Garden Bird Feeders

Archive for August, 2009

I’ve recently moved to a new home that is more in the ‘country’ than anything I’ve ever lived in before. In my old house, I would see cardinals, robins, crows and a few other birds, but that was about it. My new home has trees! My new home is close to a river that is well forested. My back wall on my family room is glass. So, for the first time, I can bird-watch! I have had so much fun getting to know the little critters, figuring out what kind of bird they are, learning their calls and habits, and just watching them live their life. How could I not become a bird-watcher?

To get started, we hung a squirrel-proof feeder and a ‘finch sock’. Fill them up and the birds will come. Next, you need a field guide. There are several good one’s out there, including the Audobon’s guide and Peterson’s guide. My most recent acquisition is a book by Stan Tekiela called “Birds of Ohio”. This book not only gives pictures and details of birds specific to where I live, it also comes with two CDs that have a little blurb about what calls the specific bird has and a recorded example. I can finally start putting music to birds! (pun not intended)

Next, you need a pair of binoculars. They don’t have to be expensive ones depending on how far you need them to look. Binoculars are a must for picking up details that help you identify a bird.

You may also want to put in a bird bath (next to some kind of cover in case they need to escape predators) or a fountain. Bathing birds are hilarious, and fun to watch. If you want to keep it going in the winter, buy a heater for it or get a heated birdbath.

After you have all that in place, sit back and watch. If you set a chair outside a little bit away from the feeder, they will get used to you being there, and you may even get them to feed out of your hand.

Once you’re familiar with the birds in your own backyard, take your books and binoculars and go for a walk. If you have woods near you or lakes, you will have plenty of different kinds of birds to watch. Once I had my ‘equipment’ in place, I even started having two Mallards come to call twice a day. I’ve named them Lucy and Desi, and enjoy their antics, as well as those of the inevitable squirrels and chipmunks.

My mother always loved her yard and flowers and trees. How it all went terribly wrong, was my deciding to buy her a small tree, a small blooming tree, for every Mother’s Day, for every birthday, for 20 years.

It is a one level, very contemporary house, in a quiet neighborhood. Mom has lived here for fifty years, and this year, I, as the single daughter, moved in, so she could stay. Last winter, I began to go outside, after my morning cup of coffee. I’d break the ice in the bird bath, so they’d have water and sprinkle seeds, so they’d have food. I’d sit on the patio, on the outdoor furniture and dream about how beautiful the spring would be.

March and April were early green, and the lawn man began coming and I started noticing all the trees in the back yard. There are five or six crepe myrtles, three dog wood trees, three red bud trees, and a pear tree and a huge gum tree (it came with the house). There is also a perfect Japanese maple.

It’s overwhelming. One dogwood tree is leaning on the new neighbor’s fence and I have it trimmed and shaped. I can’t even name the trees that are along her back fence, that I didn’t notice until May. They are tall and wild looking and this back yard has no possible scheme of landscape. It looks like a small overgrown forest, and since I’ve been feeding the birds, squirrels come running through the trees, like small furry Tarzans, three times a day, to see if there is food for them.

A tree, in the center, is definitely dead. I have it cut almost to the ground. It is going to be a table. I have a gorgeous Kansas rock that I put on the smooth round wood. With the patio tropicals coming out of the house and garage by the end of May, It looks pretty good. Of course, there is no grass, only trees and shade.

It rains daily. I feed the birds and clean the bird bath and think about building an ark. A raccoon begins eating with the birds and the bunnies and the squirrels and me. For of course, you remember, this is my hang out. I’m in my own personal forest, now joined by the interrupted flight birds.

I believe, at that moment, I looked around me and noticed all I had done, for my mother, was create a back yard disaster. Every time, I gave her a little tree, I sent a man to plant it, and thought I was doing something wonderful that she would enjoy for a long time.

She came out the door, as I survey the landscape, or lack. I help her to a padded chair and she says, “Doesn’t it look pretty and so green and shaped up?” I haven’t told you, she has macular degeneration and doesn’t see well. “Honey,” she gets my attention, “What is that coming out of the fresh tree stump?”

