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News & Events June 22, 2008 The dog days of summer are here and even your feathered friends are feeling the heat. The importance of a water source cannot be stressed enough. During the heat of summer, fresh water sources are hard to find and adding a water feature to your yard will attract many birds for your viewing enjoyment. The soothing sound of a fountain not only calms your senses, it acts as a beacon to birds. An existing birdbath can become even more attractive by adding a water wiggler to create sound or a mister/dripper for an irresistible bathing experience. Keeping your water feature clean is very important. Use soy based enzymatic cleaners to keep it free of algae. It may be necessary during extreme heat to use a light bleach (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) solution to keep your water feature clean. Because there are more natural food sources (insects, fruits and berries) available, it is OK to cut back on feeding during the summer months. We do not recommend you stop feeding entirely though. Many nesting birds find feeders provide an important supplement to natural sources. Put out only as much seed as will be eaten during the day. This cuts back on waste and can help prevent nocturnal pest (like raccoons) problems. Suet is a high energy food source for your birds that is just as important during the summer months. Be sure to switch to Never Melt or Dough Suet Cakes that can stand up to the heat. It is also a good idea to move the suet feeder to a more shady area of your yard. Nesting birds will be especially pleased to find this treat. Keeping feeders clean is very important during the summer as well. Wet and humid conditions cause seed to mold quickly and that can harm the birds visiting your buffet. Clean feeders at least once a month for best results. There are many handy and inexpensive accessories like long brushes and soy based and enzymatic cleaners that make it easier to maintain your feeding station. Be sure to dump old seed and fill with fresh each time you clean your feeders. Clean hummingbird feeders and other nectar feeders every 2-3 days during extreme heat (83 degrees +) to keep them fresh. Do not top off old nectar with fresh since it will only cause the added nectar to mold quickly. There are brushes specifically designed to reach even the tiniest opening in feeders to keep them clean and safe for Hummingbirds and Orioles. The arrival of the summer sun doesn’t mean you have to say good bye to your feathered friends. Add a water feature and keep fresh seed available and the colorful show your backyard birds put on will continue year round. The Bird Garden is a unique store stocking everything you need to support backyard wildlife and exquisite gifts for everyone including yourself. The Bird Garden, 7602 Cox Ln., West Chester, Ohio 45069. Contact us at 513.755.7706. http://www.thebirdgardenusa.com/ info@thebirdgardenusa.com Monday thru Saturday 10am - 6pm, Sunday noon - 4pm. May 21, 2008 This is a wonderful time to enjoy backyard birds because now is the time to spot one of the most amazing aspects of bird life...family life. Watching nesting birds care for their babies and each other is fascinating and entertaining. Encourage birds to nest and raise their young in your backyard with a few simple steps:
It is amazing to watch bird parents take seeds back to a nest, or better yet, bring their offspring to your feeders and show them how to eat. Put out No Melt Suet during the spring and summer to provide much needed, high energy food to nesting and breeding birds. Adding eggshells to your feeder is also beneficial. Eggshells provide calcium to females. Bake the eggshells for 20-30 minutes at 350 to kill salmonella and add them to your feeders or in an open area in your yard. Get kids involved by letting them put out nesting materials. After grooming your pet, or pulling your own hair from a hairbrush, let kids put the fur and hair out around feeding stations or under trees and shrubs. Many nesting birds use hair or fur because of its soft and insulating qualities. The entire family can work together to cut up yarn or string for nesting birds to use in nests. Make sure the string is no longer than 2-3 inches so birds will not get tangled in it. String can also be placed throughout the yard for birds to find and use. Helping nesting bird families is a fun and rewarding activity for the entire family. It is becoming more and more important as many of our familiar backyard birds are in decline. The Bird Garden is a unique store stocking everything you need to support backyard wildlife and exquisite gifts for everyone including yourself. The Bird Garden, 7602 Cox Ln., West Chester, Ohio 45069. Contact us at 513.755.7706. Monday thru Saturday 10am - 6pm, Sunday noon - 4pm.
