Archive for April, 2008
If you’ve spent time carefully cultivating a beautiful garden, nothing would compliment it better than some bird houses. By putting up some bird houses in your yard, you can give your landscape that classic, Americana feel, as well as bask in the glory of nature when birds swoop in for a rest or some friendly chirping.
Adding a bird house will definitely brighten up a garden that – while full of beautiful flowers – could be missing that one factor that makes it feel homey.
I’ve been a birdwatcher for years and the notion to build a birdhouse in my backyard didn’t occur to me until last year when my wife caught the flu on the first weekend of spring, where I usually go into the woods to watch which birds were flying in and out.
I started with some simple bird feeders and watched the birds converge upon my backyard. Now, it wasn’t anything like out of the Hitchcock movie, but it was still amazing. And while I didn’t get to see any exotic birds, the thought that I could stroll out of my kitchen and see some of my winged friends puts a little smile across my heart.
Martins seen to enjoy a pre-made bed of nesting material and readily accept these compartments over others that are empty. They like an ample amount of pine or wheat straw added to the nest, bringing the material right up to the bottom of the entrance hole. They have very short legs and this greatly helps in the exiting of the compartment or gourd. Sawdust or shavings of any kind are not a good base for a nest because they are not stable under foot and will soak up water, leaving the nest wet.
Check for insect pest infestation. Mites and blowflies are sometimes a major problem around martin sites. Learn how to identify them and what to do about them. A large infestation will easily kill young martin chicks. One solution for mites is ½ teaspoon of 5% Seven dust sprinkled on only the nesting material. Changing out the affected nests once or twice during the season is about the best method for controlling blowfly larva. Never use spray insecticides in any kind of wild bird nests.
Purple Martins exclusively eat flying insects, taking them on the wing. Among the list of many are houseflies, moths, grasshoppers and their favorite, dragonflies. However, they will forage for food when the temperature climbs above 45 deg. They will also eat crushed egg shells and oyster shells providing them with calcium for stronger egg shells and they feed them to their young as grit to help digest their food. These can be supplied on a small raised platform set on top of a 4 or 5 foot high post.
Martins will not eat from a bird feeder nor will they drink from a birdbath. A source of good clean fresh water is a major advantage in attracting them to your home. However, if not available, they have been known to fly up to 1 or 2 miles for water.
All poles should be fitted with the proper predator guards. A simple tube guard, ten inches or more in diameter and 3 feet long mounted to the pole will stop most ground predation attempts. Occasionally accipiter hawks will discover your colony, but since they are protected, there really isn’t anything that can legally be done about them other than to be present around the colony as much as possible. This is why open flight paths are necessary around martin housing, making it more difficult for these raptors to launch their attacks.
Purple Martins are very friendly towards humans. If enough time is spent around their site, they begin to accept the landlord as part of the site and will soon ignore them entirely. In fact, it is well documented that the more human activity there is near a martin site, the more martins will show up. They actually seek out sites where there is abundant human activity.
Hosting a colony of Purple Martins can indeed be a joyful and rewarding hobby!
Backyard bird supplies are found at http://www.birdsdunrite
The interaction between man and martin dates all the way back to the Native Americans. To this day, the bubbly personality and gurgling song of the Purple Martin is cherished by those that host them. Each spring brings on an excitement that only a Purple Martin landlord can experience as they anxiously anticipate the return of their beloved martins.
If you are establishing a new colony, wait for the arrival of the sub-adults who tend to arrive 3-6 weeks after the mature adult martins return to established breeding sites. Waiting to open your housing will prevent problems with sparrows, starlings and other birds. If birds other than Purple Martins try to nest in your house, lower the house and remove the nest – temporarily plugging the entry holes if necessary to keep them from returning.
