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Attention Bird Gardening Enthusiasts
self | February 12, 2005 | sweetliberty

Posted on 02/12/2005 9:27:14 AM PST by sweetliberty

With Spring just around the corner, at least here in the southeast, it's time to think about spending more time outdoors and making our yards and porches more pleasant places to be. FReepers have such a wide variety of interests and talents, I thought it might be fun and educational to do a thread for bird and garden enthusiasts. I see a fair amount of discussion on some of the threads about gardening and landscaping, but not too much that is specific to gardening for the birds.

I've pretty much always had a bird feeder or two around, and that number has grown since I moved into a place last summer that has a big yard. I have a fair variety of birds and I have begun to think about developing it specifically to attract more species, not only for the enjoyment of watching the birds, but also to control natural pests that are prevalent in this part of the country, without resorting to pesticides. I know that the right combination of flora can discourage certain pests and also attract birds that will help keep the pest population down. I would love to hear from FReepers who are experienced at creating such a balance. I think it would also be fun to have a place to share our experiences as we develop them. I know there's lots of links out there with useful information and I make use of them from time to time, but it's just not the same as having discussions on a forum where we have experts on everything. And I don't know of any place else on the web so animated by wit, along with wisdom, on just about any topic.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Gardening; Hobbies; Outdoors; Pets/Animals; Reference
KEYWORDS: attractingbirds; backyardbirds; birdfeeding; birdgardens; birdwatching; gardening; insectcontrol; naturalpestcontrol
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To: Budge
Oh, and I forgot the Mourning Doves, too. I have lot of those.

And there is a Bald Eagle (not in my yard) that I have seen 3 times, flying overhead when I was on the road near my house. The first time I saw him, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, then I found out that there are nesting sites in the area and apparently there has been a conscious effort make to build up their numbers here. There is even an Eagle Watch weekend which occurred not long after the sightings.

181 posted on 02/13/2005 8:27:58 AM PST by sweetliberty (Blind stupidity or blind loyalty is still blind.)
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To: sweetliberty
When do you start putting out the Hummingbird feeders?

Around the first of May here in southeast Missouri.

182 posted on 02/13/2005 8:32:03 AM PST by Conservababe
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To: Conservababe

I would think it would be similar here. You're not that far from me, and I know that they can travel great distances in incredibly short time.


183 posted on 02/13/2005 8:34:10 AM PST by sweetliberty (Blind stupidity or blind loyalty is still blind.)
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To: sweetliberty; MamaTexan
Thank you, thank you both!! I only could post on one forum because it was a direct link. I never asked, because I felt a bit stupid asking Freepers how to post pictures. Now, I will do this. I'll be back later to bore you with a picture or two of birds and my garden.

I'm thrilled I will even be able to put a President Reagan picture on my home page!! :)
184 posted on 02/13/2005 8:49:47 AM PST by GodBlessUSA (Support, Prayers and Thanks to our Troops!)
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To: sweetliberty

Darn, I used to have the funniest little book, a parody of bird watching. One page showed the American bunting in colors of red, white and blue. Then it gave a paragraph or two describing its habitat and such. Another gave the woodpecker a drill for a bill and described its gutter drilling habits. Every bird watcher who saw it got a kick out of it. I think I lent it to someone and they never gave it back, as it is now missing.


185 posted on 02/13/2005 9:05:54 AM PST by Conservababe
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To: GodBlessUSA

I think alot depends on the type of feeder too. I had two different types, one of those in the cedar holder then the one like in my picture I posted back aways. The one in the cedar never got used, even when they had emptied the other. I finally got rid of it and bought another like the one in the picture. It was the first year I had feed hummingbirds, but I had tons of them. They were very fun to watch. They are very aggressive little birds, dive bombing each other as they would try to feed. My cat would be laying there watching them, but they didn't seem to be afraid of him. Very brave:). I'd sit out there in the mornings drinking my coffee and they would come real close and hang in the air in front of me and watch me. Even would fly down and check out the dog.

The flower in my garden that I noticed they liked the best was red sylvia.

Becky


186 posted on 02/13/2005 11:00:27 AM PST by PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain (aka: Horselifter, Mackdaddy:)
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To: GodBlessUSA

Oh, and something else I learned. The ones I feed liked the brand of feed that I bought in liquid form. I got it at Wal mart and it's called Liquid Nature, or First nature, something like that. It's a concentrate you mix with water. No cooking or stirring very easy to use. One time when I had to buy a different kind, they stopped coming around. But then I got some more and they came back. So the type of feed you use must make a difference.

