Bird feeder contains lead!
15 years ago
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15 years ago- 15 years ago
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Bird Feeder In The Rose Garden? Black Oil Seed Hulls?
Comments (16)I'm with Mike on this. I would not allow the seed hulls of black oil sunflowers to collect under the feeders if I wanted plants to grow well there, from personal experience. At one point in my life, I went a bit off the deep end with a row of bird feeders hanging off the edge of my side porch. The hulls made a lovely mulch, several inches deep. I had noticed that no weeds grew under there (with the exception of a few volunteer sunflowers) but when I began to realize that the flowering shrubs were not doing well I did some research and found the same information that Mike mentions about there being toxic compounds in the shells. I raked out the beds thoroughly and the shrubs seemed to take off after that. Anecdotal perhaps, but I'm convinced....See MoreBirds at Feeders
Comments (14)Because the others are females and they are his harem? Maybe all the other males are out buying beer for Super Bowl Sunday? Maybe all the other males are sleeping off their pre-Super Bowl party celebrations last night? I don't know why you only have one male, but here at our house the females always outnumber the males. Often the males eat early in the day and the females eat later. Female redwings don't really look that much like the males, so it is easy to tell that you have more females than males. Lots of people don't even realize the females are female redwings and think they are something else. Yesterday, in a rather odd form of behavior, the males were going mad over the cattail seedheads, and the females weren't. I have no idea what that means. I see a pretty similar gender segregation with the cardinals too. The males come in big groups of 10 or 12 or 15 to eat. Later on, the females come in smaller groups of 2, 3, 4 or 5. I wonder why. Finally, how about the deer and the way they feed. Our does and fawns, even the young males, come together in a group. They eat first. The minute our really big buck shows up, all the others scatter. It isn't that the buck is aggressive and pushes them away from the food. In fact, he stands in the neighbor's pasture about 20' from where the deer are feeding and waits patiently. He never comes to the food and nudges them away from it. However, from the moment he shows up, all the others are antsy and nervous and hungrily snatch a few more bites before quickly leaving together as a group. Respect for the buck's superior size and strength? Fear? Who knows what it is, but it is interesting to watch. Dawn...See Morepossums and bird feeders
Comments (4)I would not trap and relocate the animal. In most cases, the animal will die. It seems to me to be a very human-centered way to deal with a problem that we create. The opposum is simply doing what animals do. Since they don't have grocery stores; they recognize a new food source and exploit it. I think there are probably 10 more possums that will come along when that one is gone. If it isn't a possum, it will be a raccoon or other animal. In the short term, you could think about these things: Is the location of the feeder in an area where the oppossum can jump from something? If it isn't near anything, you may need a different kind of baffle. You could try the kind they put on bird boxes that wobble when the animal jumps onto it. I'll link below to an inexpensive plan for one you can make. You could also take the feeder down at night. In the long term, you could try planting for the birds. I understand your desire to see the birds and feed them, but natural foods will give you the same effect and provide more for the animals. Artificial feeders concentrate birds to one area encouraging predators (hawks, cats, etc.) They also help to spread disease like finch-eye conjunctivitis. If you do plant for them, then you are also providing more habitat, places to nest, hide from predators and eat. Try googling up habitat for the birds you are trying to attract and you will find lots of lists of plants and other aspects of good habitat that you can provide. Good luck to you. Here is a link that might be useful: birdhouse baffle...See Morehow do i attract humming birds to my feeder?
Comments (18)Aside from all that lol, basically what everyone else said, many flowers work for hummers. Anything tubular with plenty of nectar is best but they can adapt to some others. Annuals: Zinnia (grow from seed), annual salvias, pentas, impatiens Perennials: Perennial salvias depending on region (Southeast= 'Black and Bloom' salvia & Salvia Amistad are favorites in my yard), Red Yucca, Penstemon/Beardtongue, Purple coneflower (wild type is best but cultivars White Swan, Cheyenne Spirit, & PowWow series are ok), coral bells, hosta, Agastache, Bee balm, columbines, Red hot poker, lilies (but only in addition to other plants) Shrubs: Butterfly bush, Firebush (zone 9+ only), Firespike (zone 8b+ only, not a shrub, herbaceous, but shrub sized), azaleas Small trees: Callistemon/Bottle brush (zone 9+, 'Woodlanders hardy' is zone 7+), Red Buckeye Vines: Trumpet honeysuckle (NOT invasive Japanese honeysuckle, the native kind)... possibly Trumpetvine and Crossvine but both can be aggressive Firebush is my (and my hummer's) absolute favorite btw and might be worth growing in a large container (low water needs) up North and overwintering by a window. Last tips: Minimize or eliminate pesticide use (a big part of hummingbird diets, and what their babies depend on especially, are small insects and spiders) and have feeders up by the time they arrive in spring when they're forming their territories. Hope that helps and I hope you get plenty of hummers next year, good luck!...See More- 15 years ago
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