By John Gibb
Putting a bird feeder in your garden is a very kind thing to do. It is getting harder and harder for birds to find food in urban areas – not only in winter, but all year round – and so bird feeders can often save their lives. They are also great for birdwatching, if that’s what you’re into, especially if you leave the bird feeder in the same place for a long time so that the birds start to remember where it is.
But what kind of bird feeder should you get? The simplest bird feeders are just tables for you to put food on, but the food you put on these is easily stolen by squirrels, who will keep coming back for more and burying it all over your garden. You should consider a cage feeder, where the food is inside a cage so that birds need to use their beaks to get it, or perhaps a feeder with a specially-designed perch that will collapse under the weight of a squirrel. However, both of these options can be impractical if you want to feed larger birds, so you need to consider whether it’s really worth it or if you might as well just put out more food.
The other thing you should think about is what you’re going to put in your bird feeder.
Obviously this depends mainly on what kind of birds you expect to attract. Most birds will prefer seeds such as millet, but meat-eating birds will prefer ‘bird cake’ and a few birds like hummingbirds want a mixture of sugar and water (a kind of substitute nectar). Some birds also like to eat fruit, so you might try leaving pieces of apple or orange in the mixture as well. If you’re not sure which birds will come, then the best thing to do is to have a little of everything at first, and then see what is popular.
John Gibb is the owner of bird feeder resources , For more information on bird feeders please check out http://www.bird-feeder-resources3k.info
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Gibb
For products for the birds go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Feeding Wild Birds Year Round - Is This a Good Idea?
By Larry A Jordan
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approximately 54 million residents of the United States feed wild birds at backyard feeders. This is important due to the fact that our environment has changed drastically over the last fifty years. Not only do wild birds have to deal with loss of habitat, they must also compete with birds like starlings and house sparrows that are not native to North America.
Feeders provide a supplement to natural food supplies for wild birds. Rarely do they comprise the bulk of their diet. In general, wild birds depend on foods they find away from bird feeders and they find them with incredible efficiency. If all supplemental feeding stopped overnight, there would probably not even be a noticeable decline in bird populations and the joy of introducing children and adults to bird watching is reason enough to attract wild birds to backyard feeders. There are several good reasons to feed wild birds year round.
Early spring is an important season to feed wild birds because most of their preferred natural foods have been consumed during the winter. Backyard food supplies along with fresh water are especially attractive to migrating birds because of the incredible amount of energy needed for their migration. Your supplemental feeding station will provide useful refueling stations for these birds. If other requirements exist in your backyard, the availability of a constant supply of food and water may entice nesting birds to breed on your property. An ample food supply is necessary for birds to attain breeding condition.
Summer is the season of greatest natural food supply for wild birds but it is also the time of their greatest need. With a nest of rapidly growing young, the parent birds must feed themselves and their offspring. During this rapid growth phase of young birds they need high protein diets. This is why most birds feed their young a diet of mostly insects. A suet feeder containing a mixture of one part peanut butter, four parts corn meal, one part flour and one part vegetable shortening will help supply the parent birds and their young the protein they need. Mealworms are also an excellent source of protein during this time.
Summer feeding can also attract fruit eating birds as well as seed and insect eating species. Overripe fruits and bananas are favorites. You can cut fruit open showing the inside and put them on trays or feeding spikes. This is also the season for feeding nectar eating birds. According to the Audubon Society, at least 53 bird species in North America are known to visit sugar water feeders. They consume the same sugar solution as the hummingbirds do.
Even though natural foods such as fruits and insects are abundant in the fall, this is also a season of great food demand. Bird populations are at high levels due to their new crop of fledglings. A protein rich diet of insects is important as most birds replace all of their feathers before migrating. These migratory birds must also put on ample fat to power their long migrations.
Sunflower seed and Nyjer seed are both oil-rich seeds that will help birds increase their body fat. Also by feeding birds in early fall you may have a better chance of seeing fall migrants.
Winter is the most difficult season for birds living in the north. The cold weather and short days mean they need more food and have less time to forage for it. At the same time natural food sources are scarce. During this time of year supplemental feeding is most useful to wild bird populations. Both seed and suet should be provided during the winter months along with fresh water.
My strong advice is to keep your bird feeders full all year. You will be helping many wild birds on their migratory flights and supporting the resident birds in your area as well.
