me alone!”

Then he would tear off the clover heads with ANGER and I guess he finally got the taste of one and started eating.

He seemed to be doing an excellent job of skooting himself around the yard and I started wondering how I could help him walk again. I knew he was probably sore and he was top heavy. He needed a sling of some sort so I could get above and walk him. I didn’t have a sling, but made one from two towels. I ran one through his legs from one shoulder to the opposite leg and crisscrossed the other. Then I pulled him up. And walked him

Bird feeding is one of the most rewarding hobbies a person can indulge in. Not only are the various species kind to the eye, but you play a role in their survival. Young and old alike can participate in some way to bird feeding and watching.

The first thing a prospective bird watcher needs to do is to purchase (or borrow from the library) a field guide to bird identification. The second is to find a book on habitat and feeding habits.

When one considers the word safety in regard to bird feeding it is in connection with both animal and human health. Various birds need differing foods and shelters in order to survive. You the birder need to make sure your equipment is in tip top order and you are out of the elements when bird watching.

Feeders need to be placed where the birds have easy access. Few people realize that while feeding their winged friends they are setting them up to be meals themselves. It is a fine rope we walk between making the feeder predator proof from the ground and predator proof from the air. While keeping squirrels away you could very well be making a hawk salad bar. Winged predators can and will feed on the very birds you are trying to help. I have come to the conclusion that feeding a few peanuts to the squirrels is infinitely better than feeding a goldfinch to a hawk.

Make sure your feeders and houses are where you can keep an eye on them. Secondary, make sure you can reach them easily without falling or becoming injured yourself. A feeder placed in front of a window can become a nightmare when your two year old crashes through the window after the ‘pretty bird.’ Keep the feeders at ground level, second story windows are a disaster waiting to happen with children also. Make sure watering devices are not deep enough for a child to drown in, or stable enough that young hands cannot pull it over on top of them.

Many birds commit unintentional suicide on windows. Place a small reflector of some type on the windows near feeders and bird houses so they will not fly into them. A second saftey issue is when you have a territorial bird wanting to fight the intruder (reflection) in the window. Hanging tin pie plates to dangle in the wind, or placing a statue of an owl or snake in the window sill will do the trick in most instances.

In the case of hummingbirds, the males can become very agressive and keep others from dining at the feeder. It is best to have more than one feeder a good distance apart so he cannot guard them both. Keeping flowers that attract birds along with trees and wood cover add to your property’s appeal.

Please do not throw rice at weddings, birds eat the rice and it causes their stomachs to explode. Another thought is do not release balloons into the air, the birds become entangled in the strings. The last thought is please do no throw out trash that can damage habitat or become and entrapment for your feathered friend.

No matter what your gardening zone, there are some things that all gardeners must do to put their gardens to bed for the winter.

Taking the time to put your garden to bed for the winter will protect the perennials you leave in the ground and allow them to rest before they emerge the following spring.

Any tropical plants that are normally kept indoors over the winter should be brought inside as soon as the night time temperatures get into the mid 40′s or low 50′s. Most tropical plants and flowers aren’t used to very cold night time temperatures. Other houseplants that were brought out for some summer sun and air should also be brought inside.

Empty your pots of any plants that won’t survive the winter. Throw soil into the compost heap. Brush the pots out and wash them. If there’s any concern about the spread of disease, wash the pots with hot bleach water. Tools should be cleaned before putting them away, too.

Take down summer bird feeders, and put bird baths away. Wash feeders thoroughly and sterilize if necessary. Sugar water can ferment and mold. Bird baths should be washed and disinfected as a safety precaution. Bring winter bird feeders out. Suet feeders are very useful for the winter. Turn outside water faucets off so that the pipes don’t freeze. Remove any hoses from the faucets and put them away in storage.

Many perennial flower heads will have seeds if the heads weren’t deadheaded. Harvest the seeds so that you can plant them indoors ahead of spring planting. Then you’ll be able to plant the seedlings in the ground after the danger of frost has elapsed.

One of the best things you can do for your perennial beds, no matter where you live is cover the plants with a layer of mulch. You can use rotted leaves, compost, mushroom mulch, grass clippings, manure or any other type of mulch. As long as the mulch will break down and add nutrients to the soil, it will be beneficial in every way.