I've heard that using just sugar water is not good. It doesn't contain any nutrients. the birds will get deficent in things and die. I don't know if that is true or not, but it made sense to me.

becky


187 posted on 02/13/2005 11:05:07 AM PST by PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain (aka: Horselifter, Mackdaddy:)
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To: GodBlessUSA

If you go to the thread free republic saddle club thread, click on to the who's who link under the logo and scroll down to under the pictures, there is a very easy explanation on how to post pictures.

Becky


188 posted on 02/13/2005 11:07:57 AM PST by PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain (aka: Horselifter, Mackdaddy:)
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To: PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain
I'm going to try to post a picture. Here's one of a Flicker. I hope this works, otherwise just ignore my post LOL.
189 posted on 02/13/2005 5:10:46 PM PST by GodBlessUSA (Support, Prayers and Thanks to our Troops!)
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To: GodBlessUSA

You did good:)

Becky


190 posted on 02/13/2005 5:27:49 PM PST by PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain (aka: Horselifter, Mackdaddy:)
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To: Conservababe; HairOfTheDog

191 posted on 02/13/2005 5:40:46 PM PST by sweetliberty (Blind stupidity or blind loyalty is still blind.)
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To: sweetliberty

Your place sounds wonderful, SL! I can hardly wait to visit!


192 posted on 02/13/2005 5:50:08 PM PST by Budge (<>< Sit Nomen Domini benedictum. <><)
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To: GodBlessUSA

Great job. Nice picture, too.


193 posted on 02/13/2005 6:08:59 PM PST by sweetliberty (Blind stupidity or blind loyalty is still blind.)
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To: sweetliberty
Thanks. I have Ronald Reagan on my home page too! I used the TinyPics MamaTexan suggested. It's really easy. I hope I don't go picture crazy.

I'm also going to look into the one you suggested. I love taking pictures. My computer crashed last year and I lost so many of them. To have them on line for a second back up would be great.
194 posted on 02/13/2005 6:26:18 PM PST by GodBlessUSA (Support, Prayers and Thanks to our Troops!)
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To: GodBlessUSA
"I hope I don't go picture crazy."

You probably will. There are 2 sites I have open all the time when I'm on the computer, this one Fotki, so that I have immediate access to my pictures when I want to post something.

"To have them on line for a second back up would be great."

Yep. A little over a year ago, my hard drive got toasted. I was very thankful to have almost all my pics that were on my computer saved on Fotki.

195 posted on 02/13/2005 6:31:17 PM PST by sweetliberty (Blind stupidity or blind loyalty is still blind.)
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To: meowmeow

It sounds like you know about cardinals. I have a beautiful, but neurotic one in my yard. It attacks the mirrors, windshield and windows of our vehicles...and starts hitting our kitchen window a little past sun up. It is a beautiful bird, BUT my side mirror is badly scratched, and my kitchen window is 'etched' from the repeated hits (at just about the same spot...like it is a 'bullseye.' I have tried putting black paper up on the inside of the window in question, along with hanging a windsock (with long kitelike tail) hoping that the movement would distract the bird...but it still keeps hitting the cars and window. This started back in September...any suggestions?


196 posted on 02/13/2005 6:40:22 PM PST by PennsylvaniaMom (FreeMartha)
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To: PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain
That sounds wonderful! Having coffee with Hummingbirds around! Thanks for your advice on Hummers. I will keep trying to entice them. It sounds like you live in a great location to see so many different varieties of birds! Lucky!;)

I feed the Chickadees and Titmice peanuts right on the deck railing. Even the BlueJays come down and take them as I'm sitting on the deck. It's great fun!
197 posted on 02/13/2005 6:41:13 PM PST by GodBlessUSA (Support, Prayers and Thanks to our Troops!)
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To: sweetliberty
Thank you for posting this thread.
I like to work on my yard as well and like you don't have nearly enough time to do all the things I would like to do in my garden.
It is very relaxing to work in your garden and to watch the birds.
We Have chickadees,robins,starlings and of course jays in our yard.
We also have a blue heron and king fishers in the neighborhood.
My daughter and I enjoy watching them when ever I find the time.
Thank you again for starting this nice thread and I hope we can keep it going.

Mrs.Nooseman
198 posted on 02/13/2005 9:45:50 PM PST by Mrs.Nooseman
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To: PennsylvaniaMom
No idea - maybe put out sunflower seeds (their favorite) and perhaps a smarter cardinal will show up and chase him out LOL!

My mom has a chickadee that raps on the window when the feeder gets empty. Fortunately they are tiny and don't do much damage.

199 posted on 02/14/2005 3:44:22 AM PST by meowmeow (Gardeners for Global Warming)
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To: Mrs.Nooseman

ping for later- great idea for thread!


200 posted on 02/14/2005 3:51:00 AM PST by SE Mom (God Bless our troops.)
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