Larry Jordan has been bird watching for many years and building birdhouses for over 26 years. He is a member of the Audubon Society and is the Shasta County Coordinator for the California Bluebird Recovery Program. He strives to get more people interested in birding activities, including bird conservation.
For more information on bird watching, bird houses, feeding wild birds, birds in the news, bird conservation, and some great bird photos go to The Birder's Report and sign up for his newsletter or his RSS Feed.
If you are looking for quality bird and birding products, please visit his online store at Birds In My Yard for some great deals and great service.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_A_Jordan
For more interesting ideas go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com/
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approximately 54 million residents of the United States feed wild birds at backyard feeders. This is important due to the fact that our environment has changed drastically over the last fifty years. Not only do wild birds have to deal with loss of habitat, they must also compete with birds like starlings and house sparrows that are not native to North America.
Feeders provide a supplement to natural food supplies for wild birds. Rarely do they comprise the bulk of their diet. In general, wild birds depend on foods they find away from bird feeders and they find them with incredible efficiency. If all supplemental feeding stopped overnight, there would probably not even be a noticeable decline in bird populations and the joy of introducing children and adults to bird watching is reason enough to attract wild birds to backyard feeders. There are several good reasons to feed wild birds year round.
Early spring is an important season to feed wild birds because most of their preferred natural foods have been consumed during the winter. Backyard food supplies along with fresh water are especially attractive to migrating birds because of the incredible amount of energy needed for their migration. Your supplemental feeding station will provide useful refueling stations for these birds. If other requirements exist in your backyard, the availability of a constant supply of food and water may entice nesting birds to breed on your property. An ample food supply is necessary for birds to attain breeding condition.
Summer is the season of greatest natural food supply for wild birds but it is also the time of their greatest need. With a nest of rapidly growing young, the parent birds must feed themselves and their offspring. During this rapid growth phase of young birds they need high protein diets. This is why most birds feed their young a diet of mostly insects. A suet feeder containing a mixture of one part peanut butter, four parts corn meal, one part flour and one part vegetable shortening will help supply the parent birds and their young the protein they need. Mealworms are also an excellent source of protein during this time.
Summer feeding can also attract fruit eating birds as well as seed and insect eating species. Overripe fruits and bananas are favorites. You can cut fruit open showing the inside and put them on trays or feeding spikes. This is also the season for feeding nectar eating birds. According to the Audubon Society, at least 53 bird species in North America are known to visit sugar water feeders. They consume the same sugar solution as the hummingbirds do.
Even though natural foods such as fruits and insects are abundant in the fall, this is also a season of great food demand. Bird populations are at high levels due to their new crop of fledglings. A protein rich diet of insects is important as most birds replace all of their feathers before migrating. These migratory birds must also put on ample fat to power their long migrations.
Sunflower seed and Nyjer seed are both oil-rich seeds that will help birds increase their body fat. Also by feeding birds in early fall you may have a better chance of seeing fall migrants.
Winter is the most difficult season for birds living in the north. The cold weather and short days mean they need more food and have less time to forage for it. At the same time natural food sources are scarce. During this time of year supplemental feeding is most useful to wild bird populations. Both seed and suet should be provided during the winter months along with fresh water.
My strong advice is to keep your bird feeders full all year. You will be helping many wild birds on their migratory flights and supporting the resident birds in your area as well.
Larry Jordan has been bird watching for many years and building birdhouses for over 26 years. He is a member of the Audubon Society and is the Shasta County Coordinator for the California Bluebird Recovery Program. He strives to get more people interested in birding activities, including bird conservation.
For more information on bird watching, bird houses, feeding wild birds, birds in the news, bird conservation, and some great bird photos go to The Birder's Report and sign up for his newsletter or his RSS Feed.
If you are looking for quality bird and birding products, please visit his online store at Birds In My Yard for some great deals and great service.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_A_Jordan
For more interesting ideas go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com/
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Families And Birdwatching - Perfect Together
By Carol A Miller
Worried about how much time your child spends in front of the computer and TV? Wondering how you can entice them to get outside once in a while? Consider a family birdwatching outing - a great way to get outdoors, learn about nature, have a fun day, and maybe even develop a new shared passion!
Few realize this, but birdwatching is America's number one sport, with over 51.3 MILLION participants, according to the US Fish & Wildlife Service. Many birders are passionate fans, people who get estatic over seeing an unusual specimen, but the majority of birders are regular folks who just love birds and being outside.