For people who grow cannas, if you live in a zone for which they are hardy, you will not need to dig them up, however, it will be important to cut down the stems – especially after they show the signs of frost damage, to just about six inches above the ground. Then cover the ground around them with a layer of mulch. If you live in a zone for which cannas are not hardy, it will be necessary to dig them up prior to the first frost. Wash the rhizomes thoroughly and allow them to dry before you put them away to rest in a cool and dark place.

For wildflowers, many will go dormant immediately after the first freeze. It isn’t necessary to cut away the dead stems or foliage. That can wait until spring. Cover the beds with a layer of mulch. For herbs, cut down the remainder of the live leaves and stems and take those indoors to dry. Make sure to cover the beds with mulch. For herbs like lavender that get woody stems, leave them as is over the winter. Just before the plants wake up in the spring, you’ll be able to cut the dead stems down then. Mulch spring bulbs that were planted in fall.

City Garden True stories about urban gardening

Nestled in the heart of the Art Deco District on South Beach, amid the fabulous hotels and glamorous nightclubs, is an urban green space in the form of a botanical garden. As a volunteer, I have spent many Saturday mornings huddled down in the plant beds pulling weeds, clearing and planting.

My favorite place to work in this garden is the Japanese Garden, with its traditional water features and neatly organized ferns, bamboos and lotus flowers. Water trickles down along a stone fountain at one corner of the garden, babbles under a little wooden bridge and then collects in a pool at the other corner. Migrating birds stop here on their journey south to take a dip and to rest in the shade of the bamboo; at one time there were several goldfish in the pond, but over time the birds carried away the fish now just a few evasive frogs call this place home.

One morning in particular stays with me, with the sun just rising and a cool dewy mist still hanging in the sweet morning air. Weeds abound in this garden, and there is always clearing to be done as the different species of plants mix and mingle here with total disregard to the principles of the garden wherein they lie. My task this day was to clear out the weeds along the pond’s edge and I sat quietly at my work for the entire morning. Moving along the rocky edge of the pool, I noticed a delicate lotus erect in the water but still sleeping in its bud, not ready to show her deep purple petals to the world. As I crept along the pond’s edge pulling out the unwanted bits of weed and clover, I checked on my sleeping friend.

A few minutes passed quietly, with birds chirping and water whispering and the sun rose higher in the sky. The lovely sleeping flower began to stir, almost unnoticeably; the bud had begun to open slightly, so that there was now a lovely crown of petals just at the top of the flower, her long elegant stem plunging into the still water below. I continued to work while my lady prepared herself for the day.

My neck stiffened a bit from working over the low grass and so I stretched my head up toward the crystal blue sky above me. Then, my eyes came to rest on the lovely lady in the pool again and now her head had tilted my way as if to reveal to me the deep blush of purple organza gown wrapped in her green robe. I lowered my eyes to allow her time to finish preparing herself.

Throughout that clear, cool morning I was privileged to witness the progress of this lotus as it awakened from slumber and gently opened to the day. By noontime, both of us had completed a full morning’s work and were fully content with our efforts; I had left her pond’s edge free of weeds and she had rewarded and inspired me. I bid my friend goodbye and made my way home to wash the morning’s work from my hands.

Perhaps you should leave the wounded bird alone, if it IS wounded. A wounded bird in nature will heal itself, will die, or will be eaten. This is the natural progression of any wounded creature. One of the dangers of “helping” a wounded bird is that it may be diseased (think bird flu). Another is that in your attempt to capture the bird and in your attempt at first aid, you may be injuring the bird further. If you insist on rescuing the bird, follow some common-sense precautions.

If the bird seriously resists your attempt to capture and help it, let it go. You are more likely to do serious injury to the bird if it is strongly resisting you and trying to get away. If you are fortunate enough to have a box of some kind, a shoe box or larger, try to put it in that. If you must hold it, make sure your hands are around its wings so it can’t flap them.