I can’t believe it! The tree I cut down, the one I made into a table, it has become a focal point. A striking red northern cardinal just landed on the white rock, and then flew to this new three foot tall growth, rising out of the side of the stump. It has certainly all gone terribly wrong, and now, we have another tree.

Songbirds will flock to your backyard if you plant a varied buffet of the shrubs and flowers they need.

Birds feast on seeds and berries all year long. But they also need a safe place to hide from predators, and to build their nests. Migrating birds like the Eastern Bluebird are struggling to survive. By planting carefully, you give them sanctuary near your home, and raise their odds of survival. Even common Oak and Maple trees will provide a great escape, way above ground, far from feral cats and other threats.

Hummingbirds are found in every state, but only the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird is found in the East. These thimble-sized birds seek out trumpet-shaped flowers, especially ones in bright red. That includes red Morning Glory, Snapdragons, Salvia, Trumpet Honeysuckle and pots of Lantana. Sap from certain trees, including the SWEETGUM, is a welcome source of nectar.

Goldfinches use the down from blooming Thistle to build their nests, although they will substitute Milkweed if needed. In Winter, they hunt for Thistle seeds, still dangling from the stalk in the snow. Goldenrod, Asters, and Dandelions make up the rest of the menu. Sweet Gum, Sumac, and Magnolias are favorite foods of many Finch species.

Bluebirds, Cardinals, Mockingbirds, Robins, and Tanagers dine on beetles and caterpillars for protein during warmer months. But in cold weather, when insects are scarce, they need Winterberries. Blackberries, and the high-fat fruit of the Dogwood tree. Pyracantha and Viburnum produce berries in Autumn and Winter. Their a growth habits also offer safe garden haven when needed.

Chickadees and Finches flock to fetch seeds from Sunflowers, Zinnias, Marigolds and Coneflowers.

Dense thickets provide cover for Cardinals, Indigo Buntings and Warblers, which often build at ground level. Experts recommend you plant at least one quarter of your yard with evergreens for Winter protection. Holly, Pine and Japanese Yew are favorites of non-migrating birds. They also produce delectible fruits at varying times of year. Deciduous Hawthorn and Mayhaws yield berries in Spring and draw numerous bird species in search of a healthy meal.

Their chirping is a sign they are eating weed seeds and insects that may be attacking plants in your yard. Experts say natural food sources are far more critical for avian health than a well stocked birdfeeder and birdbath. Food sources should always be supplied by local trees and shrubs. Some birds are pickier than others.

No silent Spring in your garden. Simply planting the right habitat virtually guarantees there you will hear birds every morning, all year round.

You can find more details at: The Hummingbird Website hummingbirdworld.com/h/index. html); “Feeding Birds in your Back Yard” by the Pennsylvania Game Commission www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/v iew.asp?a=513&q=167674); and “Attracting Songbirds” by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension www.ncsu.edu/goingnative/howt o/design/wildneed/songbird.htm l).

Want to attract fairies to your garden? Fairies are naturally drawn to gardens, but specific things can be done to attract them to yours. From planting flowers to inviting animals such as squirrels, all these things can help build a garden that creates a fairy energy realm for those that visit.

Flowers to Start

Fairies are attracted to flowers. Planting a large variety seems to create a fairy vibration among the garden. A general cheerfulness stays around the blossoms. Other patterns that can be built in the garden are fairy circles and paths. Using stones and flowers to create a circle, seems to help attract fairies to dance among the flowers. Statuettes of fairy folk, such as gnomes, elves, fairies, and other creatures create an attractive, friendly atmosphere for the fairies and those that visit your garden.

Animal Visitors Attract Fairies

Fairies are the angels of nature. So inviting nature into your garden brings the fairies. Putting out nuts for squirrels, bird feeders, and other invitations to draw animals into your garden will invite the fairies. As the creatures of nature scurry into your garden, fairies will be excited to visit and stay among their animal friends.

Crystals and Music

Playing music in your garden gives your fairies the energy to dance within your garden. You can play recorded music of your choice, or they also appreciate live music that you can play. Harp music, guitar, penny whistle, or any instrument invites the fairies to dance within your garden. If you continue to feel the need to play in your garden, it will be the fairies inviting you to play again for them.