If you've never been out birdwatching before, you're in for a treat. Find yourself a wooded park, equip everyone with inexpensive binoculars (sharing is no fun - by the time you switch who has them, the target has often flow away), and get a basic field guide to the birds of your region.
Take a notepad along, and start what is known as a "lifelist". This is simply a list of birds you have seen and identified, usually along with the date and location of the sighting. Kids love this - everytime they see a new bird they get to add it to the list, making each new sighting a thrill.
There are a few basic guidelines to follow when birding:1 - don't take the dog - the noise will scare away most of your chance of seeing anything interesting2 - do talk quietly, for the same reason3 - do take binoculars, an essential piece of equipment4 - do take a field guide so you can identify the birds you spot5 - do encourage everyone to start and maintain a lifelist - kids will like putting this onto a computer, where they can easily sort to see if a bird is new on their list6 - if you have a backyard, do put out feeders and birdhouses - you can see some great birds without even leaving the house!7 - do use your ears - when you listen, you'll be able to spot birds you wouldn't have otherwise noticed8 - do encourage your kids to learn more about birds online - there are wonderful sites to help identify birds or just play bird games9 - do read books on bird behaviors together - birds are fascinating creatures, and the more you discover about them the more fun birdwatching becomes10 - do go out in the winter and early spring - you may have to bundle up, but without leaves on the trees you can see the birds much more easily.
Birdwatching is an active, educational, sport that gets more enjoyable as you learn about it. Kids and adults alike get a real thrill out of adding a new sighting to their lifelists. So grab your binoculars, field guide and notebook, take your family, and go spot some birds!
Carol Miller is an internet author, entrepreneur and avid birder. You can find great stuff for kids, including young reader field guides bird books, puzzles, facts and games at her website, http://www.birdingresources.com/. Be sure to sign up for the free Birding Event Notifier and find out what's happening in the wild bird world!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carol_A_Miller
For more info on birdwatching together go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com/
Worried about how much time your child spends in front of the computer and TV? Wondering how you can entice them to get outside once in a while? Consider a family birdwatching outing - a great way to get outdoors, learn about nature, have a fun day, and maybe even develop a new shared passion!
Few realize this, but birdwatching is America's number one sport, with over 51.3 MILLION participants, according to the US Fish & Wildlife Service. Many birders are passionate fans, people who get estatic over seeing an unusual specimen, but the majority of birders are regular folks who just love birds and being outside.
If you've never been out birdwatching before, you're in for a treat. Find yourself a wooded park, equip everyone with inexpensive binoculars (sharing is no fun - by the time you switch who has them, the target has often flow away), and get a basic field guide to the birds of your region.
Take a notepad along, and start what is known as a "lifelist". This is simply a list of birds you have seen and identified, usually along with the date and location of the sighting. Kids love this - everytime they see a new bird they get to add it to the list, making each new sighting a thrill.
There are a few basic guidelines to follow when birding:1 - don't take the dog - the noise will scare away most of your chance of seeing anything interesting2 - do talk quietly, for the same reason3 - do take binoculars, an essential piece of equipment4 - do take a field guide so you can identify the birds you spot5 - do encourage everyone to start and maintain a lifelist - kids will like putting this onto a computer, where they can easily sort to see if a bird is new on their list6 - if you have a backyard, do put out feeders and birdhouses - you can see some great birds without even leaving the house!7 - do use your ears - when you listen, you'll be able to spot birds you wouldn't have otherwise noticed8 - do encourage your kids to learn more about birds online - there are wonderful sites to help identify birds or just play bird games9 - do read books on bird behaviors together - birds are fascinating creatures, and the more you discover about them the more fun birdwatching becomes10 - do go out in the winter and early spring - you may have to bundle up, but without leaves on the trees you can see the birds much more easily.
Birdwatching is an active, educational, sport that gets more enjoyable as you learn about it. Kids and adults alike get a real thrill out of adding a new sighting to their lifelists. So grab your binoculars, field guide and notebook, take your family, and go spot some birds!