The first thing to do is take the bird to an animal and bird rescue organization if one exists in your area. Find out about such a place before you go looking for injured birds or other animals. Assessing damage can be tricky. If there is obvious bleeding or an obvious broken wing, you can try to stop the bleeding. Trying to set a broken wing may cause more damage. Give the bird some water and figure out what it eats naturally. There is nothing like feeding an animal that sends the message that you mean no harm. Speak soothingly to the bird as you try to minister to it. Soothing words translate into all languages.

Helping a wounded bird is a crap shoot if you don’t know what you’re doing. If you have a friend who knows about birds, put in an emergency call. The other place to go if you don’t have an animal rescue center is a pet shop. Seek out expert advice there. If you’re on your own, do your best to keep the bird safe and protected. Give it food and water and let nature do her healing. If you are successful, you may be able to release the bird to the wild within a week or more. If the bird is seriously ill, it will die before too long.

Pray for your bird and talk to your bird. Send it love and healing energy. If the bird has a broken wing and will never be able to fly again, you may end up with a new pet. Enjoy it.

Grand Illusions is the place to go for people fed up of boring, assembly line products, who want something unique to add to their home or garden. GrandIllusions.co.uk offers a wide range of affordable yet distinctive products for the home, including candles, candle holders, decorative baskets and storage, and garden dcor including lanterns, hanging baskets, planters, ornamental watering cans, bird feeders, storage and more, all oozing rustic charm.

Product styles include those skilfully aged to look like architectural antiques; made with the archetypal country cottage in mind; or with borrowed design elements from the shakers and the brocantes of France and Holland to suit all tastes of home and garden dcor.

With items made from wicker, cast iron, glass, zinc, wire and wood and either simple yet beautiful or bejewelled and elegant, all are sure to find something practical yet decorative to complement the home or garden, or to give as a gift, whether its a candle holder or a cake stand, bird feeder or decorative basket.

Approaching their 20 year anniversary, Grand Illusions has gone from strength to strength with television appearances and even books on home and garden dcor and design. Their products are available across the UK, and in Japan, the USA and Germany.

Are you looking for a way to really complete the look of your backyard garden? Like, you have beautiful flowers in place, even a winding path, yet it still seems to be missing something? If that is the case, a great way to cap off its appearance is with garden finials. These fixtures have a fabulous appearance and would actually be a great addition to any outdoor area in need of an extra special decorative touch.

What makes garden finials so appealing to the eye is their fantastic design that will generally feature a long spear like shape with comes to a sleek, pointed tip. There are also many variations made on this simple design though, giving your different options for finding just the right one for your space. Like, you can get one that has a spear shape sitting atop a wide sphere, others that have a Fleur Di Lis type shape, and some that even feature inter looping scrollwork. So, don’t feel like you don’t have a lot of choices, because you do.

One thing that even makes garden finials even more pleasing to the eye is the fabulous looking copper material they can be crafted from. Copper is very vibrant and shiny and create ones that simply glimmer with beauty. The copper material options can also be paired up with other materials as well, producing ones that have a very unique appearance. Like, the copper can be paired up with stained glass with the sphere of the finial being made from copper while its point is made out of the stained glass. Just imagine how beautiful that would look sitting in your garden. You could even put one on top of your roof if you like on its points to give your home a very attractive, finished appearance.

Not quite feeling garden finials, but still want a way to add a decorative touch to your garden or outdoor space. Well, you are in luck because there are many other fantastic outdoor accessories to choose from that are ideal for doing just that.

Like you could get a weathervane to put atop your roof or garden shed, garden stakes that come in all sorts of themed shapes from fairies to flowers, and you can even get rain cups to use in place of your rain gutters. And, the outdoor accessory options don’t stop there and some others include wind chimes, country bells, bird baths, outdoor clocks, sundials, outdoor wall art, and thermometers.

To easily check out all the different outdoor accessories, including garden finials, that you could purchase for your space, simply go online and do some shopping. Browsing the different products and comparing prices is a breeze, plus, when you do purchase something that you like, it will be shipped right to your door. Nothing has ever been so convenient.

In the end, if you want to nicely finish off the look of that garden of yours, or just add a decorative touch to your outdoor space, turn to garden finials to get the job done. They have a beautiful appearance that is sure to please.

