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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.
Great idea for a thread. Thanks.
I spent the day today in Little Rock and spent a small fortune at the Wild Bird store. I didn't even buy that much, but their stuff is high. They have a lot of variety. It was fun anyway. Long ways to go to shop, but oh well; I was off today.
Help! I went yesterday and bought a set up for a pole feeder and I can't get the confounded thing in the ground. I bought the base that you screw down and then mount the pole because I have really rocky ground and I managed to get it to within a couple of inches of where it is supposed to be, but I can't get it down any farthur. I've already busted one screwdriver using it for leverage. I can't leave it like it is either, because it's wobbly from having to work so hard at getting it in there and some of the dirt has worked loose. Any ideas?
Do you have the pole with the corkscrew end and all important base with four prongs that anchor it to the earth?
It's a corkscrew base, but there are no prongs.
Ouch! That's a tough one. I sympathize with the rocky ground problem!
Can you get the base back out?
If you can, you could fill the hole with water, (It might soften what dirt IS there) then fill it up with loose dirt and re-screw it.
Unfortunately, if it's one of those BIG underground suckers...well, you might want to rethink it's location.
Sorry, I know that's probably not much help! :(
Use a crowbar, s. Screwdrivers are for liberal-demokkkRATs.
I did soak the ground with water and left it sit. I went back and tried a couple of times since then since then. I decided to wait till tomorrow. I've fought with it long enough. No, mine doesn't have the prongs like that, but I invested a small fortune in the set up I have. I was afraid I might have trouble with it. The folks at the bird store were very helpful and they thought it would be something I could overcome. It might just be that I'm not strong enough to get it the last few turns. I'm also afraid of breaking even the heavy duty screwdriver. It's not like I can take it back to the store so easily and try something else. The store is 3 hours away.
I can get the base back out alright. I did fill it with water. I didn't put any other dirt in there. I'm also having a hard time getting it straight. This is a major pain in the butt!
I'm not sure what kind of pole you're talking about, but would cement work. Cement a pole in is not really that hard to do. We have to cement alot of things in because of rocky ground.
Becky
A crowbar won't fit through the holes. They are probably no more than a 1/4" in diameter, if that.
Seems like using cement would kinda defeat the purpose of the corkscrew thingy. What do you do...get a bag of dry cement and add water?
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Watch out! Between a bird and it's food is a dangerous place to be! ;)
Especially the woodpeckers. LOL!
Yeah that's what I've done in the past.
Is the pole you are having trouble with the black one in the picture?
Becky
No. That is an old one. The new one is an inch in diameter, the base screws into the ground and then the pole and attachments are mounted.
Hummingbirds, those fascinating jewel-toned creatures we anxiously look forward to every year, posses two abilities that other birds lack, and lack two abilities that the other birds have.
What are they?
( insert Jeopardy music here :)
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