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Make a Hanging Bird Bath
Fresh water is hands-down the best way to entice wild birds to your yard. Birdbaths really do attract feathered friends and keep them coming back… even more so than houses or feeders! Baths can range from pedestal styles to ground or deck mounted models, and of course hanging bird baths. Found in materials like ceramics, stoneware, copper and glass, birdbaths range from simple to elaborate works of art for ultimate garden decor.You needn’t spend a small fortune to have a bird bath though, any shallow container that holds water works just fine for birds. A pretty plant saucer will make a great bathing spot. If ground predators lurk in the area, it’s best to raise the bath off the ground. The most important thing is the water be fresh. What’s the best kind of birdbath? The one you are willing to maintain.
This clever hanging bird bath can be made very quickly and inexpensively. Necessary materials are rope, a plastic plant saucer and a grapevine wreath, the decorative leaves are strictly optional.
First cut three pieces of rope- 5 feet in leng
th. Knot them together at both ends, and place the grapevine wreath inside the ropes as shown here. Next place the saucer inside the wreath. If you opt for the decorative leaves, simply tuck them into the wreath and wind them around the ropes. Use more rope for hanging if necessary.Fill with water and enjoy birds at their new refreshing oasis!
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Add a Birdbath for Wildlife Friendly Habitat
Our North Georgia yard is always fluttering with avian activity. Probably due to the many bird feeders and birdhouses, but positively because of the birdbaths and water features. For the last 30 days or so I think it has rained only once. Pastures and lawns are parched, and flowers that usually thrive well into fall have seen better days.Two pedestal baths each have their own gizmo so there’s always moving water. One has a dripper, the other a water wiggler. Since this water always moves, it is a major attractor for birds, it works like a visual magnet! It’s also good to know that mosquitoes can not lay their eggs in these birdbaths.
This ground birdbath with an attached dripper has got to be by far the most popular spot. Of course everyone took off when I went to take the picture. There’s also a leaf mister staked in the ground nearby, which shares the same water connection via a T-connector in the rubber tubing. Butterflies, hummingbirds and most of the regulars frequent this spot daily. Some birds even crowd around to wait their turn for a dip in this great birdbath!
The landscaping helps too, lush and mature trees, shrubs and flowers, with perennials for butterflies like lantana, milkweed, and butterfly bush. A shepherd’s hook with three bird feeders is also close to this water feature. I guess if I were a bird, it would be a pretty decent spot to hang around!
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Crowded Thistle Feeders?
With tons of Goldfinches out and about now, thistle feeders are likely to be a very busy spot in your yard. Because Goldfinches are one of the latest breeding/nesting birds, many juveniles are now crowding thistle feeders and learning to eat on their own. One of the favorite songbirds who will winter-over if thistle (or nyjer) is offered on a consistent basis, Goldfinches will grace your garden all year. A heated birdbath is also another major attraction for these sweet birds to stick around.With one of their two upcoming seasonal molts, vibrant yellow plumage will soon give way to a more olive-drab one. But as spring once again approaches, the electric yellow feathers will be seen through late summer and early fall.
The use of Thistle Socks or Thistle bags will help to alleviate crowds at your regular thistle feeders, and ensure that all babies get to eat. Fairly inexpensive and available from small to large, these mesh stockings provide an “all-over” eating area for finches and other birds who prefer thistle seed.
Cardinals are also molting right now, and although they might look a bit sickly…rest assured it’s just the process of shedding old worn feathers for vibrant new ones.
Birding Tips, Information & News
