|
Bird feeding is such a wonderful activity for young and old alike, something you can enjoy as partners, as families, or on your own. Way into the spring birds can use some help foraging, and it's a wonderful educational activity. You will be naturally draw to learn to identify the birds, and for children it can be a great lesson in Emotional Intelligence as they learn to care for creatures and understand how the weather affects them.
Here are some tips on bird feeding from Leisa Royse, whose yard is a certified Wildlife Habitat.
"Here in Kentucky," says Leisa, "our land is paved over and disappearing at the rate of 100 acres a day and with that, so does the wildlife as they have no food or nesting sources to raise their young." The benefit is not all to the wildlife, though. "Using native plants and reducing your lawn area helps to protect natural resources and requires less watering," she writes, "and cuts down on chemical pesticide use and fertilizers."
Since starting her habitat, Lisa has identified 65 species of birds and 48 species of butterflies. Think of the beauty! Think of the learning opportunities!
If you want to learn how to attract birds, butterflies and other creatures to your backyard, the National Wildlife Federation has lots of guides. On their site, they'll help you create an online habitat and a species list complete with photos. They offer advice and will even certify your yard.
Black oiled sunflower seed is the best all around seed. Cracked corn - Keep it in a big open feeder nailed to the fence, and also spread some on the ground. Safflower - A lot of people think this drives away grackles, starlings and squirrels. "No such luck for me!" says Leisa. She finds most every bird will eat this seed, but the cardinals, finches and doves especially like it. Wal-Mart Fruit 'n' Nut Mixture - A mixture of lots of different seeds such as pumpkin. It also has dried fruits and lots of nuts. Says Leisa, "The birds adore this, in fact they will lap it up quickly!" Millet. "I didn't start feeding this seed until the third winter," says Leisa. "Wish I had earlier!" Ground feeding birds like the White Crowned and White Throated Sparrows and Juncos seem to like it. Peanuts. Blue-jays and Nuthatches and Redbelly woodpeckers like peanuts in the shell. Woodpeckers, titmouse, and nuthatches too. Make your own suet. Here is Leisa's recipe. "Use lard melted with peanut butter. Then add cornmeal and a little flour to thicken it. Next add anything you might have in the pantry such as dried fruits, fresh fruits, cranberries, applies, applesauce. You can also add some coconut, nuts, or birdseed. Mockingbirds and Woodpeckers love this." Make them some special cornbread. Leisa recommends using a cornbread mix and adding 2/3 cup peanut butter. Then she adds 2 eggs with the shells crumbled up in it, and fruits and nuts. Bake as usual. Hummingbird feed - You can buy it, but please don't use the red kind. The dye has been shown to harm hummingbirds and their eggs. Here's how Leisa makes her own: "Use a mixture of one part sugar to four parts water. First boil your water for 3 minutes, then add your sugar and boil for one minute more. Let cool, and store in refrigerator up to two weeks. You may even freeze it"
"Be sure and keep your hummingbird feeders scrupulously clean," she advises. "Rinse with small amount of bleach or vinegar, don't use dishwashing liquid. Empty, clean and refill your feeders once a week in early spring and late fall, but in the hot days of summer you may want to do it every other day or so." Fresh fruit and jelly. Leisa puts out whole apples for the robins and Mockingbirds and has seen House finches eat it too. Other fruits birds will eat are chopped cherries, coconut, pears, bananas and grapes. "Orioles love oranges and grape jelly," she adds.
|
