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Birds in the Garden

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Did I just see a cardinal??

There is nothing more relaxing that sitting by the window with a cup of coffee and watching the birds at their feeders. And you will be surprised at what they will eat! To date mine will eat just about anything but bananas. They hate bananas!

Since moving to Chicago I have seen some interesting new birds... a few Cardinals, which are such gorgeous bird, a Falcon which is stunning and a few birds that I haven't been able to put names to! But they are all beautiful!

Must get ready for winter. Have lots of new birds to feed!

Cooking for the Birds :)

I have provided you with a shopping list of each of the recipes. If you have all of the ingredients, click on the link to see how it's all put together.

Homemade Bird Balls: Here's your shopping list...
1 pound of lard
1 jar of peanut butter
5 cups corn meal
6 cups oats
2 cups sunflower seeds
2 cups raisins
Pinecone Snack: 1 pinecone
fat or peanut butter
seeds
Birders Delight: 1 Pound Suet cut in small pieces
1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal
1 Cup Rolled Oats
1 Cup Chunky Peanut Butter
1 Cup Mixed Wild Bird Seed
1 Cup Hulled Sunflower Seed or Chopped Pecans
Bird Pies: Suet, 2 to 3 c. melted
Peanut butter
Yellow corn meal
sunflower seed
Regular bird seed
Finely cracked corn
Bread crumbs, bought and unspiced
Raisins
Finely chopped nuts
Finely ground egg shells
Brown sugar, approximately 1/4 cup
Bird Treats: 1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup Crisco
2 cups yellow cornmeal, more if to sticky
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup finely cracked dried whole corn
1/2 cup seeds (sunflower,milet,sesame,amaranth,even seeds from sweet & hot peppers) or cracked nuts
Directions

How To Attract More Birds

Looking to attract more birds to your garden? You might be surprised at what will attract them. First of all leaving your garden just a wee bit wild will give them the shelter they want and if you plant some insect friendly flowers, that's going to attract them as well.

Source:http://www.timesonline.co.uk
Photo Credit: Amazon

A Need For Drinking Water

Many people who feed birds often forget that they need water for drinking and bathing. The bathing part is quite funny actually... Anyway, there are lots of economical bird bath on the market or you could get crafty and find something around the house that would work as their personal swimming pool.

As for the safety aspect of it, in the summer, all you will have to do is keep it clean and dump it every night to prevent the standing water that mosquitos love. In the winter, simply top it up with a little water from your kettle. Yes, they do require drinking water in the winter as well. There are some years when they won't even have snow to use for drinking water. Didn't happen this year, but there have been years when snow didn't arrive until very late in the year... if at all.

Photo Credit: Amazon

Let the Birds Get Used To You

Feeding the birds now is a great way to ensure that they will be a constant visitor next winter, when they really need your help.

*Summer Feeding
Placing feeders around your yard doesn't have to be an expensive endeavor. Making homemade bird feeders might be your next hobby! Doesn't look store bought?? I don't think the birds are going to care one little bit! Just spread some seed and watch them go for it.

*Winter Feeding
1 c. peanut butter
2 c. bird seed
Netting saved from fruit bags

1. Combine the peanut butter with the bird seed.

2. Gather into a ball and then divide into 6 pieces

3. Distribute each 1/6th of the recipe into the middle of the netting.

4. Gather the edges and tie off with string.

5. Hang bags from various branches of trees and then make yourself a cup of tea and enjoy the view.

* I'm waiting to see my first cardinal.

My Favorite Quotes About Birds

I love quotes. They are short and to the point and more often than not cause me to stop and think, so I have decided to share some of my favorites with you.

I realized that If I had to choose, I would rather have birds
than airplanes.
Charles Lindbergh

Did you ever see an unhappy horse? Did you ever see bird that had the blues? One reason why birds and horses are not unhappy is because they are not trying to impress other birds and horses.
Dale Carnegie

Sweet bird! thy bow'r is ever green,
Thy sky is ever clear;
thou has't no sorrow in thy song,
No winter in thy year.
- John Logan

Morning is the best of all times in the garden. The sun is not yet hot. Sweet vapors rise from the earth. Night dew clings to the soil and makes plants glisten. Birds call to one another. Bees are already at work.
William Longgood

Photo Credit: Amazon

Are You Feeding the Rats Too?

Choose a feeder that is up off the ground. It might be easy to throw a handful of seed out the back door (especially if you are in a hurry) but you might want to reconsider this practice. It could attract rats, who might be looking for a free meal too. If you have seen the movie Ratatouille, you might be re-thinking just how cute rats might be, but we aren't talking cartoon rats. Real rats carry disease so I would think twice about attracting them.

How to Build a Fancy Bird Feeder Using Old Wood

This looks like one really fascinating hobby to introduce your granddad to!

Lunch Box Bird Feeder

Here's something that will attract the attention of the birds... and your neighbors. It is designed to hang on a fence (really cool idea) but pretty much any vertical surface. It is made of earthenware so it should be easy to take down and give a good cleaning. (That's one thing that I hate about wooden feeders. How on earth do you clean them?)

