Garden Bird Feeders

Archive for September, 2009

Think about it. Would you just go rushing off to an elegant soiree without a lovely necklace around your neck, or a pair of fabulous earrings to match your outfit? Or would you even dare to give a birthday present you’ve painstakingly searched for and selected days in advance, without wrapping it and adding some lovely ribbons and a bow? Oh no, not me. As I’m in the habit of adorning and accessorizing my outfits and myself to enhance attractiveness and appeal, so do I adorn my home garden with ornaments and decorations.

The ornaments we can use for decorating our gardens can only be limited by our imagination. Let me list a few items. You can get statues (classical or whimsical; it’s up to you), planters, plant stakes, wind chimes, bird houses, bird baths, sculptures, fountains, rocks, etc. You can get ornaments that can be both functional and decorative. They can be used as dividers for different areas in your garden, or hide a private nook, etc. What you use them for is up to you, but the garden décor you use will make a statement about you and your personality, as well as create your garden’s own individuality.

If you want to add some ornaments or décor to your garden, it is recommended that you take into account the trees, plants, flowers, landscape, the surrounding walls, and your personal tastes, of course. Bear in mind the unique style of your garden, as well. Is it made out of southwestern accents and elements, filled with lush greenery? Or perhaps it’s more of an Oriental theme, sporting a minimalist approach to nature? Remember that certain ornaments lend themselves well to certain styles. For example, a classic white marble statue would go well with boxwood and neatly-arranged stone urns. However, they would definitely look strange standing amidst a collection of desert cacti and terra cotta planters.

Waterfalls or fountains would add a significant boost to the life of your garden. Water elements can vary from simple creations to elaborate designs. They can be peaceful and placid as they flow in a quiet stream, or they can splash and spray as they playfully cascade over rocks and structures. Water can attract birds and mask noises from the outside, too. Aside from the inherent beauty that water provides, the decorative ornaments that you can arrange and use with water will certainly do good to the overall ambience and appearance of your garden.

You can also use sculptures as artistic elements. These can be made out of any material, but somehow, metal works seem to be more popular, probably because of its tendency to rust and develop a strange beauty through prolonged exposure to weather. Gates are another great addition to home gardens, especially those with patios, terraces, or just about any large garden space. These are wonderful examples of both functional and decorative pieces, and they can be made out of a variety of materials, from wood to wrought-iron creations. Gates can also invoke an air of privacy, or they can be open and inviting. Even if it leads to nowhere, gates are still a charming addition to any garden.

Try out new and different decorations for your garden, and discover what appeals to your personal tastes and enhances your garden’s style. As well as adding beauty and charm, you will be improving the individuality and personality of your garden, to reflect that which is uniquely you.

Texas wildflowers are celebrated throughout the state of Texas thanks to the efforts of the late former first lady Lady Bird Johnson, and Austin is home to the institution she helped created, named in her honor. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is a unique attraction, paying homage to the woman who helped elevate and preserve the native plants and the natural beauty of Texas.

The Wildflower Center works daily to educate the public on sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants and landscapes. With beautiful gardens, expansive meadows, and woodland trails to explore, visitors can experience the plentiful offerings of Texass native plants up close. Tours are available, but visitors can enjoy the grounds at their own pace with the available printed information or with an audio podcast to guide them.

In addition to the gardens, the Center curates rotating exhibits, many of which include art. Whether viewing oversized bronze insects throughout the grounds, or viewing sculpture and paintings on display indoors, the beauty of nature is enhanced by its pairing with visual arts. Many exhibits are mounted in their McDermott Learning Center, which also holds a permanent exhibit, and features a large picture window from which to view the natural surroundings. A docent is often available in the learning center to answer questions, and to help visitors identify the plethora of different flowers and plants they will see on the grounds.

Children will find a world of fun and education designed especially for them. A tiny door indicates that the room within is dedicated to the wee ones, with puppets, books, arts and crafts that help illustrate the wealth of nature that exists at the center and throughout the state. This is also a great place to take a break and beat the heat while discussing the different plants located on the trails and in the gardens. A popular destination for school field trips, the Wildflower Center also offers teacher resources to maximize a class visit. They also offer summer camps a perfect way to engage school-age youngsters in nature and science during their summer break.