Bird feeders can attract all types of birds, but what happens when they begin to attract bigger birds that eat all the food and leave the little ones with nothing? You have two choices. You can enjoy these bigger birds and continue whatever you’re doing to attract them OR you can take some steps to keep them from coming back.

If you decide that you’d prefer the smaller, songbird variety to the bigger birds, you can first take a look at the type of food you’re providing. Be sure to choose foods that appeal to smaller versus larger birds. If you don’t know what these foods are, there are many great websites for bird watchers that can help you out. Do a search for “bird food and types of birds attracted” or something similar and you’ll be sure to find a number of sites that go into great detail on the subject. Wild-bird-watching.com worked for me.

While the right food can make a big difference, there may still be some crossover of large and small birds at your feeder, especially if you choose mixed food of some sort. The next, and probably more successful, approach is to take a look at the bird feeder itself.

If you can, consider having at least two feeders in your yard or on your house. A platform feeder will appeal to larger birds, especially if you provide food that is better suited for them. This way larger birds are less likely to bother with the feeders for smaller birds.

When looking at feeders for small birds, look for those that limit access. If larger birds can’t perch or land on them easily, they will probably keep moving. These feeders tend to be the cylindrical tube type but can come in other forms. Tube feeders can also be found with smaller food openings that make it more difficult for larger birds to get at the food.

However, if you are in the market for a new feeder, and are willing to pay a bit more, try a fancy feeder that blocks the food when a set weight limit is exceeded. Not only will this keep larger birds from raiding your feeder, but it will keep pesky squirrels away too.

Don’t despair though; if you already have other types of feeders, there are some measures you can take to modify them. A few simple steps and they can become small-bird-only buffets. First, try trimming the landing area. Make landing hard for any birds but the small guys.

If that doesn’t work, you can step things up a bit. Make a cage for your bird feeder. This may sound difficult and strange but it’s really not. Find some mesh with holes just large enough for your small bird friends to fit through. Fashion it into a cage that will leave plenty of room for your feeder to hang inside and then hang them both together. Not handy or crafty? Never fear – they sell these types of cages in stores too.

I hope your efforts are successful and your small birds get to keep more food for themselves. But remember – all birds can be a joy to watch. If you can, give larger birds a place to chow down across the yard or on the other side of the house from your small bird feeder. You’ll be sure to have all sorts of feathered friends!

Constructing a butterfly garden in your own yard can be as easy or as complicated as you like. It can consist of a couple of pots of plants, a hanging basket, a dish garden, a corner of your yard or the entire yard.

In a nutshell, you need two types of plants: nectar plants for the butterflies to feed on and host/food plants for the caterpillars.

Monarch caterpillars, for instance, feed on milkweed plants. They will never feed on grass or another plant; they eat only milkweeds. Likewise, Gulf Fritillary caterpillars feed only on passionflower vines.

Choose a sunny location for your garden. Plant flowers that have bright colors, mainly orange, red, yellow and purple. Milkweeds, lantana, zinnias, purple coneflower and cosmos are good for a start. Cosmos (drought tolerant) are great because they will reseed themselves. Ditto milkweeds, which serve as both nectar and host plants.

Good larva plants are fennel (for Swallowtails), passionflower vines (for Gulf Fritillaries and Zebra Longwings) and Dutchman’s pipe (for Pipevine Swallowtails).

If you like to feed the birds, it makes sense to put the bird feeder elsewhere-the front yard if the butterfly garden is in the back yard or else give it to a neighbor.

Not only will you need plants for the butterflies and caterpillars, but a couple of other things to complete your garden. A small pile of brush provides shelter and protection for both creatures. It also gives the pupating caterpillar a safe place to form into a chrysalis. Some butterflies like to feed off of fresh and not-so-fresh fruit, and even red Gatorade. A shallow dish with rocks and water gives them a sunny place to perch and be warm (butterflies are cold blooded).

For reference, find a book that caters to your area; use native plants wherever possible and available. I live in Florida and have gotten a lot of useful information from the book Florida’s Fabulous Butterflies by Thomas Emmel and Brian Kenney.

