Posted on 03/05/2005 8:07:37 AM PST by sweetliberty
.
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.
.
Some, but not as much as I wanted to. (Do we ever? LOL)
Thanks! I'd like to get a really good picture of the woodpecker, but whenever I go out the front door, he takes off. The only reason I got that picture is I snuck around the end of the house and snapped pictures furiously ....and sure enough, he spotted me & was gone.
I think my next strategy will be just to take the screen out of the kitchen window and just 'lay in wait' as it were.
(Hey...at least its closer to the coffee pot. LOL!)
I'm guessing the female is nesting, haven't seen her in a while.
Like I told Dysart, I think I'll set up a platform feeder for the bigger birds.....soon as I find a place for it. :)
Make sure you get the kind that has the lift out screens to allow for easier cleaning, and I have found the tall pole (they come in several heights) allows a lot more flexibility for the baffles and for hanging additional feeder devices. Here are a couple of pictures of my set up. You can see where I have the extra feeder hanging (I use this for sunflower seeds), then the peanut feeder and the little blue thing is a mealworm feeder, although you can use it for bits of fruit or whatever. The baffle is a pretty simple one, but effective.
.
.
On the subject of squirrels, I watched one very carefully yesterday slide himself down the Yankee Flipper. He must have gotten a good grip on the perch because I'm sure he circled the thing before being flung off, then he just sat there on the ground looking very confused. I couldn't stop laughing.
Yes, Grackles are a major pain. Again, I imagine I provide amusement for the neighbors with my noisemaking and other attempts at running them off. Grackles are truly the "weeds" of the bird kingdom. Why are they protected? It sure isn't because of their dwindling numbers.
I have thought of that too, but with the wide variety of insects and spiders (many that bite and sting), I thought better of it.
I had a busy weekend. Got some yard work done. Not nearly enough though.
Wow when it rains is pours:)
I went out to turn a horse out in my back pasture, and there was a pileated woodpecker pecking around on some dead trees there. I watched him for quite awhile not more then 20 ft from me.
Then as I came back into the house I had a female hummer at my feeder
Becky
Sometimes I wonder if the birds are just a bit sharper than we give them credit for.
Almost every time I go outside (without the camera, of course), the woodpecker is hanging upside down on the finch feeder in full view and there's at least 2 other birds in the yard I've been trying to get pictures of! When I do have it, there's not a bird to be seen. :)
LOL! Squirrels can be SO funny. Probably a good part of the reason we put up with the silly little tree rats! :)
Went to the store today and got some seed, and found a seed block called a Woodpecker Bar. Anyone ever heard of/used these?
I also asked the kid in the store if they'd removed all the beaks from this Woodpecker Bar, and he just looked at me...didn't say a WORD!!!
How RUDE!! LOL!
The squirrels really like that block, ;) That's funny, you said that LOL! and he didn't even smile. Too bad he's a stuffed shirt. :)
By the way, Sweetliberty, your so lucky. I haven't seen the Nuthatches since March. :)
That's amazing!
Do they stay until it turns cold, or do they keep moving?
I'm fortunate, I have them here year round. In the winter, I have four feeders up. The population goes through spurts though. Sometimes I only have a few at a time. Other times there are some waiting on line. LOL! :)
I've got a family using my bowl light kit from my fan as their home.
They are cute, I will let them grow and fly off, but come summer, I will figure a way to keep them out of the light for the summer.
I saw a Carolina Wren looking in one of my houses today. I hope they take it. I have had some birds nest around here but they never use the houses. The housing market is slow going around here.
Where they nested makes great sense.
It's under a covered outdoor patio. The ceiling has been enclosed and insulated, so there is no heat reflected down.
The bowl from the light kit looks like a large nets to begin with, so they made themselves right at home.
I'm glad I put a second source of light out there though.
That is a beautiful picture:)
Yes, I think I do have a pair, I have now seen a male and a female hummer
Becky
They are so smart. It won't be long and until you get your light back. :) I had Robins in a trellis last year. It's fun watching them go through it all. Boy, the parents sure work hard don't they!
Thanks, Becky!
Wow, that's great a couple! Maybe you will soon have a family of Hummers fighting over the feeder. :)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.