Carol Miller is an internet author, entrepreneur and avid birder. You can find great stuff for kids, including young reader field guides bird books, puzzles, facts and games at her website, http://www.birdingresources.com/. Be sure to sign up for the free Birding Event Notifier and find out what's happening in the wild bird world!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carol_A_Miller
For more info on birdwatching together go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com/
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Techniques for Attracting Backyard Birds
By Rickie Smith
There are many things you can do to attract backyard birds into your yard for you and your family's viewing pleasure. Attracting the largest variety of wild birds to your own backyard can be rewarding providing you follow some basic guidelines. Where you live doesn't really matter- in an apartment, townhouse or single family dwelling, in the city, suburbs or country. Bird watching is one of the fastest growing sources of outdoor recreation in the country.
The most effective way to attract the widest variety of birds to your yard is to put out separate feeders for each type of food and placing them around your backyard. Supplemental bird feeders and bird baths will draw large numbers of birds where you can see and appreciate them. You will want to consider different types of feeding stations such as a platform feeder for ground feeding birds, hanging feeders for perching birds and suet feeders for insect eating birds. It's healthier for the birds to get the their food at a feeding station, rather than off the ground.
If birds pass through your yard, but don't seem to want to stay, it's most likely because your yard doesn't provide a varied, long-term food supply. All bird species have their own unique food requirements that will change as the seasons change. It's very important for you to learn the food habits of the birds you wish to attract. You can then plant the appropriate trees, shrubs, and flowers to provide the fruits, berries, seeds, acorns, and nectar.
Trying to transform your yard into a haven for birds can be very frustrating so plan on making gradual changes by Identifying one or two areas to concentrate on for the first year. Many of the birds that visit your backyard feeders and baths may stay and nest in nearby trees. Most of them will not nest in boxes. You should consider their food and shelter requirements in your landscape plans.
When you are developing a long-term water source for your garden, you will want to plan for the type of water feature that birds adapt to most quickly: a shallow, rough-bottomed pool of still water. Birds will shy away from water that is more than 2"-3" deep. The sound of loud, moving water is a dynamic attraction to most birds and will draw them from longer. A dripper or circulating pump can add just the right sound to attract wild birds. Water becomes a problem when it rests at the bottom of a bird house.
A roof with sufficient slope and overhang offers some protection. Water for birds needs to be as close to a faucet as possible, for purposes of refilling and cleaning. You will also want to empty and scrub the birdbath every 2-3 days in the summer, to prevent algae and bacteria from contaminating the water and to attract backyard birds.
For more information about Birdwatching visit our comprehensive website at "The Beginner's Guide to Birdwatching" or "Birding for Everyone"
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rickie_Smith
For more birdwatching ideas go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com/
There are many things you can do to attract backyard birds into your yard for you and your family's viewing pleasure. Attracting the largest variety of wild birds to your own backyard can be rewarding providing you follow some basic guidelines. Where you live doesn't really matter- in an apartment, townhouse or single family dwelling, in the city, suburbs or country. Bird watching is one of the fastest growing sources of outdoor recreation in the country.
The most effective way to attract the widest variety of birds to your yard is to put out separate feeders for each type of food and placing them around your backyard. Supplemental bird feeders and bird baths will draw large numbers of birds where you can see and appreciate them. You will want to consider different types of feeding stations such as a platform feeder for ground feeding birds, hanging feeders for perching birds and suet feeders for insect eating birds. It's healthier for the birds to get the their food at a feeding station, rather than off the ground.
If birds pass through your yard, but don't seem to want to stay, it's most likely because your yard doesn't provide a varied, long-term food supply. All bird species have their own unique food requirements that will change as the seasons change. It's very important for you to learn the food habits of the birds you wish to attract. You can then plant the appropriate trees, shrubs, and flowers to provide the fruits, berries, seeds, acorns, and nectar.
Trying to transform your yard into a haven for birds can be very frustrating so plan on making gradual changes by Identifying one or two areas to concentrate on for the first year. Many of the birds that visit your backyard feeders and baths may stay and nest in nearby trees. Most of them will not nest in boxes. You should consider their food and shelter requirements in your landscape plans.
When you are developing a long-term water source for your garden, you will want to plan for the type of water feature that birds adapt to most quickly: a shallow, rough-bottomed pool of still water. Birds will shy away from water that is more than 2"-3" deep. The sound of loud, moving water is a dynamic attraction to most birds and will draw them from longer. A dripper or circulating pump can add just the right sound to attract wild birds. Water becomes a problem when it rests at the bottom of a bird house.
