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Blue Bird Houses May Not be Enough
Silly me! I seriously thought that by placing blue bird houses in the yard the sweet birds would just appear and decide to take up residence. Not the case though. After some time, the bluebird feeder was introduced with offerings that weren’t too enticing to bluebirds. Suet crumbles, bluebird banquet, roasted mealworms, and a host of other foods claiming to be” their favorite” were not attracting bluebirds to the yard.Then after biting the bullet so to speak, live meal worms were offered and it worked…in fact, it worked great! I noticed in the dead of winter there were eastern bluebirds in my yard…everyday! There’s a heated bird bath in the back, and they frequented it daily. Now added to the list of chores was feeding the worms everyday, but it was just so rewarding to watch these sweet little birds chowing down!
When it started to warm up, the bluebirds were busy building a nest of pine needles in one of blue bird houses. In and out for a few days, the nest was completed quickly. I watched the process over the next few we
eks, afraid to even open the house and peek inside. The parents dutifully fed the chicks mealworms over the next few days. Feeder to house, house to feeder, I watched in delight.Fledglings! Three healthy bluebird chicks learned to fly. I watched as they’d follow their parents over to the meal worm feeder, land on top and scream for food. After a few days they learned to enter and exit the openings to get their own worms. This was very cool to witness, and I would suggest to anyone with the least bit of interest in Bluebirds to try it and see!
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Hummingbird Feeders Seeing Triple Activity
After switching from commercial nectar to the plain sugar-water solution, we’ve seen three times as many hummingbirds as before. For some reason, they seem to prefer the home made version with no additives better than packaged nectar products.Sometimes you have to look closely to see the liquid level in the clear glass hummingbird feeders, and folks always say “shouldn’t it be red?” but the hummingbirds just know. Even though the the glass and the nectar are clear in color, hummingbirds flock to these feeders now. Four feeders are emptied almost daily, and it’s always a site to behold… for sure!
Making your own nectar is so simple too. One cup plain table sugar to four cups of water – that’s it. No need to boil the water, but it does help to dissolve the sugar quicker and more thoroughly. Any microorganisms are actually spread by hummers themselves, as they are carried on their bills. Never use anything but pure cane sugar (white table sugar) as it’s harmful to the birds and may be fatal.
The other great hummingbird enticer is leaf misters. They love to flit back and forth in the gentle mist. Any moving water will attract hummingbirds, especially a fountain added to your birdbath.
Try your own nectar and notice the difference in hummingbird activity at your place…Happy Birding!
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Heated Bird Baths Do The Trick!
A heated bath in summer?An investment in a birdbath is well worth the visitors it will bring to your yard. If you’re thinking of a new one to replace the old chipped concrete one …or even your first one…consider heated bird baths if your winters are freezing. Just as important in sweltering summer heat, a constant fresh water source is crucial to birds when temperatures freeze. Many folks believe birds eat snow for water (and they can) but it’s very difficult for them to metabolize and burns precious calories needed to stay warm. Shallow ponds will also tend to freeze over when temperatures drop below 32 degrees, and this renders a consistent and reliable water source useless for birds.
Remember, the heater does not need to run to use the bath year-round. In our yard there are 3 heated bird baths running throughout winter. This is part of the reason our bluebirds stuck around all year. Likely it was the live meal worms that were the big attraction, but these baths ensured fresh water daily regardless of the weather.
Birding Tips, Information & News