Lastly, crystals are a wonderful source of energy to guide fairies to your garden. As beacons of light, crystals guide fairies from their realm of light to find our lower vibrational realm. Crystals placed in fairy circles or paths can draw them into your garden. Scattering crystals and other stones can help energize the areas of your garden to receive fairies.

How to Know Fairies Have Moved In

Often fairies will let you know they’ve arrived with mushrooms or toadstools springing up in different places in your garden. Offerings can be made to keep your fairies at home. Small snacks, beloved items, or music can be all ways to keep your fairies once they’ve arrived.

For further information on fairies, Doreen Virtue PH.D is a resourceful author on fairies and angels. Her book ” Healing with the Fairies” can give you more insightful information on fairies. Plus, many bookstores have information on fairies in the New Age section.

These are simple things that can add to any garden and bring a fairy realm into your backyard. Happy Gardening!

Living in the country we have come to expect seeing different species of animals. Deer occasionally grace our presence. Of course, once we are seen by them they quickly disappear. One day as I was looking out a back window there were 7 or so wild turkey. After flying away, they have not returned. Many different birds come to our three feeders. Sunflower seed is spread on the ground for the doves and squirrels. Cardinals and smaller birds also search for food on the ground but the smaller ones mostly enjoy the feeders with their perches. We started throwing it on the ground to keep squirrels from eating the plastic off our original bird feeders. Now we have “squirrel proof” feeders that do a good job of keeping them from the food contained within.

Living in the country there is plenty of land for all God’s creatures. A wooded area begins within thirty feet of the rear of our house providing food and protection for wildlife living there.

What we didn’t expect happened early one morning in the summer. With me being a sound sleeper, I could not imagine what my wife was saying at 2 in the morning. My glasses with thick lenses were on a table beside the bed, where I had left them before I laid down to sleep. A ceiling fan was on chasing the heat away. Barely awake I could see something attached to the fan, circling with the fan blades. Once, the object made oblong path around the fan. Soon, by wife had turned on the light, my glasses were on and we saw a bird following the path of the fan blades. I quickly closed the bedroom door to keep the critter from the rest of the house.

With the light on we realized it was a bat! Why didn’t our cats alert us? The first task was to get rid of the bat. It was indeed following the path of the fan blades. Taking the screen off the windows we tried, lamely I might add, to divert its course with pillows and out the window. This was not working. I had folded the curtains over the top. Once, when the bat landed on the top of the curtains, he “walked” up the inside of the folds of the curtain. A fascinating site this would have been under different circumstances.

Obviously, this method was not working. A towel might work. My wife opened the door with the bat still following the flight of the fan blades. Returning with old towels, my wife and I started making attempts to again divert the bat outside the window, his freedom and ours. I didn’t realize how high our ceiling was, although they are only 8 feet or so. The bat was evading our feeble attempts. I jumped, with the length of the towel spread out, and missed. Another attempt, nothing! Finally, my wife said, “you caught him.” Now what do I do? Do I take him, still wrapped up, to the outside? Do I open the towel and hope he flies away? I opted for throwing the towel out the window and hoping he flew away.

With the windows now closed we opened the bedroom door to our two cats’ right there wondering why we had locked them out! Lying back down, it was difficult to return to slumber land.

The next morning I went outside to retrieve the towel, wondering what I would do if the bat was still wrapped inside. Fortunately, he was gone. We are still wondering how he came into the house and chose our bedroom.

You have my permission to reprint and distribute this article as long as it is distributed in its entirety, including all links and copyright information. Lloyd Mize 2007

Creating a butterfly garden is a little different from the standard flower garden, but that does not mean you need to be without any favorite flowers or fragrances. Many butterfly attractants are just as attractive to humans as they are to butterflies. Flower gardens are already naturally attractive to butterflies because they are always seeking sunny spaces with brightly colored, fragrant flowers.

Where you live always has a great deal of impact on your garden. Fortunately, when it comes to butterfly gardens, the NABA (North American Butterfly Association) has done much of the work for you by creating region specific brochures about butterflies and their attractants. Take a look before planting your garden. But here are the basics to get started.