A roof with sufficient slope and overhang offers some protection. Water for birds needs to be as close to a faucet as possible, for purposes of refilling and cleaning. You will also want to empty and scrub the birdbath every 2-3 days in the summer, to prevent algae and bacteria from contaminating the water and to attract backyard birds.
For more information about Birdwatching visit our comprehensive website at "The Beginner's Guide to Birdwatching" or "Birding for Everyone"
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rickie_Smith
For more birdwatching ideas go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com/
Monday, June 15, 2009
Birdwatching Digital Camera Binoculars - Are They For You?
By Kelvin Ho Wee Min
If you enjoy bird watching, you will no doubt be looking for the best ways to look for all of the different species around today. Ordinary binoculars are great but they do not always offer the best results and smaller birds that like to stay as hidden as possible could be harder to spot. So, if you are looking for the best binoculars to suit your bird watching needs, you may want to think about digital camera binoculars.
What Are Digital Camera Binoculars?
As time goes on, technology generally improves and the great news for birdwatchers is that binoculars have been part of this technological improvement. These new digital camera binoculars are surprisingly inexpensive and they really help you to not only see the different species of birds clearly but also help you to capture it on camera to treasure forever. This makes them perfect if you want to go traveling and you see different species in different countries.
Another great advantage with these types of binoculars is the fact that as well as being able to capture digital pictures, it can also capture video too. So, you could go home with a short video clip of various different birds that you have seen on your travels. What more could a birdwatcher want?
How to Choose the Best One for Your Needs
As there are so many different types of such binoculars around, you will need to know exactly what you are looking for in order to choose the right ones for you. There are various things which you will need to take into account including:
Video Capture Options
Your Budget
LCD Display
Resolution
Objective Lens size
The above are just some of the things that you will need to think about. Obviously not everyone will need video capture options and if you do not, that will lower the price that you will have to pay. Obviously, the more features that the binoculars have, the more expensive they will be. So, be sensible in what you are after and think about how often you are likely to use them.
Fortunately as mentioned earlier, digital camera binoculars are getting cheaper with new advancements in technology and this is very good news.
If you know what you are need, it will be easy to find the right digital camera binoculars to suit your needs. Every keen birdwatcher should have a pair and they are incredibly easy to find. So, if you haven't thought about purchasing any of these yet, you may want to think about it now!
Discover the joy of bird watching and learn what the best bird watching holiday destinations with our comprehensive bird watching package.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelvin_Ho_Wee_Min
For more on Digital Camera Binoculars go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com/
If you enjoy bird watching, you will no doubt be looking for the best ways to look for all of the different species around today. Ordinary binoculars are great but they do not always offer the best results and smaller birds that like to stay as hidden as possible could be harder to spot. So, if you are looking for the best binoculars to suit your bird watching needs, you may want to think about digital camera binoculars.
What Are Digital Camera Binoculars?
As time goes on, technology generally improves and the great news for birdwatchers is that binoculars have been part of this technological improvement. These new digital camera binoculars are surprisingly inexpensive and they really help you to not only see the different species of birds clearly but also help you to capture it on camera to treasure forever. This makes them perfect if you want to go traveling and you see different species in different countries.
Another great advantage with these types of binoculars is the fact that as well as being able to capture digital pictures, it can also capture video too. So, you could go home with a short video clip of various different birds that you have seen on your travels. What more could a birdwatcher want?
How to Choose the Best One for Your Needs
As there are so many different types of such binoculars around, you will need to know exactly what you are looking for in order to choose the right ones for you. There are various things which you will need to take into account including:
Video Capture Options
Your Budget
LCD Display
Resolution
Objective Lens size
The above are just some of the things that you will need to think about. Obviously not everyone will need video capture options and if you do not, that will lower the price that you will have to pay. Obviously, the more features that the binoculars have, the more expensive they will be. So, be sensible in what you are after and think about how often you are likely to use them.
Fortunately as mentioned earlier, digital camera binoculars are getting cheaper with new advancements in technology and this is very good news.
If you know what you are need, it will be easy to find the right digital camera binoculars to suit your needs. Every keen birdwatcher should have a pair and they are incredibly easy to find. So, if you haven't thought about purchasing any of these yet, you may want to think about it now!
Discover the joy of bird watching and learn what the best bird watching holiday destinations with our comprehensive bird watching package.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelvin_Ho_Wee_Min
For more on Digital Camera Binoculars go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com/
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