The Wildflower Center is home to a delightful caf. Featuring fresh and inventive sandwiches, salads, baked treats and thirst-quenchers such as hibiscus mint tea, the caf is almost a destination in itself. Soups are made from scratch, and vegetarian including the sensational Wildflower Wrap (Roasted Poblano & Portabella Mushroom wrapped in a tomato basil flour tortilla with lettuce and tomatoes,sun dried tomato spread) are available.

Events including fundraising galas, artisan nights, plant sales, and nature nights are held throughout the year, in addition to guided tours. Their website is an extensive resource both for planning a trip, and for learning more about the myriad of things encountered on a trip. They publish a newsletter and magazine in Austin, in addition to the materials available at the main office.

The last stop of the visit should be to their gift shop featuring clothing, books, gifts and educational toys that will commemorate and unforgettable visit.

Whether for their own pleasure or for the benefit of the planet, many people are getting into gardening for wildlife. Setting up an entire wildlife refuge on your property might sound like a job best left to professionals, but an inspection of your yard may reveal that only a few simple changes are needed to make your yard more attractive to wildlife. All you need to supply are four basic elements: food, water, cover, and nesting sites.

Food

The backbone of your wildlife food supply should be plants – preferably native plants – with high food value. This includes trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants that supply berries, nuts, seeds, nectar, pollen, and forage. Fruit-eating birds are attracted by berry-bearing shrubs such as serviceberry and elderberry. Seed-eating birds appreciate seed heads from annual flowers such as marigolds, sunflowers, and cosmos. Hummingbirds seek red or orange flowers that yield abundant nectar, including hummingbird mint (Agastache), red salvia, and fuchsias. Butterflies are attracted to flat, nectar-bearing flowers, especially those in the aster family. You’ll get even more butterflies if you supply food plants for their larvae, especially members of the aster and carrot families. Use the internet to find out what butterflies are native to your area and what kinds of plants they use. Honey bees and native bees, so essential for pollination in the garden, are attracted by scented flowers that yield abundant nectar and pollen, so be sure to plant a variety of flowers in and around the vegetable patch to assure good pollination of your crops.

Supplemental feeders add value to your yard as well. Look for bird feeders designed to hold a variety of seeds, such as black sunflower seeds for many birds, suet cakes for winter birds, or niger seeds for finches in the summer. Avoid cheap bird seed mixes that contain mostly seeds that wild birds don’t like. Examine the design of the feeder to be sure it has good drainage; otherwise moisture will build up and cause the seeds to mold. Drill extra drainage holes in the bottom of feeders with wooden seed platforms. Wood tends to swell when it is wet, and small drainage holes will close up.

Hummingbird feeders can be filled with a syrup consisting of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. Avoid food coloring, which may be harmful to birds. Don’t use honey, either, which can contain mold spores. And certainly don’t use artificial sweeteners which have no food value at all. Natural flower nectar contains

Building a pond in your backyard is a great way to attract wild birds and other animals. Added to that, a backyard pond is not only a beautiful addition to add to any yard, but will also provide your family with hours of enjoyment. When creating a backyard pond to attract birds to your yard however, there are a few things that you should take into consideration.

The placement of your pond can greatly impact how many birds that you attract. Backyard ponds should be placed a good distance from your home or other structures, so that birds do not run the risk of flying into windows. Placing your pond in a shaded spot near trees and bushes not only helps cut down on the amount of algae that will form in your pond, but also places it near the areas the birds will more than likely be. Having your pond near trees and bushes is also a good idea, because it gives the birds a better sense of security.

A backyard pond can prove to be a good source of food for the birds as well. A pond will attract insects and other small animals that some birds will eat. Be warned however, that if you place fish in the pond, some predator birds may just come and steal them away! Placing water plants in your pond will help to attract insects and small animals to your pond for your birds to eat. Certain water plants can also provide a resting or hiding area for the birds and some birds will even use parts of them for nest building.

Birds do require a source of water not only for drinking, but for bathing as well. While some ponds might be able to be used for this, the design of your pond could also prove harmful to some birds. A pond is generally too deep for a bird to use for bathing, however a unique idea would be to place a bird bath as a center piece in the pond. You could also place a fountain in the pond, which the bird may use for drinking and bathing.

