Posted on 03/05/2005 8:07:37 AM PST by sweetliberty
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As it turned out, the previous thread on this topic generated a lot of interest and several people recommended doing it as a regular thread, so here is the second installment.
How you go about creating a bird sanctuary in your yard, or outdoor space, will depend on a number of givens, some which can modified, and others over which you have no control. One of these is geographical location or climate zone. If you live in the Colorado Rockies, you are not going to attract Cardinals, no matter how many black oil sunflower seeds you put out, and if you're on a beach in Florida, it's a pretty safe bet that there will be no snow buntings visiting your yard, the cornucopia of insects notwithstanding. Of course, if global warming keeps encroaching on us, we may soon find Alaska overrun with Parrots and Flamingos, but, I digress.
Within any given area, there are a variety of habitats, so no matter what your specific location, it is possible to vastly increase the types and numbers of birds in your immediate environment by modifying your habitat to make it more bird friendly to a wider array of birds native to your region.
Another "given" is your available space. If you live in a cottage in the woods by a stream, you will obviously have a lot more options available to you than if you live in an urban apartment with nothing more than a small porch or balcony. Of course, I think the majority of us live somewhere between those extremes. The point is, even if you have nothing more than a porch, you can still make it bird friendly, thereby increasing your enjoyment of these highly entertaining creatures. If you don't even have so much as a porch, I would suggest moving!
The purpose of this thread is to share ideas for maximizing our outdoor spaces to make them appealing to birds and butterflies, to share our experiences and knowledge or expertise, photos and resources. The discussion is pretty free-flowing and may expand to include gardening, landscaping and related topics. The direction the thread takes will really be up to the FReepers who post on it. We can focus on a different topic every week or two, or just keep it open and casual, updating the thread periodically. The main thing is that we learn and have fun.
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ah..........a rare bird indeed! lol
The Droll Yankee feeders are among the best ~ a frriend gave me a super one for my birthday this past year and I love it!
for two years in a row the cardinals have nested in a small bush right outside my office window ~ it has be great to be able to watch them from the comfort of my own desk! I'd never seen a cardinal until I moved to Texas and I absolutely love them!! The male looks like a bright red apple perched in my tree in the winter!
That's definitely a Junco. Look for him to be feeding off the ground.
Many of my birds wintered here, and the yard was alive in the worst of weather. The Cardinals are particularly outstanding against the snow.
They do nuch of the time. But a couple of them find the pan on the porch railing appealing too. Thanks. I don't think I've ever had them before.
Your welcome. Thanks for posting this thread. I have many nuthatches too. I'll get my camera out..for the next birdie thread...spring is coming, the finches are molting, this should be fun. White breasted nuthatches are beautiful too.
I have the Nuthatches also. I love most of the birds. I could do without the Grakles though. I also have 3 or 4 huge Crows that stop off in my yard of a morning, but they don't cause too much trouble. Mostly, they just snatch a few peanuts and move on.
Thanks for the ping.
I see your new thread is of to a good start.
I am late getting here and so have to read all the posts before me.
LOL.
Mrs.N
That is such a need bird.
I got to see a falcon once,he perched right in front of my house on the little streetlight we have there.It was a very nice surprise to see him sitting there ,I have never seen one that close before.
I used to get chickadees and nuthatches until these darned overgrown pigeons kept showing up on my porch
I took this pic about a week ago. We get lots of squirrels (red & grey), turkeys, deer, opossum, and my favorites, the rosebreasted grossbeak and ruby crowned kinglet
I don't know how I missed your ping. These are Wonderful Shots! Look at all them peanuts, LOL!
It sure has a hood like a junco does...
I can tell that once I get through setting my garden up, y'all are going to have me out there with my camera...
Interesting assortment of critters. At least your yard is unique, but I can see why some of the smaller birds would avoid it. I just read the other day that Red Squirrels eat songbirds. I didn't know that.
LOL! It just seemed to fit. He looks like his mouth is gaping in that shot.
What kind of bird has a voice that sounds like a high pitched meow? Whatever it is, I have one out there this morning singing up a storm. Sounds like a treed kitten, only with a little trill in its voice. I haven't seen it though, so I don't what it looks like.
I would really, really like to get a shot of my Red-headed Woodpecker. He visits the pan on the porch, too. Seems a lot of these birds have a taste for peanuts.
That's the idea. 
Wow, You have a Redheaded Woodpecker visiting! When you get that shot of your Redheaded Woodpecker, please don't forget to ping me to see him!
Sometimes, when the Catbirds come to the yard, the squirrels shoot up the trees because they think there is a cat in the yard. It's so funny.
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