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swap heated bird baths for moving water
Crocus… the first sign that spring is just around the corner (here in the south anyway) have been popping up along with jonquils. Bluebirds are starting to scout nest boxes in hopes of attracting a mate. Yes, spring is almost here!With this exciting birding season come the chores of a responsible backyard birder. Now is the time to check birdhouses for old nests, discard them and clean out the house for new visitors. Remove heated bird baths, or unplug and store the cord for the season.
Cleaning bird feeders is a good idea as well, it helps keep local bird populations healthy. This includes cleaning up fallen seed and ground waste. A simple solution of bleach and water (1:10 ratio) will do the trick nicely. A good scrub for both houses and feeders, rinsed thoroughly and set out to dry is a pretty standard seasonal cleaning.
Two of our baths have heaters for winter (the third one is built in). Heaters should be cleaned as well, removing lime and slime build-up before storing. Our heated bird baths will soon be extremely popular as they will offer moving water. Water wigglers and birdbath drippers will take the place of heaters for the next six or seven months. These are wildly popular with resident as well as migratory birds. Bath water stays fresher longer, and with moving water mosquitoes can not lay eggs.
Easily transform heated bird baths for the spring and summer seasons ahead.. your birds are ready for it!
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EARTHSHARE OF GEORGIA CARRIES ON THE EARTH DAY TRADITION
ONE EARTH…ONE DAY…FOR GEORGIA
ATLANTA— (February 15, 2011) EarthShare of Georgia is organizing three key events in 2011 to promote environmental stewardship to leaders from the business world and the community at large. The EarthShare of Georgia Earth Day 2011 events are presented by Kaiser Permanente.
This year’s Corporate Green Day Challenge, on Saturday, April 16, 2011, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., presented by Kaiser Permanente, allows employers in both the public and private sector to show their true color (green) by matching employee teams to community environmental projects. More than 1000 volunteers participated in the 2010 Corporate Green Day Challenge at 25 locations throughout Atlanta and beyond! These corporate volunteers exchanged their suits for work boots and garden gloves, to clean up parks, pull privet and clean streams. All participants must be employees of Earth Day 2011 Sponsor Companies. To sign up please download the Earth Day Sponsorship Packet at www.earthsharega.org.
On Wednesday, April 20, 2011, from 8:00-10:00 am, at the Georgia Aquarium, presented by Kaiser Permanente, business and non-profit leaders from metro-Atlanta will gather to celebrate innovations in sustainable business practices at the Earth Day 2011 Leadership Breakfast. Now in its ninth year, the event will be held at the Georgia Aquarium, the world’s largest aquarium, with eight million gallons of fresh and marine water and more aquatic life than found in any other aquarium. Fresh organic fare will be provided by Wolfgang Puck Catering and Whole Foods Market. The Earth Day 2011 keynote speaker is Rhett Turner, a highly gifted filmmaker and photographer and president of Red Sky Productions, a state of the art international film production company focusing on documentary films for global television audiences and private corporations.Turner’s most recent project (premiered on Georgia Public Broadcasting – October 2010) is a documentary – Chattahoochee: From Water War to Water Vision – highlighting the longstanding conflict about the 20-year-old struggle between Alabama, Florida and Georgia. Co-produced with Jonathan Wickham (ZoёTV) – it interweaves individual stories and educates viewers on the complex issues and choices that increasingly face all of us when it comes to one of our most precious natural resource – water www.gpb.org/waterwar. Turner’s outlook on conservation was highly influenced by his father, media mogul and philanthropist Ted Turner; he grew up with strict tenets of environmental stewardship, and has pursued these themes through his career.
The program will also include the annual Earth Day awards program to honor and recognize our 2011 EarthShare of Georgia outstanding community partner, campaign leader, member organization, and the winning Corporate Green Day Challenge company green team.
Table-top displays from EarthShare of Georgia and its environmental member organizations will offer business partners a chance to see their dollars at work and offer an additional networking opportunity for all guests. A limited number of individual tickets are available for $100 each. Register online at www.earthsharega.org.
The 15th Annual Earth Day Party will be held on Thursday, April 21, 2011, from 7:00-10:00 pm at Summerour Studio, 409 Bishop Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30318. EarthShare of Georgia’s Earth Day Party, presented by Kaiser Permanente, is Atlanta’s premiere Earth Day event, bringing together a diverse group of grassroots environmentalists, devoted philanthropists, and business professionals whose collective goal is to integrate sustainable practices and policies wherever we work, live or play. The 2011 Party Chairs are Katie Kirkpatrick and Lewis Perkins. Enjoy live music, food by Bold American Catering, and an Eco-silent auction stocked with deals on eco-friendly products, unique getaways, outdoor gear, and jewelry. Proceeds for the evening benefit EarthShare of Georgia, Georgia’s only dedicated environmental fund. Tickets are $60 per person. Register online at www.earthsharega.org.For more information on all three 2011 Earth Day events and sponsorship visit EarthShare of Georgia at www.earthsharega.org or by calling 404-873-3173.
EarthShare of Georgia is working for the day when our air, land and water are clean abundant and healthy. EarthShare of Georgia is a non-profit that raises funds for more than 60 environmental organizations dedicated to conserving and protecting our air, land and water. For more information on how you and your company can help carry on the Earth Day message throughout the year, call EarthShare of Georgia today at 404-873-3173, or visit www.earthsharega.org.
- Bird Accessories, Bird Bath, Bird Baths, Birdbaths, Ceramic Bird Baths, Misters and Birdbath Drippers, Uncategorized, Water Wiggler
Add moving water to bird baths
The absolute best way to entice feathered friends is with water. Fresh water will attract birds who may never use a birdhouse or even visit your feeders. Bird baths have got to be the single most effective way to get more species visiting your yard.And if water does the trick so well, think about moving water in your bird baths. It’s an absolute visual magnet for wild birds! If you’re lucky enough to have a pond with fountain or waterfall, or live on a creek, you already know the difference water makes in terms of wildlife-friendly habitat. But if your landscape is dry (like most of us) there are lots of ways to create this moving water. Drippers and water wigglers are wildly popular additions for bird baths, simply because of the all the action they bring. Leaf misters are another great way to create moving water – hummingbirds and especially butterflies love the gentle spray.
Here’s a net trick to make bird baths much more enticing, without spending any money at all! This works best with pedestal bird baths, but may also be adapted for hanging or ground bird baths as well. The bath needs to sit under a tree, as the source of slowly dripping water will come from above. Take a gallon milk jug and poke a pin hole in the lower corner, or bottom. Fill the jug with fresh water and tie it to a sturdy branch that’s at least 3 to 5 feet above the bath. Step away and watch the slow dripping create a visual magnet for your feathered friends! One gallon leaking through a pin hole should last at least 10 days before a refill is needed. The moving water really does attract more birds, plus mosquitoes can not lay eggs in moving water. A great project to try out for spring and summer… Happy Birding!
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