Attention Bird Gardening Enthusiasts

self | February 12, 2005 | sweetliberty

[sweetliberty]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't have nearly the time I would like to devote to my yard, or to researching this topic, but no matter how busy I am, I do seem to need to spend some time here, whether to catch up on the news, get a good laugh or do some venting. If there is enough interest, we could make this an ongoing thread with pictures or whatever and do a ping list.

[kenth]

This will be interesting. Especially for the wife, she loves her birds as I can attest to after having to run out in the freezing cold this morning to fill the feeder.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

ping for later...I'm interested, too!

[7.62 x 51mm]

I own and run a 20ac garden center & nursery in southeast Pennsylvania, have several thousands pairs of nesting birds on the property's trees, and feed them 150-200lbs of seed a week, during the winter months.

Here's a great resource for birdfeeding:

http://www.birdfeeding.org/

Keep us informed, s. I'm interested...

[sweetliberty]

LOL! Yeah, it's hard to believe they can eat so much. Seems I am constantly filling the feeders and there have been plenty of mornings I thought my fingers would freeze before I got done.

[bikepacker67]

[sweetliberty]

Now there's a familiar looking sight ...a little too familiar!

[Hot Tabasco]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't have nearly the time I would like to devote to my yard,

I've got the time and I've also got too darn much snow. Lets talk in April...... :)

[cripplecreek]

[sweetliberty]

"I've also got too darn much snow"

Yeah; up north and parts west, Spring is still a ways off.

[cripplecreek]

"Yeah; up north and parts west, Spring is still a ways off."


Maybe so but I have robins hopping around in the snow.

[sweetliberty]

I think the Robins have been a bit confused this year. I've had them through the winter. I even have a regular at the bird feeder. Apparently nobody told him that Robins don't feed at birdfeeders...not typically anyway.

[sweetliberty]

This is pretty much the attitude my squirrels have:

.

[Dysart]

Excellent topic. Yes, it is time to plan now if not take action. I've got the feeding thing down to perfection as hundreds of birds can attest to.

I have a question regarding Purple Martin houses/condos. Has anyone found that a successful breeding colony on property significantly reduces the population of pesky mosquitos? (I tried several years ago but my efforts were thwarted by a opportunistic band of house sparrows.)

Any feedback or suggestions welcome.

[LibFreeOrDie]

Links to more info:

http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/backyard_birds/gardening/garden_index.aspx
I live in New Hampshire, so what works in my garden may not be right for Arkansas.

Attracting birds to your yard is one way to control bad bugs. You can also attract good bugs (such as mason bees, small predator wasps, and ladybugs) to help out. In my neck of the woods, plants with small or composite flowers do the trick (such as herbs - thyme, dill, ... and certain wild plants (such as Queen Anne's Lace, elderberry, ...). Many of these plants also attract butterflies - a bonus!

[BluH2o]

This is pretty much the attitude my squirrels have:

A squirrelly plumber?

[sweetliberty]

I have had no experience with Purple Martins, although I do believe they're native to the area. I've not yet gotten into putting up birdhouses for any of the birds, mainly because I don't want to waste money on birdhouses that won't be used or that will be overtaken by squirrels. I need to learn a little bit more about them. I know that the size of the opening is important, and also the height they're placed at, both presumably for protection from predators, as well as from bigger birds that would hijack the nests, and that the kinds of brush and shrubbert nearby makes a difference as well. I know it is helpful to make nesting materials available too, which I have never done.

I don't know too much about the Martin houses, except that they like condos. I would be interested in what you find out though.

[Dysart]

I've got Robins and Mockingbirds who have taken to feeders too. The pair of Mockingbirds watch for me to enter the yard and fly right to the spot on a tree where I spread peanut butter, waiting no more than a foot from me. It's amazing! This has been going on for a couple of years now. One of the Mockers flew into my 2nd floor bedroom once via an open window but that's another story.

[sweetliberty]

I just had a pair of Red-wing Blackbirds show up this morning, and I have quite a variety of woodpeckers, some of them huge! Some of the woodpeckers and Chickadees all but ignore me when I approach the feeders. Most of the others stay pretty close by. The Cardinals remain timid. There are a lot of them. I've never had so many Cardinals in one yard, that I remember, at least not since I was a kid. My great-grandma had a perfect garden and an incredible number and variety of birds.

[sweetliberty]

"have several thousands pairs of nesting birds on the property's trees, and feed them 150-200lbs of seed a week, during the winter months."

Wow! And I thought I went through a lot! Good thing you get it wholesale! That's a lot of birds.

I'm not really sure what to plant, partly because I'm not sure yet what I already have. This will be my first Spring in this place and I may not be able to identify some of the plants and shrubbery until it leafs out, or even blooms. I'd like to plant a Dogwood, but it wouldn't flower this year. I also would like to attract Cedar Waxwings. They seem to be kind of fickle little birds, but very enjoyable to watch. I know they are native to the area and they eat berries of some sort. I haven't seen any since I lived in Georgia.