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a different spin on bird baths
Water has got to be the most effective way to attract more birds… and wildlife in general. If you think outside the box with bird baths, there’s really so much more out there than just your standard pedestals or hanging models. Bird baths come in all shapes and sizes, and ground bird baths will attract way more than just birds.Here in the Southeast we’re experiencing the usual summer drought, with unusually high temperatures. Mid-June actually feels like August… it’s just brutal 🙁 I feel for anyone in the landscaping business or nurseries as their season was cut extremely short this year. Most pastures are looking like the outback-brown and crunchy.
Our yard features two leaf misters that emit a gentle spray for most of the day. This butterfly puddler is set below one of the misters and allows water to collect and “puddle”. All plants grow full and lush around the misters too. Seems this little guy has found cooling refuge from the extreme heat and beating sun. Butterflies, hummingbirds, frogs, lizards and so many others will frequent these kinds of shallow ground baths. Birds tend to bathe naturally at ground level, so it’s a most popular spot for them too.
When considering bird baths for your yard… next time think outside the box!
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make ant moat water last longer
If the current outdoor temperatures are any indication of the season ahead… it’s going to be a brutal one! Early June in the Southeast and my car said it was 99 degrees outside 🙁 Please be kind to wildlife by simply providing a fresh water source to help them thrive in this miserable heat. Aside from birdbaths, a leaf misters’ gentle spray is extremely popular with hummingbirds, butterflies, and most songbirds too!Speaking of miserable, if you feed hummingbirds (or Orioles, or Butterflies) you’re likely well aware of the attraction of the sweet, sticky nectar to pesky ants. The simplest and most effective way to keep ants from nectar is to use an ant moat. This inexpensive, one-t
ime investment will save many a headache and lots of nectar from ants. For staked hummingbird feeders, ant baffles are recommended to ward off the uninvited guests.Some hummingbird feeders do feature built-in ant moats, but even they must still contain water at all times to properly function. Ant Baffles simply use a coating of petroleum jelly on their underside to deter ants, whereas Ant Moats must have water inside for them to work. Ants can’t swim and will not cross water. During the dog days of summer with the extreme heat, you can actually help slow the evaporation process inside the moat by adding a drop of salad oil to the water. It will mean less time filling and more time watching.
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bird house kits for a new york park make-over
An elementary school in New york City has a great idea that’s going into action! Eighty school children at Village Community School will each assemble their own bird house kit, decorate, paint it and help install all 80 bird house kits in a nearby park.When administration first contacted us, we were more thrilled with the idea itself, than the net profit from a sale. So much so, a deep discount was offered on the bird house kits, and they received a plethora of extras to further entice birds, and to get the kids more involved while making their project a huge success.
Chickadee, Wren and Eastern Bluebird wooden birdhouse kits were ordered, but 16 packages of assorted nesting materials were graciously added. In addition, there was a wonderful Stokes Bluebird Book, and 24 “Pop-Outz” recycled plastic suet feeders, (which are perfect for offering nesting materials) along with a pamphlet on “attracting nesting birds” for each child to take home.
Although bird feeder kits and bird food were thought not to be a smart idea for the area, we also sent along a few suet cakes and explained there would be no ground waste with which to contend. Now I can’t wait to see pictures of the project in progress or the finished product. Park services will be taking care of the water aspect as far as birdbaths or small ponds, making sure there are ample fresh water sources to help birds thrive. The birds in this area of NYC are getting a great make-over!
By the way… the tooled leather birdhouse kit shown here is actually recycled plastic-and super fun to assemble. It provides a real nest site for feathered friends and lasts for years to host many successful broods!
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