Basking

There is almost nothing as important in attracting butterflies to your garden than bright sunlight. Butterflies thrive on sunlight. Butterflies are insects, and as such, they are cold blooded and need sunlight to heat their bodies to make them active. Just provide sunny spaces the butterflies will come to bask.

Butterflies also like a bit of water. This is especially important to remember in arid regions where natural sources of standing water are hard to find. Garden fixtures, like fountains, can provide places for butterflies when water is scarce. Butterflies are equally pleased with sun-warmed stepping-stones and little patches of run-off water than might remain around your garden or on a walkway.

Waterfalls really attract butterflies, the light sprinkle of water that lands on stone and dirt a bit away is ideal for basking butterflies as it allows them to warm their bodies and receive nourishment from mineral deposits within the water. Use a tall, decorative waterfall as a backdrop for a butterfly garden with a reasonable amount of space around it or use a smaller, more delicate water source like a watering can fountain in a tighter space. Watering can Fountains: http://www.garden-fountains.com/Categories.bok?category=Watering+Can+Fountains

Try to arrange your garden in a very bright area of your yard. It is generally recommended that any area that you are thinking of placing a butterfly garden in should get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day. If possible, enhance basking options for your butterflies with various pieces of garden statuary like an elegant birdbath. For birdbaths, visit: http://www.garden-fountains.com/Categories.bok?category=Bird+Baths

Eating

Nectar is a major attractant for butterflies. Plant your highest nectar sources in the brightest sunlight since most butterflies only feed in the sun. Depending on where you live there are certain flowers that will help attract specific species. There are a few general hints available.

Butterflies are attracted to especially bright colors, and large patches of bright colors are more likely to catch their eye. Try planting clumps of vivid pink, red, orange and yellow flowers that will stand out in a sunny place.

Butterflies are also commonly fond of flowers with flat tops and relatively shallow throats. Butterflies reach into a flower to get at the nectar so flowers with shallow throats are easier for them.

A few specifics

Butterfly bush is an aptly named deciduous shrub and grows easily in many climates. There are quite a few varieties of Butterfly bush. It grows on long arching stems and produces clusters of tiny, fragrant flowers (rather like lilac). They flower in a wide range of bright colors and are relatively easy to grow.

If your soil is a little dry, Butterfly weed, also known as milkweed, will probably grow well and do much to attract a variety of butterflies. Most butterfly weed blooms late in the summer and is between one and three feet high. The perennial has red, orange and yellow flowers. Butterfly weed is also a host plant for several kinds of butterflies.

Growing

While you may be thinking that you cant grow butterflies as you do flowers, you can grow the foods that feed caterpillars, which will then make your garden their home.

Host plants are essential to a butterfly garden if you are hoping to do more than just attract those that happen to be near. Many butterflies have short lives, so if you want your garden to be a flutter with them, the best bet is to help them grow yourself.

The previously mentioned butterfly weed is one of the most common host plants for monarch butterflies. Many of the plants that are the best host plants for butterflies are weeds, like Queen Annes Lace, nettle and thistle. Different species like different foods so make sure to provide the right food for the right butterfly. For best results, grow primarily native plants in your garden, this will attract butterflies in the area. Non-native plants may be harder to grow and there may not be butterflies in your area attracted to them. Whatever you do, dont use pesticides in your butterfly garden. Pesticides will kill the butterflies youve been trying to attract as well as any other insects in your garden. Remember that you are planting host plants so that they become food for caterpillars so if they are being eaten they are doing their job.

The blackbird (turdus merula) is one of the commonest garden birds in Britain, being found throughout the whole country. There are very few gardens in town or country that do not have at least one resident or visiting pair. Blackbirds can be seen throughout the year, even in the depths of winter, although some in more northerly areas move south in the Fall/Autumn.

The male adult is glossy black with a bright yellow bill. In summer, the wings are browner. The female is dark brown on the wings and upper body, and somewhat lighter below, and its bill is a duller yellow colour than the male’s.