This is a great learning tool/science project for the kids-definitely a hands-on family project. You will learn so much just by observing all the stages of the butterfly (egg, larva, pupa and adult). Watch a female Monarch as she carefully lays her eggs on the underside of a milkweed leaf. When the eggs hatch, you’ll be able to observe the tiniest black-and-yellow caterpillars which will double in size just about every day.

Caterpillars have a hard outer shell called an exoskeleton.

Ah, summer! Next to Christmas, summer is everybody’s favorite time of the year. Backyard barbecues, fruit shakes, pitching somebody’s little tent in the lawn, your kids trying to cool off in their inflatable swimming pool. Best of all, you get to spend days and days with your loved ones as you watch the various types of birds flocking in your bird feeder station.

If before, bird feeders are normally used by hobbyists, they are now the favorite subject of every nature lover. Hence, most of them would like to set up their very own bird feeder station in their respective homes.

With that in mind, bird watching has been a favorite past time of people from all ages.

Bird feeder craze is not mainly focused on the typical production of such devices but more on the availability of various options on styles, functions, and serviceability. Hence, today’s kinds are all-embracing and extensive, rendering and presenting many choices.

Technical structures of bird feeders are so important to consider because these things will determine the quality and the kind of seeds needed to supply the birds’ daily meal.

Much has been printed about the different bird feeding. Frankly, there are still many information gaps. What they do not know is that the entire success of bird feeding greatly depends on the type and style of bird feeder used and the kinds of feeds.

Using decorative and creative bird feeders do not just create an attractive and appealing garden or backyard. You can also lure different kinds of birds, which can extensively boost your gratification of your environment at home.

For people who are fascinated with bird watching, the utilization of an attractive bird feeder is not just an added attraction but also increases the bustle in your yard. With the accommodating feature of gazebo bird feeders, the amount of birds flocking in your bird feeding station is increased.

Bird feeders are available in various flairs and sorts. One of the most attractive bird feeder available in the market to day is the gazebo bird feeder.

Like real gazebos, the gazebo bird feeder is specially created to accommodate different types of seeds or other types of bird feeds. With its pavilion makeup, gazebo bird feeders provide spacious and attractive shelter and food supplier for most kinds of birds. They can also provide remarkable venues for resting. And because they are specially patterned next to the real gazebo, this particular type of bird feeder is considered as a good example of a decorative mark in a given setting.

To know more about gazebo bird feeders, here is a list of some of its advantages:

1. Spacious

Gazebo bird feeders are spacious. This particular type of bird feeder can accommodate more than 2 pounds of any seed mixture.

Hence, you do not have to check on it every now and then just to ensure availability of seeds all day long. With gazebo bird feeders, your little flying friends will definitely love to stay and devour on their favorite meal without having to run out of seeds.

2. Durable

Since gazebo bird feeders can hold much weight, you can be sure that the accompanying support is enough to hold the load. Most gazebo bird feeders have steel hanging cable fastened to the bottom of the bird feeder for additional support. Hence, you can be sure that gazebo bird feeders are durable and safe to use.

3. Safe

Gazebo bird feeders have remarkable lock design. It features a twist-lock facet that locks up firmly to a specific seed feeding container with a well emptied dish.

4. Chic

Aside from the fact that the gazebo design creates an added attraction to one’s landscape or backyard, the different designs of gazebo bird feeders are also fascinating.

Gazebo bird feeders are available in wood and stained glass design. With that in mind, fashion is the definitely the next best thing to a typical backyard attraction.

5. Mess-free and spill-proof

Because of its spacious design, gazebo bird feeders are definitely spill-proof and mess-free. Hence, you do not have to worry on unnecessary growth of flowers in your garden, mostly within the area where your bird feeder is situated.

Since most bird feeders accommodate bird seeds, some consumers are not happy with the way unwanted flowers grow in their yard. With gazebo bird seeds, you do not have to worry at all. With its spacious trays and roomy areas for bird seeds, you can definitely feed your birds without the mess.

So if you want a well-organized bird feeding, it is best that you shop for durable items such as gazebo bird feeders.