Bird baths can also be placed around the pond for added bathing places for your wild birds. For more attraction, you could also place bird feeders around the bird pond, though you should make sure they are spaced far enough away that bird seed and bird food does not fall into the pond. Bird houses can also be placed in trees around the pond, or also atop bird house stands.

A backyard pond is a wonderful way to provide a beautiful setting for your family to enjoy and a safe habitat for the animals that live there. The cost of a backyard pond can be as little or as much as you want it to be. They need not be extravagant for you to attract birds, and you can always add more to them as time goes by.

Seed-poaching squirrels are the bane of backyard bird watchers. If you go to the trouble of buying and stocking feeders to attract wild birds to your yard, the last thing you want is a marauding pack of pesky squirrels pilfering all the food.

The good news is, keeping the squirrels away from the food you put out for wild birds is actually not that difficult. It can be as simple as buying the proper birdfeeder. Take a look in any garden supply catalog and you’ll see that nearly every birdfeeder offered has been designed to thwart the thieving squirrels. Though they vary greatly in design, most birdfeeders on the market today all have one common goal: to keep furry squirrels out of the food intended for your fine feathered friends.

Some birdfeeders are designed to tip sideways when the squirrels climb on, which flips them off onto the ground. Other innovative birdfeeders are designed to be weight-sensitive; they close the feed ports when squirrels try to grab a snack. Squirrel baffles on top of the birdfeeders will usually keep the squirrels from helping themselves to a meal. They provide wobbly and/or smooth surfaces that make it difficult for the squirrel to climb onto. If they do manage to climb onto the birdfeeder, it’s often so slippery that they just slide right off.

So step one in thwarting the thieves is to buy a birdfeeder with a squirrel-proof design. However, this doesn’t mean the squirrels won’t spend endless hours trying to get at the birdfood. They’re hungry too, after all, and very smart. So step two might be necessary if you’re going to successfully keep the squirrels out of your birdfeeders.

Consider buying the squirrels their own feeding station! Stock it with some yummy squirrel favorites such as peanuts, dried cobs of corn and sunflower seeds, and place it in a location that is far away from your birdfeeders. They’ll be too full and fat to spend much time trying to raid the birdfeeder, and the wild birds will be able to eat in peace.

Feeding the wild birds can be very rewarding. It gives you great pleasure to know you are for one helping them ,and two you get to enjoy seeing many different variety’s of sometimes birds you did not know were living around your area.

Once you start putting bird feeders out you should keep them clean and full. The birds that are coming into feeders on a daily basis can get to rely on you for their sole purpose of food , so once you start you should always make sure that your feeders are full.

There are many different types of bird feeders and depending on the birds you have in your area should be suitable for them, such as canaries,finches,grosbeaks etc. they can feed out of hanging bird feeders and in other cases such as quail and wild turkeys eat solely on the ground.

Another factor is a water source ,a bird bath or a simple water dish can also be a good

thing to have out along with your feeders. Birds love to take a bath and this is also another way to attract birds into your yard. Which these also should be cleaned regularly.

Try not to put bird feeders to close to your house birds can fly into your windows and hurt themselves or possibly kill themselves. Another factor is if you live near a busy highway, Quail and turkeys are mainly ground birds and may get struck by passing vehicles. When birds group up to eat they do attract predators such as house cats, falcons and hawks so the location is very Important.

If possible put them under trees or some kind of natural cover. There for they are not in so much danger of being preyed upon. Feeding birds can be fun and safe by just taking these few simple steps. I know I do and enjoy feeding and watching them very much.

The hardest part about planning a garden is deciding where to begin. Looking out over the vast mound of overgrown shrubs, weeds and cracked concrete, it’s difficult to imagine your yard can be the garden paradise you’ve always dreamed of. It’s as though you’re beginning with a blank canvas, and someone hands you a shovel and says “create”. Before you drop the shovel and walk away in frustration, gather your thoughts, and take yourself through this step-by-step process for planning your garden.

Goals & Objectives

Before the first seed is planted, you need to think long and hard about your goals for this garden. How do you plan on using it? Will it be for meditation, entertaining, or just a quiet getaway to enjoy a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. Take lots of notes; getting your thoughts on paper is the first step towards making them reality.

