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Creating A Bird Sanctuary In Your Yard
March 5, 2005 | sweetliberty

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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Link to previous thread:
Attention Bird Gardening Enthusiasts


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Gardening; Hobbies; Outdoors; Pets/Animals; Reference
KEYWORDS: attractingbirds; backyardbirding; birdfeeders; birdgardening; birdhouses; birdlover; birdsanctuary; birdwatching; butterflygardens; gardening
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To: Dysart
Hi Dysart,
My Mocker is still here but not paired up yet. I think there's a Crow that keeps eating the fruit though. I keep putting out more. Yesterday, I went shopping and couldn't believe they want $4.00 for a tiny container of Blueberries or Cranberries. I have to find a farm stand around here. I have to be able to get fruit less expensive. I planted a couple of Blueberry bushes last year. I hope they produce fruit this year. :)
741 posted on 04/28/2005 5:27:46 AM PDT by GodBlessUSA (US Troops, past, present and future, God Bless You and Thank You! Prayers said for our Heroes!)
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To: sweetliberty
It's hard to make a mental note of details on a first sighting of an unfamiliar bird.

Isn't that the truth! Especially when you only see them on occasion.

You're right about the Kildear, those are exactly what we have. I guess I'm going to have to invest in cable. With dial-up, I've usually managed to reply before the pictures all show up! LOL!

No, I don't usually have a camera in the car, although popping a cheap disposable in the glove-box probably wouldn't be a bad idea. Wonder if the film could take the Texas heat?

742 posted on 04/28/2005 5:27:56 AM PDT by MamaTexan (I'd rather stand with the few who are right than the many who are wrong)
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To: BykrBayb
Hi Bykrbyb,
Welcome to the birding forum. Sweetliberty started a great thread. My husband said, politics and garden/birds, I'll never see her again. LOL!

I go looking for birds but at wildlife sanctuary not on someone's property. Gees, Those people who trespass have nerve.

Your pictures of the Killdeer and the eggs is wonderful!
743 posted on 04/28/2005 5:33:19 AM PDT by GodBlessUSA (US Troops, past, present and future, God Bless You and Thank You! Prayers said for our Heroes!)
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To: GodBlessUSA
Morning GodBlessUSA!

I didn't look hard enough.

LOL! Sometimes it takes several days to look through all the info pulled up by an extensive Google search!

Goldfinches are wonderful little birds! I think thats what took be a bit to figure out what they were. For some reason I expected Goldfinches to be, well GOLD....not a yellowy pea green color.

Thanks to my FReindly FReeper FRiends, I now know the green color is their winter plumage, and the gold is for the summer!

(but I STILL wish they hung around longer!)

744 posted on 04/28/2005 5:36:47 AM PDT by MamaTexan (I'd rather stand with the few who are right than the many who are wrong)
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To: sweetliberty
My poor little hummingbird sentinel is diligently minding his post this morning, even though he is just drenched from the rain.

Poor thing! Hummers are so small anyway....but get them wet, and they look absolutely pitiful!

LOL!

745 posted on 04/28/2005 5:39:32 AM PDT by MamaTexan (I'd rather stand with the few who are right than the many who are wrong)
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To: sweetliberty
This storm seems to be escalating and I have to go to work anyway.

Ommmm! You said a 4 letter word!

LOL! Have a good day sweetliberty, we'll catch you later!

746 posted on 04/28/2005 5:41:35 AM PDT by MamaTexan (I'd rather stand with the few who are right than the many who are wrong)
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To: Ciexyz
Hi Ciexyz
I have one neighbor across the way who can be a real pest when it comes to my feeding birds. I'm not even in close proximity to them. I keep my feeders and yard clean. Probably cleaner than some who don't have feeders. I get blamed for moles, squirrels getting hit by cars, a distance from here. You name it. Seems they just don't like nature.

At first, the comments irritated me but now my husband and I joke about it. Thank goodness there are more nicer people than the few crabs. LOL!

747 posted on 04/28/2005 5:46:23 AM PDT by GodBlessUSA (US Troops, past, present and future, God Bless You and Thank You! Prayers said for our Heroes!)
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To: sweetliberty
Hi Sweetliberty,
I think you picked a great location for birds! :) Have you seen or heard the Pileated lately? How about the Bluebird, still around? :)


I hope it's not a bad storm. Safe driving to work!
748 posted on 04/28/2005 5:49:34 AM PDT by GodBlessUSA (US Troops, past, present and future, God Bless You and Thank You! Prayers said for our Heroes!)
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To: MamaTexan
Good Morning MamaTexan!
My husband teases me about the birds, just for fun. But he was truly so amazed when he saw Gold finches and that they change color.

I changed my Hummer feeder for the 3rd time. Now, I have to watch closely because last year, year before, it was around this time, I saw some passing through. I planted a lot for them last year, where I put the feeder. Hopefully, when the plants bloom, I'll get a regular Hummer visiting. :)
749 posted on 04/28/2005 5:56:30 AM PDT by GodBlessUSA (US Troops, past, present and future, God Bless You and Thank You! Prayers said for our Heroes!)
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To: GodBlessUSA
ROFL!

