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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As far as birds, I have found they like shrubs and shrub like trees to hide from predators while they eat. Half of my acre is still wooded and I have many birds. I put out seed, suet and have a small pond that they drink water from.
Our robins who refused to go south for the winter were out in force today. They are one tough bunch.
All your pictures are beautiful. Very busy feeders when it snows. I love Red-breasted Nuthatches. This is the first year they stuck around for us.
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Glad you liked them.
Then, this morning, I got up and as I was making coffee I saw the Pileated Woodpecker again. First time I'd seen him since I mentioned it before. He was on the ground and really hammering on something. Old stump I suppose. Whenever one of the squirrels that was nosing around would get close enough to annoy him, he'd spread and flap his wings the way a goose or a swan does. I just HAD to at least try and get a picture. He was there for a good long time. Of course, I couldn't get close enough to get a good picture without scaring him away, but you can kinda make him out in this one. This thing is as big as a chicken! Just to give you and idea of his size, this was probably shot from nearly 150 yards away with a camera with a worthless zoom.
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And finally, I got to see the Yankee Flipper dismiss a squirrel. It was a hoot. I only ever get to see this cool stuff on the weekends. The rest of the time, I'm not schedule coordinated enough with the birds and I'm always on the run.
How exciting it must be to see a Bluebird in your birdbath! I'm going to see if I can see Bluebirds, at a nearby sanctuary, this year. They have the houses set up for them in a field. Fingers crossed.
This is a tulip from last year. Tulip Angelique. I planted many this past fall. I hope the little critters didn't take them all. Last year, tulips were popping up where I didn't plant them.
That's a tulip? Wow. That is really pretty. Looks almost like a rose.
I posted it because I'm looking through garden pictures remembering what flowers look like. Winter is taking it's toll on me now. :) I can't wait for spring. They are saying possible snow at the end of the week. Oh, no!
I know what you mean. After that beautiful, 83 degree day we had Saturday, we had another freeze last night. I am SO sick of these weather swings. It is time for Spring to get here and STAY here!
The Pileated Woodpecker is back hammering on the ground this this morning. I can't imagine what is so interesting over there that he is staying on the ground for so long at a time. Whatever it is, the squirrels are finding it interesting, too. He had an altercation with one of them this morning. He gets hisself all fluffed up and flaps his wings. It is pretty funny. Comical bird. I hope there are more of them around. I think where there is one, surely there must at least be a mate.
I keep hearing people say that they are endangered. I thought that was just the Ivory-billed ones (which I don't know if this is because I haven't been able to see his beak that close), but I could be wrong. Either that, or perhaps people are mixing them up with another species. How many species of woodpeckers are there anyway? I think I have representatives of most of them. LOL!
Junco?
Is that a Downey or Harried Woodpecker?
It is! And it looks like a cartoon character in real life too. LOL! I was almost late to an important meeting this morning, I got so busy watching him. Fortunately, some kids scared him into the trees. I did take a peak at what he'd been working on so intently, though. I was right about it being an old stump, but it looked like an excavation operation. Sheesh! That bird must have some power behind that beak! I hope he is there again in the morning.
What kind of clippers do you have? I have a Himalayan Cat that I cut to look like a lion. His undercoat fur is dense and his topcoat is not particularly pretty. His personality changes when he is shaved but I go through clippers too fast.
I have both. I get them mixed up. I think that one's a Downy Woodpecker though.
Andis Detachable Plus AG. I have the blades sharpened once a year or so. You would use quite a bit different size blade than I probably. I mean this golden has the fur of a grizzly bear with a super dense undercoat.
I am so glad you started this thread. I enjoy reading about the birds and weather, etc. I am in Michigan and there is still snow on the ground. Can't wait to get outside. I will soon put out my hummingbird feeders and oriole feeders although I had oriole's at the hummingbird feeders last year.
I wish there was some answer to the mess under the feeder that builds, germinates and molds. I do not feed the birds in the summer because of my flower garden. Weeding is enough let alone the germinating of feed that goes all over.
The dreaded the tree seeds that pop up all over the flower beds will soon be here!!
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Wildlife screensavers
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