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Post by tuchp on Jun 24, 2007 13:08:43 GMT -8
Al, Your thread the'Urban Feeder' doesn't really apply to me as I live in a rural, agricultural area and I have a large backyard pond which attracts birds. On the other hand, it does apply to me since I get the most enjoyment from backyard bird visitors and very rarely go into the field. I wanted to share an idea that would work well for anyone in town - even with only a small available space. I have a water bowl (large planter with the drain hole plugged) with a small pump. I filled the bowl with rocks, including one large rock and some water plants - not a necessity - and with the pump hidden below, added water just until in barely covered the rocks - some actually are above the water line. The bubbling sound is very subtle but has it ever attracted a variety of birds! Great fun watching them splash away in it. This has attracted many more birds than my birdbath did. I'll post a picture as this is better than my discription! Also Al, I can't seem to see the coral bells in your photos. I am posting, as well, a photo of the ones I have - with basic green leaves and red, tubular flowers - this is the variety that seems to attract the hummingbirds. My photo isn't that great but does show the leaves and one stem with flowers - just to share with you which one has been the most successful for me. Good luck with your "Urban Feeder" thread. - Pat
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Post by fouram on Jun 24, 2007 15:05:39 GMT -8
What an excellent idea, Pat!--Perhaps next year,, if I get an earlier start, and have some more, well established plants, the "fountain" idea may work for me as well! The Coral Bells that were sold to me, are of the "Red" leaved variety, and the flowers are very very tiny--perhaps that is why they are not acting as much of an attractant! --Better luck next year, then--Your pics are great! thank you for sharing! ;D ;D-also Pat, so many people don't really have much opportuntiy to get "into the field", and I suppose that what I am trying to do here, is to show that no matter where one lives ( a point that you have so succintly made! ;D) there is always an opportunity, no matter how small, to attract SOME bit of nature close to us. I will also say here, that I have no affiliation to either buy, sell, or otherwise have any commercial interest of any kind as relates to the pleasurable pursuit (my own) of Birding--no matter what form it may take-- I even consider watching the odd show now and again that relates to birding--in any way--however--once again--thank you for a point so well made, Pat---Al
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Post by cwjury on Jun 24, 2007 18:12:09 GMT -8
Al-I think you have done a great job in such a small area- Although I live on some acreage, we are completly surrounded by sub divisions. Our backyard has a creek and is quite wild- yet we actually attract more birds to our frontyard. Our frontyard is within 20' of a major road but we have a large old willow tree- which shelters us from the road. I have 3 birdbaths and 8 feeder/suet setups. As well as we have planted alot of cover. Our front yard area is 20'X 30'. Currently we have a pileated wp coming to the front yard- yet for years I have had suet up our gully where he frequents (Yet has never been a vistor to this suet). So here he is in the frontyard. We also currently have downys/hairys/flickers/chickadee/Bh grosbeaks/towees/song sparrow/house finches/juncos/house sparrow/starlings/goldfinches. I think most people can easily create a small area for the birds- all you need his water/cover and food- and they will come. As far as food- I feed only fine and med. sunflower chips and peanut butter suet. The sunflower chips do not germinate and all feeder birds love them- as well as very little mess. ( This is important as I want to try to avoid rodents.) I enjoyed seeing your pictures of your yard.
Cliff Jury Backyard Birding Stores Abbotsford and Chilliwack
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Post by fouram on Jun 24, 2007 18:36:41 GMT -8
Thanks for that Cliff. I have had to forgo the suet, as previously mentioned--the starlings have found the "yard" and constantly make raids to the feeders, no matter what they hold, as I believe one or perhaps 2 pairs are feeding fledglings! The same holds true of the House Sparrows, as to-day, I counted 50 of the little things in the yard, on the concrete, pecking at what others had thrown off the feeder, plus the others--perhaps another dozen, on the tube feeder-(I emptied the silo feeder, as it had been inundated with the starlings) so I have taken everything down, with the exception of the Niger Feeder, in hopes that soon the Sparrows will vacate the area, and move on. I will try other things as time, season permit/dictate, however, for now I will likely not be as active feedeing as I was----Thanks for the input, Cliff--will be in to see you soon, I am sure---Al
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Post by cwjury on Jun 24, 2007 18:46:22 GMT -8
I know at our place the starlings are usually gone by the end of june- they move out into the berry fields and bother the farmers. We usually get them only from mid april till end of june during nesting season. Hopefully that will happen for you. As far as sparrows go, all you can do is not feed for a while to lose them. Good Luck.
