YardCrap BIRDS

Very Good Day!

Cat got me up at dawn as usual, and for a change I stayed up.  I repotted some plants, and then ran 5 miles at a good clip throwing in several 1/4s.  I have been feeling sluggish lately, and today was better.  My arches have been acting up for about two weeks and have me limping all day.

I rebalanced my branch.  It sinks as my hill decays. I need to build a frame, but too much work for now.  I say that about every six months.  All this patch work is silly and hard.  I need more energy.

With achey muscles, sat down here on the porch with one of my cats.
Two Wrens kept yelling at us. I figured they were looking for a nesting area.  Wrens pick strange places, and I never know where they will pick.   Most years they pick the worst places, and I end up doing what I can to help protect them from weather and preditors.
I was wrong, they were not looking.
They not only already have a spot, they are already feeding their brood. I guess they don't have calendar. This year it is in the side of my Palm Tree.  It is about 15 foot from me, so this will be fun.  For a change, they chose a good nesting spot.  Probably lots of spiders in there, and Wrens love spiders.  This early, doubt any snakes will find them as snakes aint moving around too good yet due to cold nights.

The young are just below the beak, I can see them when they reach for food.  I should be able to get some fun photos right from my chair.
The freeze dried meal worm bowl is just several feet from the nest (see previous post).  They take the worms and dip them in the water, then fly down into the yard before returning to feed the young. I guess that is so me and the cat will not discover the nest.

Unrelated, snapped this photo of what I consider a rather handsome frog.  I have a few frogs and turtles now up in my ponds.

BIRD FEEDERS

This will be a long post but no one is forced to endure it.  I did not go to a foot race today and instead am in the 'CatBird Perch' with 37 bottles of Pilsner Urquell.  Dave Brubeck is playing the tunes today.

Like most nuts who have been feeding birds for years, I have accumulated many feeders.  I bought some, made some, and people gave me some.
I rotate them around depending on the seasons, my needs, and my whims.  At any time I have many in use, and many not needed.
As seasons change, so do my needs.  

I hate to vist someone and see their feeder empty.  How much trouble is it for one to put out a little food for their birds?  Birds don't need our help, but they do seem to appreciate it.  They are "flying flowers".  An empty feeder should be removed it cast bad on your garden and you.

There are many types of feeders, and I am always on the lookout for anything different or better.  I surely do not need more, but WTF?  If nothing else, they make excellent yard decorations, especially if birds are using them.

As I see it, there are three types:
- tube
- hopper
- specialty

TUBE  style is good for feeding seed to many types of birds.  Tube feeders tend to keep seed drier.  They are easy to maintain -> buy these type until you are no longer "casual" as to backyard bird feeding.
I have many from 12 inches to 5 foot long.  I used to prefer the squirrel proof ones, but am way past that these days. I modified one that will now hold 30 pounds!  I only have need of it a couple months a year.  I mainly use tubes to feed Sunflower to the Finches (Purple, Gold, and House) but many birds drop in at them.  Sunflower hulls accumulate, so I have these hanging off the end of my deck where the hulls fall unseen behind a large Evergreen.
I use a few small tube feeders near where I sit and put shelled Sunflower, and Safflower in them.

I find using a tray or seed catcher under all tube feeders is a must.  Birds toss a few for every seed they choose.  If these land on a tray, they are eaten "hopper style".  Birds will eat seed which falls on the ground, but often that spoils before they get to it, not to mention I have 3 cats!  A seed catcher will quickly pay for itself and also draw more birds -- which is the point of "birdfeeding".

HOPPER style is to mimic ground feeding.  Most birds will/do eat on the ground.  They "hop around" hense the name.  These are my favorite type.  They can be elaborate or just seed spread on your deck rail, on an old plate, or anywhere.
I have made a few large ones.