Photo Credit: Perch Design
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Putting Out Water For the Birds in the Summer

Have you ever seen birds drinking water from a puddle. If they aren't provided with a source of water, that's all they have and when they dry up well, they are simply out of luck. If you are going to feed the birds, try to offer them water as well. Just be sure to clean it on a regular basis.

Do You Have An Old Picnic Table?

We had one that we weren't using and put it right infront of our patio doors. We had a big back yard, so placing it that location wasn't a problem, but it paid off big time. We could scatter the birdseed on the entire table and then watch during mealtimes as the birds arrived. Some were absolutely hilarious as they chased each other around the table. There definitely was a pecking order out there!!

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

Observing Hummingbirds

Have you ever observed a humming-bird moving about in an aerial dance among the flowers - a living prismatic gem.... it is a creature of such fairy-like loveliness as to mock all description.

*W.H. Hudson,

What Do Robins Eat??

Have you ever wondered what robins eat when they return in the spring? This year there was still snow on the ground and as they eat insects, I really was worried about them. But to my surprise, I saw one outside my back window. We had a tiny area in the sun where the grass was visible. Somehow he had located a caterpillar and he was taking full advantage. Didn't look for very long. I was feeling sorry for the caterpillar. The first nice day and a robin eats him. Definitely not a good day for the caterpillar.

Choosing Your Birdseed

It pays to take a good look at what you are buying. Inexpensive bags of seed often contain dried rice, beans, lentil and peas which are too large for smaller birds to eat.

You will want to see lots of smaller seeds mixed into the bag of seed. That way you will be taking care of ALL the birds in your area.

Birdseed, Bird Seed Scoop 'N Fill

Bird Baths on Amazon

The Birds Are Nesting... I Think

Our backyard is relatively new and we don't have the mature trees needed for the birds to start building nests, but we have gone for walks in the park nearby and I'm pretty sure that it's happening. You might not be able to see the nests, but get close and the birds start to go nuts, making all kinds of noise or in one case (according to my daughter who works for the city parks in our town) they begin limping around as if they are hurt, hoping to lure you away from their nests.

And if they are big enough, like the geese behind us... they give you this threatening look and stand their ground. Works for me. I have no idea what kind of damage an angry goose can inflict, and I'm not going to stick around to give them the opportunity. Don't mess with a Mama bird... especially if she has an attitude or is BIG.

Photo Credit: Amazon

Birds in the Backyard

Spring Feeding

If you are hoping to attract birds to your backyard in the winter, this is a good time to get them accustomed to coming to your yard. But I do have a word of warning. Mother/Father birds are going to be taking food back to babies in the nests, so make sure that you don't offer large pieces of food or seeds (I'm talking large peanuts here) for the baby birds to choke on.

Photo Credit: Amazon

Attracting Birds to Your Backyard

If you want to attract birds to your backyard for the winter of 2009, you can't wait until the cold months arrive. You need to prepare your yard for their arrival over the summer months. Place your feeders in an area that is visible from your windows and then top them up whenever necessary. And don't forget a water source as well. During the hotter months, finding water can be extremely difficult for them.

And just in case you are wondering if a specific sort of yard will appeal to them more than another, the answer is yes. They prefer a wooded area with bushes and trees for them to land on. It also gives them a little security as well.

Photo Credit: Amazon

They Are Building Nests

It's spring and that means that the birds are looking for items to help build their nests. If you have any bits of string or wool that you have no need for, put it out in the yard where they can find it.

Here's to soft comfy nests for those tiny birds yet to be born.

Opus 71032 Topflight Copper Triple Tube Bird Feeder

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Opus Avant Garden Looking Glass Hummingbird Feeder

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Aspects Hummingbird Hummzinger Excel Feeder (6 feeding ports - 16-oz feeder - 8'' diameter)

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Audubon Singing Bird Clock - 13"

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Robins

These are one of the first birds tha I studied when I was a little girl and they have been paying me a visit.

One Reason For Putting Out a Feeder

So why should you put out a feeder that means that you have to shovel paths to it during the winter months to get to it?? I never thought of it, but it makes sense. Birds that eat well in the winter lay eggs earlier and are more likely to have a nest full of healthy baby birds.

Great Stuff on CafePress

Great Stuff on eBay

Bird Feeder for Cardinals

Stop in and Say Hello :)

Reply

vegetablegardenhub Apr 20, 2012 @ 11:30 pm | delete

You provide so much good information here, thanks! We've had a suet feeder hanging in our apple tree all winter, and it really made a difference to all those little birds in our garden - and one squirrel as well. :) They all depended on it.

Reply

irregularworld Oct 12, 2010 @ 1:03 pm | delete

The bit about feeding rats is what makes this lens. A little something unexpected. Thanks

Reply

mbgphoto Jun 23, 2009 @ 8:36 am | delete

Birds bring such enjoyment! 5*8

Reply

spirituality May 28, 2008 @ 4:34 am | delete

Great lens, great tips.

Reply

GypsyOwl May 21, 2008 @ 1:46 pm | delete

Wow! Love this lens! 5* and lensroll to my butterfly garden. "Here's to soft comfy nests for those tiny birds yet to be born." :D What a delightful idea!
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