Cliff Jury Backyard Birding Stores Abbotsford and Chilliwack
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Post by fouram on Jun 26, 2007 12:52:39 GMT -8
I still have the Niger feeder out, all else is down, however--I will likely do as suggested and hold out for a bit--see if I lose both starlings as well as sparrows--cheeky birds!!!--especially when the young are fledging! ---Al
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Post by Gord on Jun 29, 2007 20:01:38 GMT -8
Al, looking back at your pictures, I think some of the plants you have in the baskets are Fuschias. I think they are good hummingbird plants as well. There is this one species of fuschia called Gartenmeister that stands on its own and can be planted in a garden. Here's a picture of it. Pat, I love your bird bath!
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Post by JeffOver on Jun 30, 2007 10:03:05 GMT -8
Hi all! Thanks for starting this discussion Al! I've been wanting to share my experience, but never found the time, so now I'm making time for it. I'm on the edge of "urbanity," but the issues that I have had no doubt apply to many urban dwellers. I'm on Epp Drive, which is just off Mcnaught Rd. Our backyard backs on to a cornfield (where I saw long-billed curlews when the field was still unused). We used to live only one street over on Carleton. However, the biggest issue I had to deal with here, was that our living floor (dining room, kitchen, living room) was on the second story. How could I get good views of birds when I lived 30 feet off the ground? We did have trees, so I tried hanging birdfeeders off of them. Unfortunately, I soon discovered that our new place was also squirrel headquarters! Thus the issue became more complicated. How could I get good views of birds on the second floor without having squirrels raid my birdfeeders. Then an idea came to me. I tied a rope from our house to a tree, and hung a few birdfeeders off of it. Well, since then it has developed somewhat. I now have what I call a birdline (similar to a clothesline), and I now enjoy birds during mealtimes!! ;D It worked well for quite a while, until this past year when I saw a squirrel hanging from the birdline!!! Well, (my apologies to squirrel feeders), I opened the window and yelled at him and made a lot of noise. The terrifed creature attempted to turn around and tightrope the line, flipping upside down and almost falling off in the process, then jumped to the tree branch and fled for his life!! ;D I have never seen a squirrel on that line since. Here are some pictures to demonstrate my setup. There are no birds right now, because the house sparrows are coming here by the hordes too, as well as starlings. I have the male flicker coming to my black peanut feeder--I hope he will bring young ones sometime. Mind you, we had a problem with that this year too! He was always drumming on our furnace pipe on the roof; my sister sleeps where the furnace is, and she wasn't too happy (neither was I actually) when it drummed at 5:30 a.m.!! ;D So we jammed an old tomato cage over the pipe, and that solved the problem! The clothesline is in the foreground, and the birdline in the background. Don't worry, the ladder is secure, though nobody should ever climb it (I have a couple of times when I was in a hurry to fill up the suet feeders). The ladder holds that crossbeam up from where I hang the suet, and is tied to various places. The metal pole in the backround is the old clothesline pole. I attached a wooden contraption to the top of that pole, and attached the other end of my birdline to that contraption. This year I have planted a honeysuckle vine for hummingbirds to grow up the ladder. I had a trumpet vine, but it never did well, and I found out this year that they are not winter hardy. Apparently the honeysuckle vine is. I'm hoping that it will eventually grow all the way up the ladder. One of my higlight birds was a pair of red crossbills in the winter of 2005 or 2004. They came during one of those dry and windy arctic air spells; their favourite feeder was that hexagonal tray feeder which holds black oil sunflower seeds. Sadly, I found the male dead on the ground early one morning (presumably from the frigid 40 to 60 km/h winds, or hit a window or both). The female stayed for a couple more days after that and then left. "My corner" The cornfield is in the background. The chicken wire/mesh on that feeder kept the squirrels out, until I added the other feeder on top (both roofs are modified for better weather protection). I have yet to resolve that squirrel problem. P.S. Just had a chestnut-backed chickadee at my peanut feeder. P.P.S. Has anybody else's goldfinches disappeared??
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Post by fouram on Jun 30, 2007 12:15:13 GMT -8
Jeff, what problems you had, and novel solutions! Bravo! Pictures are clear and give a very detailed story in and of themselves---wish I had room for a few more feeders, although with the lack of growing space, I added the hanging baskets for both colour and to appease anyone with a problem with the feeders. Happy that you posted on the thread, as I want to make sure that it is not MY thread, but a little spot where, no matter the problem--there is a solution, as you have so well shown, Jeff. Have you had many Hummers?--I had one here briefly, on one visit--that was it. I have 2 (I think) resident Goldfinches, although with the cutback of feeding, they have not been here for a couple of days, hopefully they will be back sooner or later---once again--thanks for posting, Jeff!