Features

What features or qualities will your perfect garden have? Perhaps you’d like a casual sitting area, a trellis or pergola, or maybe even a pond. Will it be enclosed? Does it require stairs or stepping stones? Maybe you’ve picked out different plants or looks that you’ve seen in magazines; be sure to keep a running file of these samples. Do you want a particular color scheme, or theme such as a scented garden, herb garden or perennials?

Is this a garden you want to enjoy in the winter months? If so, make sure to plant shrubs that look attractive during the colder months and add interest by using bird feeders to attract wildlife.

Focal Point

Do you have a focal point such as a large tree, gazebo, fountain or other large object that the garden will surround? If so, build around it by finding plants and accessories that complement your focal point.

Hazards

Determine what planting zone you live in and what your temperature high’s and low’s are. Do you have deer, rabbits or other wildlife to contend with? Do you have dry or rocky soil that will need to be topped up with additional top soil? Are there any areas that are particularly shady or sunny?

I’ve added this next point under Hazards because it is something that can make or break a garden. What type of gardener are you? Do you have a true green thumb, and sincerely enjoy spending hours pulling weeds and tending to your plants?
OR
Do you initially get excited about planning the garden, scour the stores for just the right plants, and then once the job is complete, lose interest? If you are among this group, you won’t be growing rare orchids. You’ll want to make this new garden as low maintenance as possible, with plenty of hardy drought-resistant varieties and extra layers of landscape fabric.

Professional Help

Once you have the groundwork settled, and recorded on paper, decide whether you’ll be tackling your garden project on your own, or enlisting the help of a landscape architect. Even if you plan on doing the physical work yourself, you may save yourself considerable expense and frustration by getting a designer to give you a consultation. Book a couple of hours of their time and show them around the property, while you record their suggestions for garden design and plantings. For an extra fee they will also draw up a plan listing suggested plants, and locations of new gardens or structures.

I can’t emphasize the importance of getting professional input, especially for a large garden or landscaping project. If you have the budget, your designer will draw up an approved plan, purchase the plants and do all the physical work involved in getting the soil ready and planting. If you decide to do it all on your own, do yourself a favor and get some good books on landscaping, and attend a course or two at your local community college or garden centre.

If you happen to find a baby bird, it is sometimes possible to raise it to adulthood in captivity. The best thing naturally, would be to return it to it’s nest if at all possible. Sometimes the nest is too far up in a tree, or the baby bird may have been injured by a cat.If it is not possible to return it to the nest,you will need a shoebox lined with paper towels to place it in. You will also need a lamp with a regular 60 watt bulb to give heat over the shoebox. Place the shoebox in a quiet area like a bedroom away from excessive noise and pets.Observe the baby bird closely to see if it needs medical attention. Is it bleeding anywhere? Are the wings or are legs broken? Does it appear unhealthy or distressed? If not, it is safe to assume it is not injured.

If you are unsure as to whether it is healthy, any local veterinarian would be able to check.

Depending on how young the bird is, it may not be able to feed itself yet. If this is the case you will need to get some maize from a feed store or pet shop as well as a medicine dropper.In the wild, birds feed their young continuously throughout the day. Several small feedings a day should be proficient. This should begin with just 6-12 seeds of maize administered in a dropper or straw with a couple drops of water every few hours. Gently pry the beak open if necessary as some birds may be too weak to signal hunger.

In time, the baby bird will show interest and eat on it’s own. At this point, hand feeding is no longer necessary.You can introduce other types of birdseed,grapes, or even earthworms to help supplement the diet. If the baby bird can fly it is best to return it to the wild, but if you should decide to keep it as a pet, you will need a birdcage to house it in.

There are many books on the market that offer specific advice on raising young birds, and often the local veterinarian offices have a wealth of information on the topic.

As a novice bird enthusiast you will want items in your garden that will entice the birds to come and visit. Besides providing water for them to drink and bath, a safe place to eat some food is a must. There are lots of bird feeders that you can put in your garden, but Hopper Feeders are probably an excellent choice for the beginner.

