Archive for October, 2009
When my wife and I relocated from midtown Manhattan to a rustic cabin in upstate New York, we were seeking a lifestyle change. At first the culture shock was almost too much to bear. We had to go without many of the cultural touchstones and conveniences that had characterized most of our lives. No more quick trips to Whole Foods or daily walks through Central Park for us.
In time we came to embrace the peace and solitude that country life has to offer. I began taking our dog for romps through the thick undergrowth in the forest, and my wife put up a few decorative wooden birdhouses. Right around twilight, it’s relaxing to sit out on the back stoop and watch the colorful winged critters flocking to their food. At this point, I can’t imagine returning to the hustle and bustle of city living.
Maintenance on your bird feeders include cleaning the feeders, the area around the feeders and keeping the food supply full. Cleaning the feeders and surrounding area keeps your feathered friends healthy and keeps them from spreading diseases. Most feeders should be cleaned at least once per season with the exception of Hummingbird feeders that need to be cleaned weekly.
To clean your feeders, make up a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water. Discard any remaining feed and wash the feeder with hot, soapy water. Dipping it into the bleach solution sterilizes it. Be sure to rinse the feeder really good and allow it to dry completely before refilling it. It is a good idea to clean up the ground area around your bird feeder at the same time. Using a rake, clean the ground of seed hulls. When the seed hulls sit for awhile, they decompose and can spread disease among the birds.
Lastly, refill the feeders on a regular basis to ensure that the birds have a regular supply of food. If you don’t refill the feeders on a regular basis, the birds will move on to other food sources.
Fall is well under way in many parts of America, and bird lovers of the Midwest and Northeast are probably longing for those boon days of summer. When the sun is shining, the birds are out in full force. Although some of your feathered friends will fly south in winter no matter what you do, others simply require some coaxing. Your ability to attract certain birds to the feeder depends on the foods you offer.
Seeds will only carry you so far. There’s certainly nothing wrong with luring those familiar chickadees, cardinals and jays, but if you want to bring in the exotic fliers, you’ll need to go the extra mile. Suet, or rendered animal fat, is considered a delicacy by woodpeckers and sapsuckers. You can place a block of fat in a specialized cage right near your existing wild bird feeders. Be sure to stay close by with a trusty pair of binoculars as you’ll want to see the action up close.
A balcony is the most underused spot in an apartment. If you have a balcony, all you need is a little imagination and patience and you can have a small garden to brag about. Hang a wind chime or other garden art to add a personal touch. There should however, be some order in the way you arrange things so the overall space doesn’t end up looking cluttered.
You can grow tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers and many more veggies, all in pots. These are a bit more challenging than a few flowers and if you’re not willing to work a bit harder, consider growing your own herb garden. It’s the best option to grow in pots, needing just water and sunlight.
It’s quite surprising how many birdhouses are used as nighttime roosts in winter months. If you live in a cold winter area, you can make life cozier for you feathered friends with a few winterizing tricks.
First, clean out the birdhouse if it has old nesting material in it, then place some clean dried grasses inside. Next, plug the birdhouses vent holes to keep out winter’s drafts, rain and snow. You can use moldable clay weather stripping.
If you don’t already have a birdhouse, now is the time to hang one so it will be ready for early spring nesters as well as a cozy winter home.