PapaTexan teases me too, but he still manages to spend a lot of his workshop time building various types of feeders!

I planted a lot for them last year, where I put the feeder. Hopefully, when the plants bloom, I'll get a regular Hummer visiting. :)

You should. I think I'm seeing so few birds at the feeders because they have so much 'wild' food available right now. I have plans for a combination hummer/herb garden. A lot of their favorite flowers like the same growing conditions as kitchen herbs.

It's funny how certain birds are *regulars* in certain parts of the country, and just pass through other parts!

Guess that's what makes this such a cool thread. With FReepers spread out all over the states we can compare which birds are the regulars in each area!

750 posted on 04/28/2005 6:32:37 AM PDT by MamaTexan (I'd rather stand with the few who are right than the many who are wrong)
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To: sweetliberty
Here's an excellent bird thread....Ivory Billed Woodpecker found.

There's a big prize if you get a picture of one on your suet feeder.

 

 


751 posted on 04/28/2005 8:02:45 AM PDT by bert (Hitch Hiker's Guide is coming!! April 29th!!!)
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To: GodBlessUSA
Hi. Have you tried cranberries from Sams Club? They sell a large bag for 6 bucks or so. Same with raisins. They like apples too. And don't forget peanut butter! lol

Maybe we could start a dating service for lonely, unpaired Mockingbirds. We could put their songs online and females could choose their mates based on which songs pleases them most. Or something like that...
752 posted on 04/28/2005 9:26:26 AM PDT by Dysart
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To: bert
WOW. Just Wow. I claimed that I'd never become the stereotypical birder, and all that that entails, but sighting this one would be a thrill.
753 posted on 04/28/2005 9:28:52 AM PDT by Dysart
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To: MamaTexan

I should have asked them who parked on the killdeer nest. We didn't have any the time, but they didn't know that. It might have been fun to see their reaction.

I found those pictures somewhere on the Internet. (I hope that's not like trespassing.)


754 posted on 04/28/2005 11:09:28 AM PDT by BykrBayb (Impeach Judge Greer - In memory of Terri Schindler <strike>Schiavo</strike> - www.terrisfight.org)
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To: BykrBayb
I should have asked them who parked on the killdeer nest.

ROFL! Or find some rare endangered bird, get some corresponding feathers from a hobby store, make in into a bird shape (using clay would work) and fling it under their car.

Then point and scream "OMG! They've killed a rare & endangered (whatever)!"

Be good for a laugh ('specially if you taped it), and who knows? They might just take off, never to be seen again!

(I hope that's not like trespassing.)

No, most copyrighted pictures have a 'watermark' on the picture itself. Other site clearly state the fact the pics are copyrighted.

Most pictures you'll find don't have limitations on their uses.

I don't even think posting a copyrighted picture on FR is illegal, simply because it is not a commercial usage.

755 posted on 04/28/2005 11:24:23 AM PDT by MamaTexan (I'd rather stand with the few who are right than the many who are wrong)
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To: GodBlessUSA

Thanks. They're not really my pictures. I trespassed onto somebody else's site and took them. LOL


756 posted on 04/28/2005 11:29:05 AM PDT by BykrBayb (Impeach Judge Greer - In memory of Terri Schindler <strike>Schiavo</strike> - www.terrisfight.org)
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To: MamaTexan

I wonder if that would work if I just invented a rare bird. I could use feathers from several different species. There are only 27 of them in existence. Now there's 26.


757 posted on 04/28/2005 11:33:13 AM PDT by BykrBayb (Impeach Judge Greer - In memory of Terri Schindler <strike>Schiavo</strike> - www.terrisfight.org)
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To: bert
That is a good thread!

Some one one here had a Pilated (sp) Woodpecker that was apparently a pretty shy bird.

We just have the plain redheads here. We did have a pair, but they got huffy when I finally managed to keep them out of the finch-feeder. Not sure if they've decided to nest here or not.

758 posted on 04/28/2005 11:34:31 AM PDT by MamaTexan (I'd rather stand with the few who are right than the many who are wrong)
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To: BykrBayb
I wonder if that would work if I just invented a rare bird.

Great idea!

After all, you are dealing with the type of people who run on emotions.

They're SO convinced that critters = people, they'd probably hurt themselves trying to get away from the *scene of the crime*, and NOT knowing about a particularly rare bird wouldn't even make them pause.

So I guess it would come down to how good you are at acting!

Seriously, what are they gonna do? Get mad? Cry?

Tell them your only other choice if they refuse to behave is for you to completely block their access to your property.

If nothing else, maybe it would work for its *shock value*!

759 posted on 04/28/2005 11:44:42 AM PDT by MamaTexan (I'd rather stand with the few who are right than the many who are wrong)
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To: MamaTexan

It depends on my ability to act? Darn! I know I'd have to bust out laughing.


760 posted on 04/28/2005 11:51:51 AM PDT by BykrBayb (Impeach Judge Greer - In memory of Terri Schindler <strike>Schiavo</strike> - www.terrisfight.org)
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