I made that large feeder from Cedar. On both edges added chicken feeders for some Sunflower.  The middle try holds millet, the roof feeder gets what ever I feel like adding.  The hanging green feeder is for "in the shell" peanuts which my Blue Jays notice quickly.  The baffle is to keep out the coons and possums.

Here is another large one:

The best way to make these (large or small) is to build a floor frame and first stretch hardware wire over it.  Then put screen wire over that as birds don't like large holes. The seed can drain off rain, and it is very durable.  Then just add a roof.  Buying one is $300+ and making one is $50 and worth a $1000.

I have bought a few smaller ones.
They can hang like tube feeders. Here is one just 12 inches under a nice rain guard my Bride gave me.  Inside today is chopped peanuts.  This feeder is in constant use and only 6 foot from my right foot.  The birds are used to me and could care less.


Here is the same type feeder (but under my CatBird roof) with Safflower.  The orange feeder behind it is actually a water feeder, but I have meal worms in it for my Carolina Wren.  Behind that is a store bought suet feeder for Woodpeckers (no one eats there).  Yes that is a Cyclamen, and I know it will not prosper there, just adding some temporary color so Hummingbirds can find me.

I just cleaned these small feeders that line my deck rail here in the Catbird Perch.

These are small feeders that hug the deck. I throw anything into them.  Below is my SOLO stove on the floor keeping me cozy out here today.  Along the rail you can see electric wire that keeps critters off my CatBird Perch feeders.  The power is only that of a dog collar, and I get zapped all the time.  It does work.  I don't mind feeding the critters, but when they tear things up - nobody eats.  This is the best solution I have ever found to protect the feeders.

You can put anything on hopper style feeders, and most birds will eat from them.

SPECIALITY feeders are those which serve maybe one bird or one type food.  Humminbird feeders, fruit feeders, nut feeders, and my favorite - suet feeders all fall in to this group.  Water feeders fall here too and they are special.  Once I added old fruit to attract flies to attract "Flycatchers". It was a mess.  No need as my Flycatchers can fend for themselves quite nicely on the South.

This feeder is just a piece of firewood I drlled some 1" holes in.  It might be my favorite feeder.  Into the holes I stuff a mixture of lard, peanut butter, and corn meal.  Everybody eats that, even I find it to be tasty.

Either you feed a suet type mixture or you miss out on many interesting birds.  It is that simple.  Nothing I have found works as well as an old log.

Water feeders are a "must" if you want to attract birds.  From my porch chair I look over a 950 mile shoreline lake and my four garden water features.






The big pond is 4000 gallons and has been healthy now for 10 years. In it are about 20 of the Gold Fish in the photo and 6 Koi that are now ten years old and about ten pounds.  Also, as this is the 'Turtle Pond' - some turtles.  This might be the best Garden pond (for happy critters) in America.

Behind me on the deck is a bubbling fountain.

That sits against one of my large 5'X6' windows and has been entertaining now for about 15 years.  It is not a big bird magnet, but the tree frogs love it.

I have some good water crap.  If I did not like it, would change it.  The birds have a lot of water here.  They drink from all of it.  I don't "need" water feeders, but the deal is not about "need".  It is about attracting birds near so you can enjoy them.  My water feeders do that.  Put out water feeders.  I have tried a few types, and I most like the shallow ones that are easy to clean and fill.  I dip water from the fountain, and in a few seconds, these are ready to go.

Birds like that better than the lake.

My cats even drink from these:

Put out some water.  No one ever listens when I preach that.  Put out some water!

Just noticed I posted all these quick photos and none have birds in them.
All photos are snapped today from my CatBird Chair. No big deal, just read old and new posts, and you will see these (and other) feeders attracting many birds.  My backyard bird list is way over a hundred.  I buy seed on sale and often will pick up a couple hundred pounds. (don't ask as to what I come home with from my beer trips).

Keep in mind that my favorite feeders are home made.  Time on the porch will help you discover what works at your place.  I have been improving mine for decades now, and I still am a novice.  Feeders are a huge part of the fun as to this hobby.