The location of your purple martin birdhouse is very important because the martins are looking for safety and security. Raise the house the full extent of your pole (typically 10-15 feet) and keep the house at least 40 feet away from trees. Tall trees harbor predators such as hawks and having trees taller than the housing in close proximity will afford those predators cover. Martins are aware of this and therefore, stay away from such situations. A location between 40-120 feet from your own home works well as does the center of an open spot or the edge of a pond or lake. They need very open and unobstructed flight paths. Martins actually want to be near you!
Use purple martin decoys – Martins are social and decoys create the appearance of site activity. Adult martins use “dawnsinging” to attract young martins to their colony site so the playing of the Dawn Song CD one or two hours before dawn is recommended but can be played any time of the day. If at first you don’t see martins, don’t despair. Migration lasts through the end of June. Be diligent, and keep your house well maintained. Also, keep your house up through August. While this is too late to attract nesting pairs, this year’s fledglings will already be scouting for next season.
(More info on Purple Martins to come)
This new Droll Yankees bird house has everything that a bird could want. The exaggerated roof overhang keeps rain and sun out, keeping eggs and birds dry and temperature stable. It features a unique entry hole replicating a natural tree cavity and has ventilation under the eaves and in the floor for proper air-flow. The depth of the entry is increased with a predator guard and kerfs on the inside front help fledglings climb out of the box. The structural design is the result of many years of research and refinement done by Bob Benson, a dedicated bluebird trail volunteer with the North American Bluebird Society. For more information go to www.nabluebirdsociety.org.
The beautifully decorated nest boxes feature the artwork of Marjolein Bastin. Familiar to many through an extensive line of Hallmark® greeting cards, Marjolein’s work has pleased millions and is sure to delight buyers of nest boxes. With the use of outdoor inks, these boxes will remain beautiful for years. Of course, many will think these are just too pretty to put outside!
There are also the Chickadee, Titmouse and Wren bird houses as well as the featured Bluebird Boxes. Both sizes can be purchased in just natural wood or beautifully decorated.
An easy solution for mounting these bird houses is with the Ultimate Nest Box System. It is a 1” diameter 68” pole with a bird house mount and a “no tilt” Ground Auger.
What Bird Marks the Return of Spring – Our Delightful Red Breasted American Robin of Course !!
Often referred to as the Red Robin, there is hardly a garden in North America that has not been visited by this sociable beauty. The song of the male is to attract a mate or to advertise his territory. What a wonderful way to start the day listening to the song of the robin at daybreak.
Robins were actually quite rare when settlers first came to the United States. Their relatives, the family of thrushes, all lived in the forests. However, the robin was a specialized bird and stayed near the clearing among the trees. As the settlers cleared land and moved west, the robins joined them and became the ubiquitous symbol of the suburban backyard wildlife across the entire United States and Canada. Now most robins prefer the suburban landscape with the evenly manicured yards and openly spaced trees.
These birds eat different types of food depending on the time of day. Earthworms are their favorite early in the day and prefer fruit later in the day. Because they forage for insects and worms mostly on lawns, they are vulnerable to pesticide poisoning. You can tempt them to dinner by placing fruit on tray birdfeeders or planting fruiting shrubs to attract more of them to your backyard garden. Soften dried raisins and currents by soaking them in water, and then offer them at your feeding stations. Have you ever seen a drunk robin? They love overripe fruit and will ingest it until they are staggering drunk!
If you want to add charm and beauty to your yard, this classic beauty is the perfect solution. The handcrafted Kingsgate Cottage Bird House is constructed of exterior grade ply-board for the walls, floor and underlying roof board. The natural finish of the wood shingle roof will patina to a silvery gray. Kiln-dried hardwoods, pine and poly-resin are used for creating details such as shutters, window ledges and porch railings and it is finished with non-toxic exterior paint with an unpainted natural interior. The second floor window detail features ventilation for added comfort for your feathered friends. The back panel unscrews for seasonal clean outs. A decorative bracket is included for mounting. Another bonus, it is perfect for indoor decoration and can be mounted on a pedestal or set on a flat surface. This is an exciting new discovery for adding some elegance at a very reasonable price. Don’t let it slip by!
