Creating A Bird Sanctuary In Your Yard

March 5, 2005 | sweetliberty

[SE Mom]

Hhmmm...actually I don't know. I've sprayed it directly only on the weed itself. This is good only for spot weed killing I guess.

[andyandval]

ping

[MamaTexan]

Anybody got any suggestions for something that will kill weeds without harming the birds?

You have me stumped on that one!

Good idea to put the hummer feeders out. We haven't gotten any more than the 2 black chins, but I'm still watching for more.

I finally figured out a way to keep our mated pair of red headed woodpeckers from emptying the finch feeder in less than 2 hours!

Don't know it their all made like mine, but each feeding station has both a hole and a little gate that swings up and down.

A flat piece of metal wedged behind the gate keeps it from opening, so they can only get a few seeds out at a time.

Now the little finches have food all week. Has anyone else noticed that Goldfinches don't eat off the ground? Perhaps they just can't compete with the bigger birds?

[GodBlessUSA]

Thanks! :)

[GodBlessUSA]

Wow, you can tell apart Male and Female. You are a long time expert birder, are you? Thanks!

[sweetliberty]

I've never had any of the other birds bother the finch feeders. I have occasionally seen the Goldfinches eat off the ground, but probably because they are so messy at their feeders that there is plenty that gets knocked down. They've taken to eating at the other feeders as well

[GodBlessUSA]

That's great that your Nuthatch is enjoying those meal worms! They are cute! Good you can buy meal worms locally!

I'm going to get the Ant Guard for the Hummer feeder. I will look for it this week. I hope they work. :)

Last year we had such trouble with Yellow Jackets they drove me nuts. The birds couldn't get to their fruit hardly at all. I have to come up with something.

[GodBlessUSA]

Hi MamaTexan!
I recommended Tinypics to Dysart and someone else. It's great. Thanks for putting that info out there!

I have never seen the Gold Finches eat from the ground. On rare occasion, I've seen the house finches do so.

I put my Hummingbird feeder up. Just in case there are any passing through. It's disappointing. It's warm and beautiful today but it's suppose to go into the latter 30's degrees this week during the night.

My husband is coming home from TX, finally, today! :) I was nervous, because there were Tornado warnings there this past week.

[sweetliberty]

Marigolds repel some kinds of insects. I can't remember if bees are among them. I did find this link though.

Harmless pest control/repellents

[MamaTexan]

Hey there!

I'm glad you like the tinypics site. Hope with both of us telling other FReeprs about it doesn't wind up overloading their server! :)

I was nervous, because there were Tornado warnings there this past week.

Yep. We have some ugly thunderstorms in the spring. We got some rain and and outrageous amount of wind. My mother in law lives in Austin, and her pickup got pretty dinged up by the hail, even though it was under the carport because the hail was coming down at such an angle!!

[MamaTexan]

I'm going to get the Ant Guard for the Hummer feeder. I will look for it this week. I hope they work. :)

Rub some Vaseline on the wire leading down to the feeder, and put a small glob of it about halfway down. Some ants get stuck in it, and the others will eventually go away.

[sweetliberty]

I am so excited! I was on the phone and watching the birds out the kitchen window when what should appear on the birdbath but a Bluebird! He sat there for a few seconds, then just plopped himself right in the middle of the birdbath and had himself a bath. He flew up in the tulip tree and sat there fluffing himself, then did a repeat performance. The blue in his tail feathers just glistened in the sun. Now if I can just keep him around! And surely he has a mate somewhere.

[GodBlessUSA]

How Wonderful! The Bluebirds will just love those meal worms! I hope BB returns! You so lucky! :)

[MamaTexan]

LOL! I'd have loved to have seen him. I've never seen a bluebird in the wild. (other than just pics, of course)

Now if I can just keep him around!

Even a bird knows when he's being spoiled! :)

[GodBlessUSA]

You "are" so lucky ;)

[sweetliberty]

I will have to run out and get some more meal worms tomorrow. The Nuthatches ate them all. LOL! These birds eat more than I do. So much for the saying.."eating like a bird." If I ate like these birds, I'd look like the Goodyear blimp!

[GodBlessUSA]

Hi MamaTexan
My husband returned. He loves Texas!

Thanks for the tip with ants! I will try that. How many Hummers are you seeing? It took me 4 years looking to see Blue Birds. They say we have them here. I finally saw one but I was in another state. They sure are beautiful birds. I hope you get to see one! :)

[R. Scott]

Anybody got any suggestions for something that will kill weeds without harming the birds?

Pulling by hand?

[sweetliberty]

That might work if I could quit my job. I have a big yard, and not a lot of time to put into it. If I tried to do it by hand, the first section would have regrown by the time I got to the last one.

[R. Scott]

In that case - I wish you the best of luck.