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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Nice picture, too. I have House Finches as well. I took a picture of one yesterday, but it didn't turn out very good, so I deleted it.
Au contraire, you see, I have a 6' platform feeder-- mice and rats have been known to climb them and gorge themselves on seed. They are especially given to nocturnal raids. One rat, I've affectionately dubbed Hillary, knowing when I open the back door that the dogs will soon charge, will hurl herself off the feeder some 10-12 feet and scramble for safety of the nearest tree. It's a delightful game.
LOL!
Nice tube feeder. I need to convert to them because swarms of Grackles and Starlings are taking over everything else while the Finches and Cardinals look on longingly in the trees.
What? A cardinal stealing the poor squirrels peanuts?
The spot where I'm getting most of the pictures is just a pan on the back porch railing. It is mainly for the squirrels, but there are a lot of birds like it too. I'm planning on getting a deck mount set up for that spot so I have something a bit more sturdy. The squirrels always knock the pan off squabbling over it. That was just an experiment initially, which seems to have worked very well, because not only does it keep a lot of the squirrels in a different part of the yard than the birdfeeders, but it also brings a lot of birds to a spot where I can watch them when I'm on the computer, and also can sometimes get halfway decent, closeup pictures.
Unless you especially enjoy the game with the rats, I would think a baffle on the pole would prevent access to them.
LOL! No. There is black oil sunflower seeds in the pan as well. The Titmice, Bluejays and the Red-headed Woodpecker(s) compete with the squirrels for the peanuts though.
Nope, but if the feeder is too close to the house, they may discover your basement!
I don't have a basement....and I DO have a cat. I've really never had a problem with mice or rats when I've had cats, which is almost always. Now 'possum....that's another matter, but so far, they haven't done any damage. Have rabbits also, but they don't climb. Armadillos too, but they are more a threat to gardens. Besides, you rarely see a live one. They seem to have a magnet that attracts them to roadways.
Looking good, SL!
I just wish I had a lot more time to mess with it.
They will sit on the patio and he flips kernels(?) of the dog food to blue jays.
They often catch them in mid flight and will beg for more.
Fascinating to watch!
Well, it's the beginning of spring here in Texas. The cardinals are traveling in mated pairs, and the rubythroat hummingbird flew off with some floozy.... (snicker) but I DID see another hummer day before yesterday. I think it was a black chin, but they all look pretty similar during a downpour.
I've also seen a Redheaded Woodpecker and his mate raiding the bird-feeder almost as often as the squirrels!
I never knew Woodpeckers were so NOISY!
The wildflower season is a very big thing here. It not unusual to see roadsides and fields literally carpeted with color.
The first to bloom here on the homestead is a type of Palafoxia, a member of the Aster family. They are delicate daisy like flowers that open only during sunny weather. The common colors are white or pale purple, but sometimes you can find bicolor ones too.
I LOVE digital cameras! You can get such a bug's eye view...
With Spring break over, maybe Mama can squeeze in a bit more time for one of life's guilty pleasures.....
FReeping!
LOL, when I see those Titmice takes peanuts only half the size of themselves. Great shot of Cardinal! Did you ever see that mystery bird that you couldn't id the sound of? Also, have you seen the Pileated Woodpecker lately?
I'll see what I can do. No promises though, it's been a while since I've been over there.
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