Males and females are similar in size, about 24-27 cm in length (about 10 inches). Blackbirds often fly low to the ground, flicking their wings then gliding. The flight can look weak, but they can also fly strongly at greater heights. As they land, a blackbird will raise its tail in a fan and its wings will droop. On the ground it is happy to hop or run for long periods if there is no danger, pausing with its head cocked to one side as if listening, with its tail up.

The “speaking” voice is either a scolding “chik-chik-chik” or a deeper “chook-chook-chook”, but it also has a beautiful singing voice, a clear fluty warble that ends in a low chuckle. You always know when there is a cat in the garden that is getting too close to a nest, because the blackbird can produce an hysterical screech that drowns out just about everything else!

Blackbirds nest in trees and hedges, and also in sheds and holes in walls. They breed from March to August, and can produce up to five broods in a season, laying 3-5 eggs each time.

If you feed your birds regularly, the blackbirds can become quite tame. Our resident pair, especially the male, regularly hops up close to the house, even though our cat could pop out at any time. The blackbird is usually the last to fly off when a cat turns up to cross the garden.

Blackbirds only feed from the ground or bird tables, as they are nobody’s acrobats. We usually hang “fat balls” from hooks on posts in the garden, which the local jackdaws have learned how to tackle. However, jackdaws are messy feeders, and plenty of food usually falls to the ground, where the blackbirds are happy to pick up the pieces. They are also the birds most likely to attack windfall apples. They also eat worms, insects and snails.

Although blackbirds are usually seen as pairs, mixed groups can sometimes be seen in the garden outside the breeding season, possibly consisting of adult families. Other birds do not feel threatened by blackbirds, and they are happy to feed alongside most other species, although they are often intimidated by the jackdaws!

Some of the fondest memories of childhood are the discovery of the biords nesting on our backyard. The bird feeding in our backyards is the easiest way to enjoy the world of wild life. People of different ages can enjoy doing this.

It does not matter whether you’re living in the suburban or renting an apartment. You can easily hear the chirping of birds coming form your windows or backyards. These chirps can even create music in our ears. Life would surely be dull without birds.

Bird watching is one of the most convenient recreations. You don’t need to cash out even a penny just to enjoy it. All you’ll need is some piece of leftover food and some water to feed the birds.

A lot of bird feeders are now available in the market. There is the platform feeder, hoppers feeder and also the tube bird feeder. Each feeder has its own advantages. Each also attracts different kinds of birds.

The tube bird feeders are long and cylindrical in shape. It also has perches on its feeding ports. It is one of the most popular bird feeders and they usually come in upside down or seed tray models.

The tube bird feeders usually discourage competing animals such as the squirrels. The perches on the feeding ports also discourage the large birds from eating the bird seeds.

Tube feeders attract birds such as the titmice, chickadees, woodpeckers, finches and nuthatches. Be sure to see to it that there is no dead space which occupies the bottom of the feeder. The seeds may rot in there which may cause illnesses to birds.

You can start by picking a location where it is quite easy to get and reach. This is because when the weather gets bad, which is also a time wherein birds need a lot of food that they can possibly get, it would be much better if the feeder is an easy-to-reach places.

Try to pick a location wherein the droppings of bird seed’s shells will not be too much of a problem when cleaning it. Place your feeder where squirrels will not be able to reach it also. The squirrels are one of the ultimate competitors of birds when it comes to bird seeds. They even often scare the birds so that they’ll just be the sole beneficiary of it.

You can hang your tube bird feeder from a branch of strong tree or mount it using a pole. Try to put some baffles around it to avoid other animal intrusions. Don’t over hide your feeder just because you’re avoiding the squirrels to see it. Your main point here is to actually appreciate viewing the birds eating.

If ever you see squirrels on your neighborhood, it would be safe if you’ll assume that they will invade your feeder at any given time. So choose the place wisely. You can hang your feeder at a height where they can’t reach it.

You should also avoid the plastic or wooden tube feeders because squirrels tend to chew this off just to take a bite form the bird seeds. Choose a tube feeder that is metal mesh protected.

So what are the best foods to feed the birds? Seeds are your best option. Do not try to waste you money purchasing those mixed bird seeds bag on the supermarket. They may look yummy for the birds but then the tendency is that they will choose the tastiest seeds on it. So instead of birds consuming everything, what will happen is that the seeds with the least flavor will just be put into waste.

