Ideas For Your Backyard

It isn’t too late to add birdfeeders or birdhouses to your garden decor.

 Your garden visitors will like the royal treatment with this luxurious feeder! Burnished gold finish lends luster to a sculpted dish trimmed with doves and lilies; The deep bowl holds a generous amount of seed  fit for any feathered king. This birdfeeder will add a bit of  sophistication  to yourbackyard scenery!

Hummingbirds are birds in the family Trochilidae, and are native to the Americas. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings 12–90 times per second (depending on the species). They can fly backwards, and are the only group of birds able to do so.   Their English name derives from the characteristic hum made by their rapid wing beats. They can fly at speeds exceeding 34 mph.

Hummingbirds feed on the nectar of plants and are important pollinators, especially of deep-throated, tubular flowers. Like bees, they are able to assess the amount of sugar in the nectar they eat; they reject flower types that produce nectar which is less than 10% sugar and prefer those whose sugar content is stronger. Nectar is a poor source of nutrients, so hummingbirds meet their needs for protein, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, etc. by preying on insects and spiders, especially when feeding young.

Wouldn’t you like to start feeding hummingbirds and draw them to your backyard, it can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummingbird

Many  statues or sculptures serve dual or even triple purposes.   If you are decorating a small backyard, you may want to consider these features.  Fewer objects rather than more will keep the area from looking cluttered and still give you what you are looking for.

Who among us isn’t fascinated seeing a hummingbird?  They are truly miraculous.  Of course all birds are when you consider flight.

Hummingbirds can literally hover motionless in one spot while they sip the nectar from their favorite flower or from your feeder.  They are truly spectacular to view.

Do you love having those squirrels in your backyard cleaning out your birdfeeders daily (hourly)?  If you are prepared to go to war I can give you several ideas on how to keep the seed in your feeders.

You might try one thing and it will work for awhile and then you will have to change your strategy and try something else.Lets start with squirrels are lazy and if you give them what they desire where they can get to it easily, they will leave your feeders alone (for a while).  Try putting some of there favorite foods on the ground away from the bird feeder,  They like peanuts, sunflower seeds and corn.  

When this approach quits working we will try another.  

Stay tuned 

On a cold winter night in 2008,
the backyard was quiet, and that‘s great.

The bird houses were hung in the trees with great care,
in hopes that our friends would stay warm again this year.

The birds were nestled all snug in their huts,
with visions of full feeders, even cracked nuts.
Mama in her nightgown, and I in my shorts,
had just settled our down to watch a show of some sort.

When out in the backyard, we heard the birds singing,
I jumped from the couch to see what was happening.
Away to the doorway I tripped and I stumbled,
threw open the door, and just started to mumble.

The moon on the KOI pond showed the new-fallen snow,
so bright was the lighted pathway, showing stepping stones aglow.

                             My eyes went to a statue, standing tall and so proud,
                                when, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
                                   but a chimenea with a warm fires glow.

On the limb of the hawthorn, a chickadee appeared,
He was on a mission, there was no doubt.
He whistled and screeched, then flew all about

“Now Cardinal! Now Swallow!
Now, Finch and Barn Owl!
Come Woodpecker! Come, Martin!
Come Blue Birds, come all!

To the feeders on the table!
To the feeders on the lawn!

There are even sunflower seeds
all over the ground!”

The birds were all singing and eating some thistle,
While others at the pond were wetting their whistle,

When all the seed was gone they flew to their houses,
Staying warm through the night they like their birdhouses.

Tomorrow I will feed them again, and all through the winter!
Our birds are like family, we love them around.
Singing and whistling their own unique sounds.

Keep your birds feed, and treat them like family,
Next year they’ll be back and you’ll be there envy!

Warm Winter to all, and to all a good night!

Victorian architecture dates back to the Queen Victoria era and not necessarily a style. There are about eight basic Victorian styles in the United States and Canada.Victorian style birdhouses/birdfeeders, a classification given to a birdhouse becaues of its style of excess charm compared to the everyday bland box birdhouse. You could find a Victorian birdhouses with several stories, and often a shake roof design they even have a balcony or porch used as a bird feeder.

The beautfully colored male cardinal is a fixture around backyard birdfeeders through out the United States and Canada.  What a time for seeing the beautiful red northern cardinals around your birdfeeders.

By filling your feeders with seed and mostly sunflower seeds you will see the beautiful birds all winter long in your back yard. The northern cardinal is found in residential areas throughout the United States and an increase in backyard feeding by humans is generally beneficial.

If you are a birding anthuist, as I am you will want to  decorate your home with many different seasonal items.  I like to use several different decorative birdhouses and birdfeeders with Christmas or winter themes.

These unique Christmas bird houses and seasonal bird feeders can also be used around the outside of your home and then either packed away to save for next year or left out for the remainder of the winter season. 

Wild bird feeding is a very engaging and entertaining winter pastime. It also is very beneficial for the birds’ health. The cold weather months make it difficult for wild birds to find food. Backyard bird feeders provide much needed assistance in this regard. Three specific items, if properly maintained, can optimize your wild bird feeding experience, ensuring that many different species of birds visit your backyard feeders all winter long. First, of course, you need one or more bird feeders; second, you need a birdbath; and third, often overlooked, you should put up a winter roosting box.

Bird Feeders 

Bird feeders come in all shapes and sizes, often accommodating the different ways birds eat. For example, juncos and sparrows forage on the ground, so platform feeders easily meet their needs. Meanwhile, finches and chickadees are drawn to tube bird feeders filled with seed.

If you place a few bird feeders of various styles and use a combination of seed, fruit, and nutmeats, you can greatly increase the number and variety of visiting birds. In fact, adding to the variety of food you provide for the birds will more than proportionately add to the variety of birds at your bird feeders.

Bird Baths 

A water feature, like a birdbath, has a magnetic effect on birds, as long as you pay attention to a few details.

• Change the water every few days to keep it clean and healthy.
• Add a drip or mister to your birdbath to maximize your bird traffic – moving water is far more effective at attracting wild birds than still water.
• In the winter, you will need to keep the water from freezing. A submersible birdbath heater will keep the birds coming, even in snowy weather.

Roosting Box 

The birdwatcher who can provide a bit of protection from the cold winter nights will likely be rewarded with a greater variety and frequency of birds at their feeders. Wild bird roosting boxes are built to accommodate several individuals. The lucky birds, now sheltered from wind and rain, can huddle together for warmth. Imagine a clean, fully stocked bird feeder just a few yards away from the roosting box. That would be a very busy and entertaining place in the winter.

Place your roosting box on a metal or wooden post, on a tree, or on the side of a building. Make sure it is facing away from prevailing winds. If you can mount the roosting box so that it faces south, it will get the most warmth from the sun in winter.

Whether you purchase a wild bird roosting box or you make one of your own, make sure it meets these criteria:

• The roosting box, unlike a nest box, should not have ventilation or drainage holes – the idea is to keep heat from escaping.
• Roosting boxes built in a horizontal orientation may have a few perches that extend from one side of the box to the other, while vertical roosting boxes will likely have several shorter perches that are mounted in a stagger pattern. Either way, there must be plenty of room for several birds.
• The entrance hole should be located at the bottom of the roosting box. Heat rises, so an entrance hole placed too high will cause the roosting box to lose heat.
• The roosting box needs to be accessible for cleaning purposes. The top or the front of the box should be hinged for easy opening.

One or more bird feeders, a birdbath with a drip or mister, and a nearby roosting box are the makings of a successful winter of wild bird feeding. Go put your triple play together today, and enjoy the results. Happy birding!

by MICHAEL RASCO