Simply For The Birds

Now is the time to start planning what you want to put in your summer garden and or planters.  If you are a hummingbird lover like I am, you might consider adding some plants that will attract hummingbirds to your containers.  Here is a list of some flowers you might want to consider in your planning~

Superbells, bright red cuphea, weigela, verbena, fushia, supertunia, honeysuckle, columbine and jasmine. This list is a suggestion and by no means exhaustive of the flowers you can use to attract hummingbirds and butterflies to your garden.

Be creative with the colors you choose so the planter is pleasing to your eye as well.  Keep in mind that hummers like colorful flowers, especially reds and deep pinks.

Don’t forget to set out a feeder or two as well!

A beautiful and rich purple color, one of the most common birds that people love to spot and track is the Purple Martin. A member of the swallow family, they are renowned for being the largest in this group. To that end, they are around 20 cm long. You can differentiate an adult for a youth by the size and the presence of a forked tail, which the adults possess.

They utilize this tail to help them perform their very acrobat aerial moves. As such, the Purple Martin is often noted for his agility and speed. This is partly why so many people seek out Purple Martin bird houses. They want to attract these fun and beautiful birds to their home. Devoted bird watchers should be aware that the Purple Martin is most abundant on the East Coast of America with a few scatterings of sightings on the West Coast.

If ants are causing a nuisance with your hummingbird feeder, there are several things you can try.  There is a gooey product that can be applied around the hook on your feeder called Tree Tanglefoot Pest Barrier.  The ants can’t go through it.  Another thought is using an ant moat to protect the nectar.  A clear ant moat works well so that you can see when it is full of ants and time to change the water.  A red one will help attract hummingbirds to the feeder.  Affordable way to keep ants from taking over your feeders.

Here are a couple of recipes for bird treats that were in Birds & Blooms that make great treats for your backyard birds.

Recipe for the Flock

2 C. cornmeal                           ½ C. molasses

6C. water                                 ½ tsp baking powder

½ C. bacon drippings               1 tsp. red pepper

1 C. flour                                  Nuts and raisins, optional

1 rounded Tbsp.sand

Mix cornmeal with water, boil and cool.  Add remaining ingredients.  Mix in enough additional water to bind mixture together and pour into small foil pie pans.  Bake at 400° until brown.  Hang the pans in a tree and watch the birds flock to the treat.  Can be frozen.

Recipe for Success

1 C. lard                                   2 C. whole wheat flour

1 C. crunchy peanut butter        1 C. oats

½ C. honey                              2 eggs

Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased 9 inch square pan.  Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Can hang treats from trees or bird feeders in mesh bags.

Go here for more bird treat recipes.

Squirrels can be a real challenge once they discover your birdfeeders.  Someone suggested to take some old containers and fill them with sunflower seeds and then place them on the ground near where your other feeders are.  The squirrels will go the feeders on the ground rather than having to work for the seeds in the feeders.  Another suggestion is spreading acorns underneath the feeders.

You can also try squirrel baffles of squirrel proof feeders.  It can take some patience to find which method works best for your situation.  Perseverance will pay off, however.

Since wildlife and plant life evolved together, it makes sense that the native plants in your area will make the best food souce and habitat for the birds in your backyard.  If you provide birds with these plants and water, you are sure to see increased activity in your yard. Unsure what native plants to plant in your backyard? Try doing a Google search ~ i.e. native plants backyard birds(state you are in), more than likely there will be many listings that will supply the information you seek.  The advantage of planting native plants, is that they will be readily available at local nurseries.

Pacific Northwest native plants that will attract finches, nuthatches, kinglets, Pine Siskins, Bushtits, chicadees, juncos woodpeckers and more, would be vine maples, shore pines and paper birches.  To attract Hummingbirds, try elderberries, mock orange, oceanspray, Nootka rose, columbine and penstemon.

You can always supplement their diets with bird feeders.

Bird lovers are usually enamored with all winged creatures, and that includes household pets and the migratory birds that temporarily make your backyard their home. If this sounds like you, your number one concern is most likely bird safety. To that end, there are several things to keep in mind in order to keep your pet birds (permanent and temporary) as safe as possible.

For your permanent pets, make sure that all the products in their cage are completely safe. Teflon, for example, shouldn’t be used in any bird cage. The self cleaning feature of the oven also shouldn’t be utilized, as the intense heat can burn off dangerous chemicals that can be harmful for your birds. And for the birds that are temporarily taking up residence in your backyard, make sure that you provide them a spacious and safe bird house. Also, put out a fresh supply of bird seed and water for them to enjoy until they are ready to move on.

Anyone who has dedicated a lot of time and energy into bird watching undoubtedly has a bird house in the back of his or her yard. If watching birds is your passion, you might even have two or three bird houses scattered around your property. But if you’ve been watching your feathered friends for many years, it can be pretty boring buying the same old bird house. There’s something nice and classic about the wooden bird house, but don’t forget to also check out some more interesting and different options.

Especially in recent years, bird houses have truly become diverse and different. So if you’re sick of the standard A-frame wooden bird house, look into some hand painted resin options. Coming in a variety of sizes and styles, you can now feed the birds in houses that resemble everything from a backpack to a shoe. But you don’t have to sacrifice bird health or safety for these whimsical feeders. Rather, they come with everything you need for happy birds such as drainage holes, nesting chambers, and plenty of ventilation.

As I was looking out my window this late winter day, I observed much bird activity.  There were Robins grubbing for insects, Hummingbirds flitting around, House Finches taking a rest on the bare branches of a nearby tree and ducks splashing in the pond.  As spring draws near, we will start seeing the arrival of even more birds - Bluebirds, Orange Orioles, Goldfinches and Ruby Throated Hummingbirds.  It made me think that not only flowers bring spring colors, but our backyard friends do as well.

We can easily attract these colors of spring by providing nesting material, water, birdhouses and seed feeders.  Now is the time to get prepared for their arrival.  Don’t procrastinate; spring will be here before we know it!

Providing nesting materials for the birds that will be arriving soon, is a great way to watch the birds building nests.  Watch them come and peck out a bit of the nest material and fly off to where they are building their nests.  If you add nesting boxes and seed feeders, you will increase you chances of having the Nesters build closer to you.  Watch the fledglings open their mouths in anticipation when they see their parents coming with food. You will be able to watch them grow and if you are lucky - their first flights.

There is nothing more rewarding than to be a part of providing for the birds.  If you haven’t tried it, you should!