It would be best to offer one kind of seeds to each feeder. You can try sunflower seeds which most pet stores offer. Cracked corn and peanuts are a good option too.

The bottom line here is that every type of feeder is just the same thing. What matters is that you are enjoying watching the birds eating and at the same time being able to feed them is spiritually rewarding. Just remember the simple tips and advices on how to make your tube feeder a squirrel proof one. Start purchasing your own bird feeder to enjoy the therapeutic effect of the bird watching brings.

All yards can, potentially, be natural bird habitats.

Even though our neighborhoods occupy what was once their natural habitat, it needn’t be a catastrophe. Selecting and locating the correct plants will offer a nearly natural habitat for song birds.

Surprisingly, wild birds eagerly accept this substitution, as our backyard bird gardens become an extension of the surrounding natural habitat.

Making your backyard into a bird garden can be the focus of many family activities. In fact, just watching and feeding songbirds is a great way for the entire family to become aware of bird conservation.

Keep in mind that those members of the family with limited mobility can still enjoy nature from the deck or patio, even a window. Imagine the benefits of a bird garden for seniors and shut-ins, and for the ill or disabled.

Backyard bird gardens are perfect conservation classrooms. One of the most exciting lessons is discovering the different species of birds in your area.

An essential tool is a good, easy-to-use field identification guide, such as Birds of North America, or Peterson’s East and West. An online search for “bird field guides” will provide you with many more.

You will learn that birds are identified according to physical characteristics. For example, you can easily see the difference between a chicken and a robin.

You will find these characteristics helpful in identifying the birds that visit your bird garden: Size – overall ; Shape of their bodies; Coloring; Special markings; Shapes of their beaks; Shape of their wings and their feet while in flight.

Your entire family, especially the kids, will become experts at recognizing bird calls. While each species is unique, most are quite obvious. A Sparrow’s “chipping” is quite plain when compared to a Cardinal’s lovely “trilling” song.

From a bird’s-eye view, a natural bird habitat can actually be a neighborhood of backyards… and each backyard gardener contributes to the success of this unusual bird habitat.

So, the question remains… just how vital is your individual garden to song wild birds?

If you have selected and located your plantings correctly, wild birds will treat your backyard garden as a natural continuation of their normal habitat.

Undeniably, the answer is… you and your bird garden are unquestionably vital to their survival!

One of the problems with wanting to put out a bunch of bird feeders is that they tend to attract other animals as well. These other creatures include chipmunks, squirrels and an assortment of small rodents. Since this is not what you want in your garden you need to find a way to make them not available to these other seed seeking small animals. Therefore, what you will need for your garden is squirrel proof bird feeders. These feeders will have some type of device that makes it impossible, or nearly so, for the animals to get to the bird seed.

Some bird feeders try to solve this problem by using plastic shields on the sides to keep the seeds in. There are some problems with this method of making squirrel proof bird feeders. Despite the fact that the side pieces will keep the squirrel from eating huge piles of seeds they are smarter than you think and over time will develop tricks to get to at the food. What they learn to do is to fly at the feeder, knocking a bunch of the seeds to the ground as they go. Then, when they fall, moments later, they have a meal waiting for them. Some of the smarter ones get very good at this and learn to take a flying leap that spills large quantities of seeds. If this becomes too much of a problem, there are other alternatives. One is buying a more expensive feeder that has been made squirrel proof by the manufactures. Although this seems to be an extreme choice if you live in area with a lot squirrels you soon find that they take over your bird feeders if you do not take drastic measures.

The other alternative is to do things that will mean the squirrels and other small animals are unable to gain access to the bird feeder. One method is to use a system that will put wire screening around the bird feeder and so prevent small animals and, unfortunately, large birds from getting the food. One other suggested method for making squirrel proof bird feeders is to hang empty plastic pop bottles on a line above the feeder. This can prevent the small animal from being able to get to the feeder and usually results in them falling off the line, where they land just fine, only to try again. Eventually when they are unable to get to the feeder they will give up.