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Tuesday, 24 May 2011

Squirrel Baffles on Your Feeders

If you want to look for oriole bird feeders, keep in mind that you should not end up with something too expensive and too stylish. But if you have already made up your mind, go ahead and get yourself one simple large bird feeder.

A large bird feeder provides you valuable advantages over other feeder designs. First, duncraft bird feeders does not limit what kind of birds it will cater to and second, birds feeder of these type will allow you to discover which bird varieties you will intend to take care for in the future. Maybe taking care of humming birds and discovering the variety of feeder to match each kind is interesting to your or perhaps you want more cardinals in the garden.
A large bird feeder can also hold more bird seed mixes. This will give you freedom to leave your homes for a holiday getaway without disappointing your tiny friends about their feeds.
Not all find lard bird feeders excellent, however, especially when located in high areas. This would mean that you need to haul up large amounts of bird seeds using a ladder to pour into the feeder. However, instead of doing such, it is much recommended that you bring down your feeder and fill it instead of bringing the bird seeds up.

Aside from having the chance to check for any damage on the DIY bird feeders, you can also clear it from casing and empty seeds to bring back free space inside. As such, it is advisable not to permanently fix up your feeders. Hanging is a good idea as well as temporarily nailing them to a particular area. A number of bird types have the hobby of explore through the seed mixture and this is very much plausible with large feeders. You will also have a clue as to what seed to buy because it will be easier for you to see which seed is the most consumed.

It is possible to alter the appearance of wooden feeders by painting its exposed surface. However, do not paint the interiors as the paints may give off fumes even when dry during hot seasons. You may also include a bird bath that can serve also as drinking water for thirsty birds. Available as well are feeders with intricate designs and materials made of metal like copper rather than the classic cedar. While on flight, birds see the copper feeders easily because it reflects the sunlight. An additional benefit is that copper or any metal is more durable compared to wood.

If the squirrels continue to be contenders of the birds for their feeds, add more baffles to your feeders. You may also place your feeders on top of a pole instead of affixing it on a tree branch. By doing this, the bird seeds are safe even from the most persevering squirrels and chipmunks.

The benefits of having a large bird feeder are not confined to the above list. You can find your own reason for maintaining one, both in the short and long run. The important thing is that you can kick-off your bird feeding and bird watching hobby with a blast.

Monday, 23 May 2011

How to Create the Perfect Mix of Wild Bird Seed

Do you sometimes find difficulty in choosing for the best wild bird seed for your squirrel proof bird feeder? You won't have to worry about that anymore because we will provide you with useful tips on what bird seeds and other bird foods to buy. Common bird foods like seeds, their characteristics and what kinds of bird eat these will be discussed.
Black oil sunflower seeds are the favorite of most birds that is why bird feeder pole owners prefer this. Travelling birds mainly need energy which is provided by these thin-shelled seeds that are rich in oil. You won’t be able to use black oil sunflower seeds if your bird feeder is large.

Sunflower seeds on the other hand are applicable only for small birds such as cardinals and finches. Hulled sunflower seeds are another variety which looks the same as the black oil sunflower seeds but the only difference is that its shells are removed. Hulled wild bird seeds are more expensive than those seeds covered with shells.
Thistle or nyjer seeds are mostly preferred by goldfinches and doves. These seeds look like small rice grains and are usually imported from Africa and other Asian countries. Seeds like these require thistle bird feeders since the seeds are relatively small.

It is also possible to fill your oriole bird feeders with cracked corns. You will then have jays, quails pheasants and bluebirds visit you often. You may buy these in kernels or if you want, you may take off the bits of corn from uncooked corn. Sometimes, people do not want to have a hard time with wild bird seed and opts to go with premium mixes. The composition of these seeds is just bird seeds and nuts. Since birds have special preferences for seeds, there might be some seeds that they would not eat.
The next thing that you need to do after having enough wild bird seed is to look for regular bird foods. Placing peanut kernels and millet would attract sparrows and pigeons.
Preferably, chickadees, woodpeckers, roadrunners and wrens choose suet above any other common bird seeds.
In case that you would like to see colorful humming birds, you need to have a particular type of feeder. They couldn't pick seeds because they have long and thin beaks.
As of this point, you might have at least an idea of what kind of wild bird seed and other common bird food to purchase for your window bird feeder. Next time, you have to know the certain types of birds that dwell in your area for you to know what kind of bird seeds to choose. Once you know this, then you may be able to enjoy shopping for bird feeds.
Why Window Bird Feeders are a Lot Easier to Handle

In today's commercial market, you would see a lot of bird feeder pole that come in different designs and shapes and fortunately, window bird feeders are one of them. The advantage of this kind of feeder is that it has suction cups which are used to stick on glass window panes. This kind of feeder sticks on glass window panes because of the suction cups it has which other feeders don't have.

Some people might not have large backyards to place those traditional oriole feeder that is why it is better for them to use window bird feeders. This won't be much of a problem since most houses have windows where window bird feeders can be placed. Making use of kitchen or dining windows are the best areas to setup these feeders since birds love visiting during evenings and mornings.

By placing the window bird feeder by your window pane, you would enjoy seeing them while you eat with your family. As compared to those regular backyard bird feeders that are placed on top of trees, this certain kind of window bird feeders is a lot easier to refill. Also, oriole bird feeders are very easy to install. If you wish to move the feeders from one place to another, then you may easily do so. The suction cups can be reused and they can still be stick again.