April 25, 2008 The hummingbirds are back and if you want to get your share of these “jewels of the yard” you’ll have to work fast. As a rule of thumb, in the Southwest Ohio area, it is best to have your hummingbird feeders out by April 15th. If you don’t have yours out now, hang it up right away. Hummingbirds are a very territorial bird, even going after much larger birds like Cardinals in defense of a hummingbird feeder. For this reason, if you put your feeders out now, you’ll get the opportunity to feed a hummingbird who may have lost last year’s territory. Also, hummingbirds don’t arrive enmass, stragglers can arrive weeks after the first birds are seen. They’ll need your feeders to give them a boost. To avoid fighting between your visiting hummingbirds, place feeders in a single area no more than 15 feet apart. One bird will be unable to defend each feeder against all the others and territoriality will break down These insect eating machines don’t live by nectar alone. The high energy nectar you put in your feeder gives hummingbirds the boost they need to catch the insects that provide protein, vitamins and minerals. Keeping your feeders clean is important not only to keep the birds coming back, but also to keep them healthy. Nectar spoils in 2-5 days (2 days in extreme heat) so it is important to watch for cloudy liquid. Your feeders should be washed EVERY time they are refilled. Clean each part of the feeder in a mild dishwashing soap each time and a solution of 1 part chlorine bleach to 10 parts hot water once a month. Use small brushes and sponges with your cleaner to reach the smaller ports of your feeder. Be sure to rinse the feeder thoroughly. The Bird Garden carries a variety of safe and effective “instant” nectars to make it simpler to refill. If you prefer making your own nectar, the recipe is:
Planting for hummingbirds is rewarding for both you and the bird. Hummingbirds have no sense of smell so the plantings need to be bright and colorful to draw their attention. Their favorite color is red, followed by oranges and purples. Since the blooms don’t have a strong scent, they also do not attract pests such as bees and wasps. Some popular blooms are Bee Balm, Bleeding Heart, Butterfly Weed, Cardinal Flower, Columbine, Coral Bells, Daylily, Hosta or Plaintain Lily, Phlox, Sage, Salvia (red). Feeders come in a variety of colors, sizes, styles and materials – some even glow in the dark! You can choose hanging feeders, small stake feeders for hanging post, large stake feeders for gardens and yards and even feeders that suction to your favorite window to view your hummingbirds up close and personal. The Bird Garden’s knowledgeable staff will help you find the perfect feeder for your space. Hummingbirds have amazing memories. Once they find your feeder, they’ll be back year after year. Don’t disappoint them! The Bird Garden is a unique store stocking everything you need to support backyard wildlife and exquisite gifts for everyone including yourself. The Bird Garden, 7602 Cox Ln., West Chester, Ohio 45069. Contact us at 513.755.7706. Monday thru Saturday 10am - 6pm, Sunday noon - 4pm.
March 11, 2008 Birds need the same things humans do to survive – food, water, shelter and a place to raise their young. Birds that nest in spaces dug out of wood, earth or other dense substances are called cavity nesters and they are looking for prime real estate now.
Birdhouses are designed to attract different birds. The size of the house, the size of the entrance hole and where the house is physically located are all determining factors. You need to decide which birds you want, and then get a house that meets the needs of those birds. How helpful are nesting boxes? The bluebird is an excellent example of how the proper birdhouse can impact the recovery of endangered birds. By the 1950’s all bluebird species were endangered because of pesticide use and habitat destruction. Use of nest boxes designed especially for bluebirds have helped them to become a common bird once again. Help cavity nesters that don’t use “houses” like woodpeckers in your own backyard by leaving dead, perfect cavity-bearing trees alone. Keep your feathered family safe in your man-made birdhouse by baffling it against predators. The Bird Garden is a unique store stocking everything you need to support backyard wildlife and exquisite gifts for everyone including yourself. We are conveniently located at 7602 Cox Ln., West Chester, OH 45069. Our hours are Monday thru Saturday 10am - 6pm, Sunday Noon - 4pm.
March 1, 2008 The Bird Garden was pleased to participate in the 2008 Great Backyard Bird Count that took place February 15–18, 2008. This event, like most “Citizen Scientist” Bird Counts, was all open to all ages, areas and levels of expertise. The Bird Garden is a unique store stocking everything you need to support backyard wildlife and exquisite gifts for everyone including yourself. We are conveniently located at 7602 Cox Ln., West Chester, OH 45069. Our hours are Monday thru Saturday 10am - 6pm, Sunday Noon - 4pm. |
Cavity nesters are finding it harder and harder to find natural places to roost so placing a birdhouse in your yard is a wonderful invitation to your feathered friends to stay a while and even raise their young. Now is the perfect time to put out your birdhouse since the birds will watch a new cavity for a few weeks before they feel comfortable moving in.
like this are an easy, and free, opportunity for everyone to get involved with helping our feathered friends…and only take 15 minutes!