These feeders are also sometimes called Wood feeders. This feeder is very good because birds will feel comfortable here. The Hopper Feeders blend in quite well with the rest of your garden environment. A Hopper Feeder that is kiln dried and made from good quality Western Cedar wood will last for a long time and it will weather to a beautiful silvery gray color.

You can use Hopper Feeders right throughout the year. The Hopper Feeders have all-weather screws to help the feeder withstand whatever type of weather your region will experience. The top of the feeder can be easily opened to store bird feed and to make cleaning the Hopper Feeders easy. Since the Hopper Feeder is made from wood the rain will run off the top leaving the seeds inside nice and dry.

There are some birds that like to eat from a feeder that has a solid perch or platform for their eating ease. Northern Cardinals, Bluejays, Chickadees, Finches and others will come visit this sort of feeder. Owning large sized feeders like the Hopper Feeders will allow you to keep several pounds of sunflower and other seed mixtures in it without any hassle.

This means that you will spend less time refilling the feeder and more time spent on bird watching. A larger seed capacity is very important during the winter. The cold winter season means that with less food in the wild, the birds will depend on you. Your Hopper Feeders will then provide them with a valuable source of food.

The Hopper Feeders can come in many sizes but a good sized Hopper Feeder will measure about 11 inches in length. 9 inches in height and its width will be 9 inches. As these feeders are made from wood you should take care where you will place them in your garden. Squirrels will demolish any Hopper Feeders that have no protection around them.

For this reason make sure that your wooden Hopper Feeders are in an area that has no trees or jumping points nearby for squirrels to take advantage of. Purchasing a good squirrel baffle is also another way to deal with the pesky problem. If you like these furry creatures however you could just place some extra seed away from your Hopper Feeders for the squirrels to enjoy. Whatever you decide, buying any of the Hopper Feeders available will only enhance your garden and bring a great many birds to your feeders.

Birds that visit our yard always come to our 20-ft tall lilac first. They don’t find food in the lilac, but it is the highest bush and has a bushy, open growth style that makes it a good roost for checking for predators. The best plants for backyard birds provide a source of food, places to roost, protection from predators, and places to nest. Often birds prefer native plants to exotics. Depending on the birds that are local, birds will find some of the following plants welcome.

Hummingbird Friendly Plants

We have two types of hummingbirds at our home in Western Washington. Anna’s hummingbirds stay year round and prefer ants in their diet. Rufous hummingbirds arrive in late February and are usual gone by early August. Plants most visited by both hummingbirds include honeysuckle, maple, lilac, forsythia, weigela, viburnum, buddleia, rhododendron, bleeding heart. They also love my annual hanging baskets especially petunias and fuscia.

Seedeater Friendly Herbs

Wrens, towhee, sparrows, pine siskins, juncos and other seed eating birds love any perennial that self-sows and for that reason I find them in my herbs quite often. My herb garden has catmint, mint, oregano, and thyme. Most of these plants flower attractively and produce numerous seeds. If you grow the mints, be sure to enclose them in a container that will keep the roots from spreading throughout your flower beds.

Berries for Robins, Starlings and Woodpeckers

Robins like the berries from cotoneaster, honeysuckle and viburnum as do the woodpeckers.

Redwood Cedar is Home to Hummingbirds, Warblers, Kinglets and more

Our neighbors each have one large redwood cedar that are 40-50 feet tall or more and about 30 feet wide. The bushy branches provide shelter and nesting for hummingbirds, warblers, and kinglets. I would cut down any other tree but never a redwood cedar whose growth is green and lush and quite dainty.

Pines for Seedeaters

Juncos nest in pines and you can find them in most any pine eating from the pine cones.

Bushy trellis roses and Clematis

Wrens love my climbing roses and clematis. I often find them amongst the leaves either in search of bugs, seeds or shelter, I’m not sure which.

Doug Fir and Maple

Flickers, pileated woodpeckers, and downy and hairy woodpeckers love our big leaf maple and douglas fir trees.

Ants for Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds need a source of ants and I’ve planted peonies to attract them but mostly ants like rotting wood and sources of sugar.

When planting to attract birds, be sure to provide busy areas for nesting and perching, flowering plants for tanagers and hummingbirds, self-sowing perennials and annuals for seed loving plants. Be sure to include trees since they are a good source of insects, sap, seeds and nesting.