Attention Bird Gardening Enthusiasts

self | February 12, 2005 | sweetliberty

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I just noticed several people asking to be put on your ping list. If you do make a ping list please put me on it:) Great thread, thanks.

Becky

[Lazamataz]

I have a bird feeder right above a remotely-activated woodchipper.

The feed is laced with knockout drops.

I have very strange and bloody hobbies.

[MamaTexan]

Perhaps I should plant a mulberry tree.

You might have to plant two. The gentleman who built the house planted a male & female so close together it almost looks like one tree instead of two.

You might could find a self-polinating type, though. They seem to have them for just about every other kind of fruit bearing tree.

[MamaTexan]

Has anyone found that a successful breeding colony on property significantly reduces the population of pesky mosquitos?

Not sure about Purple Martins, but we've put up a couple of bat houses.

I know bats aren't nearly as attractive as the birds, but the little buggers have decimated our mosquito population!

Plus their flying skills are just amazing to watch. :)

[MamaTexan]

That Hummer was just passing through.

Sometimes it takes a season or two for the hummers to realize you've put a 'rest-stop' on their migratory path.

The scouts come first, and if your feeders aren't out, the rest of the birds will pass you by.

Almost any red, yellow or orange tubular shaped flower will attract them, just make sure they're planted in an open area so they can be seen from the air.

BTW, did you know hummers can see a feeder from over 2 miles up? They actually can see into the ultraviolet range & have excellent hearing, but practically NO sense of smell!

[GodBlessUSA]

I make my own sugar water. Possibly, I put it too close to the other feeders. Even though I read those little birds aren't intimidated easily, I think this year I'm going to move it to the other side of the house.

I always wonder if putting in shade is better. I had the feeder in morning sun and afternoon part shade. The side of the house I'm considering has afternoon sun. Can that sugar water get too hot?
Thanks

[MamaTexan]

My sister, lives in another state from me, has them by the dozens also.

I lived in New Mexico for several years and had so many I was going through a gallon of sugar water a week.

They wouldn't even wait for the feeder to be hung up! As soon as I walked out the door, they would try to feed while I was carrying it - like being buzzed by a swarm of giant mosquitoes!

Mostly we had black chins and rufous, with a few ruby-throats and calliopes in the mix.

I did try to count them once. They would line up on the fence behind the feeder - I usually gave up when I got to 75 or so.

[GodBlessUSA]

Thanks. I was trying to locate the feeder in a way they could see it. I put ribbons on it etc. This will be the third year I'm trying to attract them. That is so good to know that they can see it from such a distance. I'm not giving up on them.

[GodBlessUSA]

Thanks SweetLiberty, This is a great thread! Just when I thought I couldn't get more addicted to FreeRepublic!

I would love to share pictures from time to time. If anyone knows how to post or can direct me to where I can read up on how, I would greatly appreciate it!

[sweetliberty]

The place my daughter used to go to camp had hummingbirds that were real thick like that. They had a bunch of feeders andf if you went out and stood among the feeders and stayed very still with a finger extended, you could even get one to light on your finger. That was way cool!

[MamaTexan]

And the sound of tinkling water attracts them from miles around to drink and bathe.

Yep, especially these guys:

Painted Buntings are the most colorful birds...too bad they fly back to Central America every year!

[sweetliberty]

Posting pictures isn't difficult. You do have to have an outside server to store them on. I use this one. It is $30 a year, but well worth it, because it allows unlimited linking and also supports gifs, which I use a lot. While there are free accounts available, most will not allow linking from other sites, or if they do, the pictures will only show sporadically.

Here is a list of FR links that have lots of info on using html, including posting images.

HTML Bootcamp (or how did they make that cool post/reply?)

HTML Sandbox

Reference HTML Cheatsheet

[MamaTexan]

If anyone knows how to post or can direct me to where I can read up on how

I'm so technilogically challenged, I could NEVER manage to post a picture 'till I went to tinypic.com.

Just hit the Browse button to find the pic in your computer that you want to post, then click the host it button. (I believe it's the second line that starts with a < img src....)

Tinypic.com auto shrinks anything that's too big, and it's free!

[sweetliberty]

The Painted Bunting is very pretty and colorful, like most South American birds. That kind of coloring blends in the jungle, but not too well in most of the climate zones here. I think it's coloring would make it very vulnerable to predators. I don't recall ever seeing one in the wild.

[sweetliberty]

You should see the collection of birds I have accumulated in my yard now, and growing every day, it seems. I'd bet there are a dozen pairs of Cardinals, I don't know how many woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Snowy Woodpeckers, Downy Woodpeckers, and now at least one Red-headed Woodpecker and at least one Pileated Woodpecker, and a couple of other kinds, I believe. I have countless finches, Goldfinches and House Finches, for sure, Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, White-breasted Nuthatches, a few Bluejays and one pair (so far) of Red-wing Blackbirds. There are others I haven't identified yet. And then I have about a gazillion of this odd-looking furry tailed species:

.

.

You'll really have to come up and visit when the weather gets warmer.

[MamaTexan]

I think it's coloring would make it very vulnerable to predators. I don't recall ever seeing one in the wild.

You're probably right. Nesting here after the leaves have fallen would be rather hazardous to their health.

Before we moved here a couple of years ago, my husband had built a 3 tiered pond. We had a whole flock of painted buntings, at first I thought someones pet birds had escaped!

We have plans for a pond here too - specifically designed with a shallow center section for a circulating 'birdbath'.

[sweetliberty]

Oh yeah, and my weird, seed eating Robin. I'm sure I missed a few.

[dog breath]

I love to garden and think that it would make a interesting thread. I have planted many shrubs and small trees in my yard which attracts lots of birds. The elderberry, plum, cherry, honeysuckle, hackberry and apple seem to attract them through the summer. Since I have a butterfly garden also, I do not use very many chemicals and they come for the bugs. I have few problem with insects since I have so many birds and insect predators in the yard. I have read some idealistic books which promote zero use of chemicals, but I have found a little chemical warfare helps on occasion.

[sweetliberty]

When do you start putting out the Hummingbird feeders? I haven't put them out here yet, but I'm sure it would be much earlier than in Colorado.

[sweetliberty]

"I have few problem with insects since I have so many birds and insect predators in the yard."

That is my plan as well. I do not do bugs, but I am leery of using chemicals because I don't want to hurt the birds...or butterflies. I'm a little afraid of weedkillers for the same reason.