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Post by fouram on Jul 8, 2007 19:49:29 GMT -8
Gord, looked back at your post, and I will try one of that type of Fuschia--perhaps next year. I started to plant these rather late on, I think, so there may not have been too many around by the time that I had them potted ( Hummers). Right now I am down to the Niger feeder, and I think that there are 2 resident Goldfinches, as well as the "odd" House Finch that come to it--the sparrows are giving it a miss ;D ;D. The Stellars have me trained, I think, as they now come and scold me to put out peanuts, which I have quit doing, (stocking) as the sparrows mob them as well, so I put out perhaps a half-dozen shelled nuts, as the Stellars watch me, go in, and they get to eat--nothing left for the Sparrows ;D--I will start back up feeding, later in the year after the Squirrels become lathargic--if they do--they are trying to bury all the nuts that they have access to in my planters ---Al
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Post by fouram on Aug 16, 2007 18:13:06 GMT -8
Nothing new to report here, as all--except for the AM. Goldfinches have abandoned me--I am assuming for the time being. I think it has been a rather trying time for the "neighborhood birds" as there is a lot of local building going on, lots of equipment moving about, and lots of small disturbances during the day. I feel that (hopefully--) the major part of all the local construction --may be over soon, and even if the local population of small birds has moved on--the "next generaion" of transients may be attracted to what I have to offer them at the end of August. Stay posted--I will certainly post what I have--hoping that, in the meantime--some of the posting members continue to post their interesting sightings/observations---Have to say "thank you" --to both Deb, as well as Kathy for their posts recently---seems as if there is not enough time to do all I need to---Al, PS--(you too Pat ;D)
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Post by JeffOver on Aug 23, 2007 20:47:45 GMT -8
Hi all. It is with deep shame and regret that I come before you all as a stark witness of the truth that pride goes before the fall. Indeed, several days after I wrote about my experiences in my backyard, guess what I had in my birdfeeder on the birdline...several times now actually. You guessed it. A squirrel. Believing that my scare tactics work quite well, I scared it off once at the same time that the flicker came by with his young. Unfortunately, I haven't seen a flicker in my backyard since. I have since determined that the solution may involve taking off one of the big branches of the evergreen (sorry, I don't know my trees) that hangs low over the line. Notice the flicker in the left. It came twice with two young ones that I saw, and one of the young especially had a dull but noticeable red nape crescent, indicating a yellow-shafted ancestry at some point(s). I was amazed the first time I saw them. The "dad" ate from the peanut feeder, and then fed his two young who were waiting in a nearby platform feeder. The first young one flew off after he was fed, and then the "dad" fed the 2nd one. Since the 2nd one didn't fly off right away, the "dad" actually pecked the young one on the head quite hard several times! It finally took the hint. Pretty neat to see that kind of interaction! ;D Jeff
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Post by fouram on Oct 28, 2007 8:42:24 GMT -8
In another thread I have reported very little action at the feeders, it is possible that last year, I had a mixture of seeds in one feeder, and it remained popular all summer/fall. I do not have the luxury of the mixed seed feeder here this year, as I feel in the apartment complex I am living, I am "pushing" the feeder situation, and by having the straight sunflower chips may be the only grace. The Am. Goldfinches have not returned, and the only birds in evidence are a small family of Black Capped Chickadee's, and the "odd" House Finch. The everpresent House Sparrow is equally scarce, so this is not the reason for scarcity of other species--those easily intimidated. I guess the only recourse is patience---Al
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Post by fouram on Oct 29, 2007 7:25:14 GMT -8
As reported, "little" action--however had the first two Pine Siskins later yesterday, and again this morning---so the placement of the feeder (further away from the road) as well as patience, may be being rewarded--will keep all posted---Al
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Post by fouram on Nov 3, 2007 10:38:35 GMT -8
The Pine Siskins seemed to have been a "stopover" at the feeder, as they have not been back since the second day of their visit. I believe that this Fall/Winter, I may only have "incidentals" as I am now close to the road, and I am sure that traffic will affect all of the birds from being "regulars" with the exception of the Black Capped Chickadee's. I put out suet two days ago, but as yet have seen no visitors coming to it--I believe that I will have quite the challenge this year---Al--(PS--- wondering how Jeff is making out at his house--with the extensive feeding stations he has??)
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