Create Backyard Bird Feeding Stations For Bird Watching

Discussion in 'Useful Articles' started by Frank, Jan 24, 2009.

  1. Frank

    Frank GardenStew Founder Staff Member Administrator

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    Create Your Own Backyard Bird Feeding Stations For Bird Watching Enjoyment by Carole DeJarnatt

    I am an avid birdwatcher. No matter where I may be if a bird is within my sight if I am able to stop and get a good look at it you can be guaranteed I will. Just the other day as I was leaving a friends home a Red-headed Woodpecker came out of nowhere and landed on the ground next to the driveway. I stopped and watched in awe of the beauty of this bird wishing I had one of those visiting my feeders at home.



    When I first started watching the birds it was due to the curiosity of their actions. The first incident that caught my attention happened when I was cleaning up the kitchen after a family meal. I happened to have leftover cornbread so I took it outside and threw it out on the ground. As I watched from the kitchen window the birds were everywhere fighting over the little morsels. From that day forward I was hooked. I bought bird feeders, subscribed to magazines, and bought books to help me learn more.

    To get a closer look at the actions and reactions of the birds, another purchase was binoculars. I had already established one bird feeding station and trying out different seed varieties to view the wild birds in my area. Now I was interested in the coloring, whether it was a male or female, the species of the bird, and more.

    From there I went from one feeding station to several offering a variety of seed from different types of bird feeders. Birds like people are particular on how they want their food served so not one feeder serves all. A variety of feeders offering different foods helps to bring in more species of birds.

    Also another addition to any feeding station should be a bird bath. Birds love water and will frequent the bird bath. I offer a stationary bird bath but if you have access to running water, the sound of running water is a magnet to birds also.

    As you are setting up your feeding station pay attention to where you are locating it. The birds need protection from potential predators so access to shrubs or trees is good. Almost all of my feeding stations are located under the shelter of trees or very close in the area. I have seen hawks attack but most birds are long gone before it strikes.

    While attracting all of these birds to your yard your curiosity will get the best of you and you will be interested in identifying the breed you are watching, so books are an essential item to have for birding fanatics such as myself. I own a variety because each book has its own advantages to helping you learn and identify your visitors. The internet is also an excellent resource. From e-books to blogs about birds, you can learn a great deal from other peoples experiences.

    That was over 15 years ago when I first got hooked and today I still am trying to attract a greater variety of birds. Right now my goal is attracting the elusive Red-headed Woodpecker. I have a variety of woodpeckers visit my feeders--Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, but not the Red-headed Woodpecker so for now I am focusing on finding the right bird food recipe to attract this beauty. And while doing this I will enjoy the many visitors that are devouring and enjoying the offerings.

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    About The Author:

    Carole DeJarnatt has enjoyed feeding the wild birds for many years and now utilizes a variety of recipes that successfully has attracted many. To learn more about bird food recipes and the correct foods to offer to attract various breeds, visit her website Bird Food Recipes to help you create your backyard bird habitat while successfully attracting a large variety of birds.
    http://www.bird-food-recipes.blogspot.com

    Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carole_DeJarnatt
     
  2. noithatkuongthinh

    noithatkuongthinh New Seed

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    Thank you very much
     
  3. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Great article Frank. I'll take a look at her recipes later and see how many I can make up. :-D
     
  4. dooley

    dooley Super Garden Turtle

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    We have bird feeders in several areas and more birds than we can count sometimes. My favorites are the cardinals and doves but there are a lot of varieties out there. My least favorite are the black grackles because they chase the little birds away.

    dooley
     



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  5. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    http://www.whatbird.com/Expert/Expert.aspx

    This is a good site to help identify North American birds. Might help someone new to bird watching. Kind of exciting to see a new one then be able to track it down.
     
  6. Sherry8

    Sherry8 I Love Birds!

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    I haven't had as much time to watch the birds as I did before because my husband retired and we seem to be busy most of the time....I am sure I have missed quite a few different ones visiting. We do have a Blue Jay nesting in one of our trees....and we see him chasing the black birds away from the nest almost daily. The tree is right in front of the pergola feeding area so he has plenty of food and water and doesn't have to travel far to get it.

    I find the birds fascinating too....we have a large Hairy woodpecker that comes around quite a bit, he looks so big compared to our small Downy woodpeckers...
     
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  7. LIcenter

    LIcenter In Flower

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    To revive an old thread, my curiosity has gotten the best of me. So my question Frank; Did you ever lure in the elusive Red- headed woodpecker?
     
  8. Frank

    Frank GardenStew Founder Staff Member Administrator

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    Hi LIcenter, unfortunately this is a reprinted article so not my personal experience :)
     
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  9. LIcenter

    LIcenter In Flower

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    HAH That's what I get for skimming. :)
     
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  10. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    We just took down our bird feeders for the season:crying:. Bears are up and about now.:eek:
     
  11. LIcenter

    LIcenter In Flower

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    Which could mean...:fingerscrossed:...spring is on it's way.:flower:
     
  12. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    Chuckle....Licenter....what a great attitude!! Yes I am telling myself that. You'd never know it though, peering outdoors! Snow is still 12" deep from our last storm. But yeas, spring is around the corner. Bears are not dumb...they know better than we do the ways of nature.
    I do have bok choi seedings sprouting in the basement. They are doing very nicely.
     
  13. Kildale

    Kildale Nature's Window

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    We have had a great variety of birds through the winter and now the summer birds are coming in. Been here for the last six days. Audubon's Warbler.

    audubon.jpg
     
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  14. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    Wow!! He/she is a beauty!!
     
  15. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    My husband has perhaps won the bird feeder contest with our local raccoons. They tore down two feeders, but he has made one that is braced and has two layers of screening on the bottom. After the feeder survived for a few weeks, he also added a branch for birds to perch on. One of our chubby Whitewing doves came in and perched on the branch, which made it much less erect. Husband then put in a second screw so the branch wouldn't be able to rotate around just one screw. So far it has worked. We spend a lot of time trying to outthink birds and mammals!
    bird on feeder perch.jpg
     

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