Feeding Birds and Other Wildlife

[tazz]

About 2 years ago I redesigned my garden and decided to put up a few bird feeders. It quickly became a special interest. I work from home and can see the garden from my desk. I kept logs of which birds I'd see and how often. I noticed that some birds were sort of flitting about but not feeding. I began moving the feeders around and buying more feeders of different designs. I discovered that little changes make a big difference. For example I had one feeder hanging from a branch that wasn't touched. I moved it higher up in the tree only by about a foot, and suddenly loads of birds were willing to eat from it. I also kept track of which seeds were eaten by which birds. So I started making constant adjustments to all the feeders and mixing my own feed, and the number and variety of birds has steadily increased.

Two crows arrived and set up a nest in a tall tree nearby. They've become quite tame and now they turn up at the same time every morning and sit by one particular feeder waiting for me to dash out and refill it.

This year a squirrel has turned up. I built a feeder for it with a lid that it can get into but can't be accessed by the birds. It spends an hour or two every morning taking the nuts and corn out of the feeder and burying it all over the garden. It's attracted all the cats from the neighborhood but has quickly figured out that they're too slow to catch it and has started chasing them away instead.

 

[Rodafina]

Thank you for this! Enjoyed reading about your backyard animal antics.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

I have 40 acres that I enjoy to manage for wildlife. I dare have no bird feeders around once the bears are awake. We have a wildflower garden that attracts at least 4 species of bees along with parisitoid wasps and hummingbird hawk moths. Our small pond has 3 species of frogs and white tailed and twelve spotted dragonflies. Butterflies, and especially monarchs love the swamp milkweed by the pond. I've wiped out about 5 acres of spotted knapweed and planted it in prairie. With sandy soil there are Cicada Killer Wasps around, and lots of hunting spiders. It is uncanny to shine a flashlight low and parallel to the ground to see all the reflective spider eyes at night. Back in our woods there is at least one bobcat that likes to leave its mark on fallen trees.

 

[Tom]

Thats great that you think about the squirrel. Many people dislike them, but they are great little animals too.

 

[Uppity Creek]

I've had birdfeeders out for many years now; squirrels are quite prevalent around my house so I'm always after ways to keep them from gobbling all the seed. Clever critters! I don't spend nearly enough time watching the activity, but I make sure and keep those feeders filled. The latest addition has been a peanut feeder that I purchased at an Amish store; it works really well. I've also put out a number of birdhouses, with mixed success.

 

[SusanLR]

With nothing behind the house except a golf course and some ponds with woods,
there are always a lot of birds around and I love watching them also.

The same pair of mockingbirds that built a nest last year have returned and built again in the same bush by the back door.
I check the nest every few days and put a tray of meal worms under the bush for them.
They are normally aggressive although they sit on the edge of the roof just looking at me when I check on them.
A squirrel was walking in the garden up close to their bush and they bombarded it.
The squirrel ran so quick away from them with his tail in the air.
It was funny to see.

There are also Thrush, Woodpeckers, Cardinals and Blue Jays with nests in the hedges and bushy trees closer to the gulf course.
The neighbor has a birdfeeder hanging on a limb of an oak between the houses.
Alway busy birdies here.

I grow milkweed for the Monarchs out there too.
When I lived right beside the bay there were always a pair of Wood Storks that stayed outback, and they would bring their babies over to show them off when they were big enough to leave the nest.
Also, there were a lot of Ibis there.
This is the group that came around in the afternoon and sat down to be read to.
I posted about that in another thread on Ravens.
I miss those storks.

And now I am moving in a month to an apartment.
Probably won't see many birds there, although there are woods and a pond out back.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

I like feeding birds too. Humming bird feeders are great fun as well.

Maybe hang up bird houses too, and encourage nesting pairs to roost.

 

[tazz]

I did put up three nesting pods a couple of years ago but nothing has made a home. I should try some different types of bird houses really.

 

[Mary Terry]

I love to mentor and monitor the birds. We're located on the Mississippi River Migratory Bird Flyway so we see many different kinds of birds in all seasons.

One of the best ways to attract birds is to provide a clean, safe source of water for them every day. Even birds such as dove that take dust baths instead of water baths come to my birdbaths to drink.

 

[Judge]

I like hummingbirds. Seen, but not usually heard.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

I've always wanted to set up bat boxes in the trees.

 

[tazz]

One of the best ways to attract birds is to provide a clean, safe source of water for them every day.

Last year I put in a pond. We have a lot of frogs, dragonflies and damselflies. But I was surprised how much it was visited by birds.

 

[SusanLR]

Owl boxes are another idea.
The people across the street did that and had a pair of Barn owls nest.
Owls are so pretty up close.

I went up to fill out paperwork for the apartment and there is a long drive through nothing but forest and cypress swamps to get there after you leave the city area.
I saw a lot of different wading birds and raptors along the way.
Osprey, Bald Eagle, Storks, Egrets, Sandhill Cranes and various ducks.
Nice.