In spite of these advantages, disadvantages are also present regarding window bird feeders. First, the majority of the design of such feeders limits the size of birds that can come and eat in it. Large birds normally cannot sit on window feeders.
Another disadvantage is that animals like squirrels and chipmunks might enter these feeders because of its open structure. These animals love eating regular bird seeds which may cause serious damage to plastic feeders, To keep squirrels from reaching your bird feeders, there are ways on how to properly deal with this.

The third issue here is that birds sometimes see themselves on the windows. If the birds are aggressive enough, they may charge and attack at the image of themselves and thus may hit the hard glass windows. Eventually, they may break their necks and hurt themselves bad enough.

Without any doubts, window feeder owners need to know these things. To prevent instances like these, the owner may use curtains and window stickers to lessen reflection. Another is that you may also use screens. The place where you put window feeders is risky too. Kids might pick the seeds up and start to choke on them.
Although there are a bunch of disadvantages, these can be mitigated. Just try to maximize the advantages of having window bird feeders. At the end, it is up to the bird feeder enthusiast to choose window feeders among other types.
A Detailed Guide in Making Your Own Wood Bird Feeders

If you have relaxed weekends and has a lot of time to use, why not build carpentry projects such as window bird feeder? There are a bunch of migratory birds which travel around to look for something to eat. Once they see that you've got food in your yard, they will definitely stop by to eat and you would enjoy the sight of them. Building decorative bird feeders is not a difficult task. The materials and tools that you will need are pieces of plywood, screws and nails and of course, a hammer, saw and screwdriver respectively.

The first step here is to make a plan as to how you want your feeder to appear before you cut up the woods. You need to sketch your finished product.
It is best to put the things that you have done after you have devised your plan. Cut the plywood based on the allotted sizes for the bird feeders. Take a look at Figure 1 and use that as an example to see if the pieces fit together for you to aptly polish the edges using sandpaper.

Make sure that the platform or base is wide and deep enough to hold bird seeds. This is important because if decorative bird feeders are shallow, then this makes the seeds mixture fall into the ground. It is also important to make your roof slanted rather than in horizontal position so that trickling water from rains will not accumulate on top.
You need to ensure that the distance between the platform and the roof are high enough so that the doves and other big birds can fit. Also, you could use metal bird feeder pole where you can place your feeders firmly.

Once you think that all wood pieces perfectly fit each other, and then it is time to screw them together. Just keep in mind not to tightly screw them for the thin plywood might break. Once you have done everything that was instructed, your own wood bird feeders are done. For finishing touches, you may either coat it with paint or just some wood oil. Through this manner, your feeder will not definitely wear out. Using your bird feeder pole, place the feeder on top and situate it in your garden. To introduce birds to your new feeder, create a food path leading to it. Through this way, birds will finally find the new feeder themselves. Among the many types of feeders that you can actually do, wood bird feeders are just one of them. Materials like large, empty plastic bottles or wire mesh may be used as alternatives for plywood. If you want to see more birds scattered in your garden, then add more feeders.
What You Can Do in Order to Create Your Own Woodpecker Feeders

It doesn’t mean that because it is called bird feeder pole, woodpeckers only get to enjoy it. If you are interested to have one, there are a couple of things that you need to know about bird feeding and feeders. Thus, you can easily setup your bird’s feeder in no time at all. There are two options for acquiring woodpecker feeders wherein you can buy them at a local store or build one yourself. If you intend to create one, some of the basic materials that you need are pieces of wood, pointed saw to make holes and some nails. This can be some kind of a carpentry project for you.
It is best to use mesh wires if you do not fancy sawing and cutting wood. It is quite simple wherein you just have to loop around enough space to put in the woodpecker's food. You have to make sure that the woodpecker can fairly fit in and get the food that is why you need to cut round holes on both opposite sides.
You need to observe which would be the best place to set up oriole feeder for you to enjoy seeing them. To give a wider space for woodpeckers, choosing a big branch would do. Just make sure too that the location for this would not attract too many birds to avoid them to be crowded. The materials needed in setting up your squirrel proof bird feeder are power drill, twines and bird house feeder. Upon using the power drill, you will be able to make a hole on the tree branch where you want the feeder to be placed. Ensure that the hole is passing through completely on the other side for the twines to pass. After inserting the ropes into the hole, lift the bird feeder into the height that you want it to be reached. Through this way, you may fill it with peanuts, raisin, cracked corns and sunflower seeds. If you have placed the woodpecker feeders too high, then it would be a hassle for you to fill it up with food since you will need a ladder. Make sure that the twines of the woodpecker feeders are secure and tight enough. It will not hurt to tie it in two separate places for stability and support. Pull the entire bird feeder to test if the rope is securely placed. This ends the process of building up your woodpecker feeders. It is recommended that you must stand back and see the whole effect of the feeder at the tree branch. Make necessary changes on the feeder if needed.

As a result, this will attract more woodpeckers to enjoy your feeders. If these birds begin eating the nuts and seeds you placed there, try not to scare them away by not going near them. The best that you can do is to shoot away pictures using the zoom function of your camera for souvenirs and mementos.

Woodpecker feeders are easy to manage. If your feeder accumulates dirt, then all you have to do is use a small brush to clean it. Remember, a clean feeder is an assurance that the woodpeckers will keep on coming back for more of your treats.