Your Bird Feeder - Your Bird Feeder

It’s getting cold outside and winter is slowly approaching! Your little feathered friends will be feeling it, too! The winter brings the birds a limited supply of water. Birds need water for drinking, bathing and preening. An excellent way to help birds in the winter is to provide the birds with a heated bird bath. This will supply the birds with the liquid water that they need in the cold weather.

Heated bird baths are operated by thermostats, similar to your home heating unit, and as the temperature falls to specific levels the unit will turn on and heat the water. The advantage of the thermostat is that the heating element is only used when needed. To eliminate electric all together, a solar bird bath can be used.

Heated Deck Rail Bird Bath

Heated bird baths come in many different styles, colors, sizes and designs. It is easy to choose one that will be well-suited to your special bird feeding area.

The distinct styles of heated bird baths include deck mounted, ground level, hanging, standing or pedestal models. This provides birders with many different options and placement opportunities.

A dark colored heated bird bath works better in the winter. The two advantages of the dark color is that it absorbs more solar radiation so it uses less electricity and it can be seen more easily by the birds in the snow.

The size of the heated bird bath will determine the variety of birds that it will attract. A smaller bird bath will limit the number of birds, while a larger bird bath will attract a wider variety of birds. A bird bath will attract different birds that you would not normally see at your bird feeder.

Heated bird baths can be purchased in a number of unique designs. Some of the many designs are: bird bath spas, tilt and clean, bird bath fountains, 2-tier solar bird baths, sculpted bird baths, drippers, misters, wigglers and bubblers to name a few.

Remember to keep the bird bath clean and keep the rim clear of snow. This winter provide the birds with a heated bird bath and they will provide you with hours of entertainment.

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Bird watching is one sport that can be shared and enjoyed by both parents and children. It is an activity that gets the family involved in the great outdoors. They will not only learn about birds but will experience and observe many other situations and events that happen in the wild.

Kids will look forward to nature trips like hiking and bird watching. Outdoor activities are a great way to get exercise at the same time you are experiencing nature. To keep the kids interested there are many other outdoor activities (ie. camping, picnicking, kite flying and star gazing) that can be combined with bird watching and hiking.

One of the best advantages of bird watching is that it doesn’t require buying bunches of equipment. All that’s needed is a good pair of eyes and a green area. As you become more involved in bird watching and hiking you may want to bring along and pair of bird watching binoculars and a field guide. Binoculars will give you an up-close view of birds and a field guide will help you to identify birds and animals.

Bird watching can be done at any time and in any season. Each season will offer something a little different.

You can set up a bird feeder in the backyard and kids will enjoy the variety of birds that will visit your bird feeder.

Spring is the time to observe the first flowers and the first birds of the season. Birds will be migrating back to their nests. It is also a time to enjoy the new foliage and pick berries. The whole family will have fun in the spring with all the activities that it brings.

Summer showcases many different animals that are most active at this time. Children can spot squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits and other animals scurrying along the trail. Apple, pears, peaches and other fruiting trees will be ready to be picked. Gathering fruit to take home to make desserts will be a big hit with the whole family.

Autumn is when birds start migrating. You will see many species of birds congregating and leaving the area for their long journey to warmer climates. It is a time for exploring and collecting pine cones, acorns, seeds and other items before they are buried by the winter’s snow..

Winter, the coldest of all seasons, will have the children tracking animals and learning how animals survive through the long winter. A great sport to do when bird watching is snowshoeing. The children will like trudging through the snow in the cold.

Bird watching or birding will help children increase their knowledge in the field of animals and birds. There are thousands of species of birds worldwide. This is an activity that appeals to children and adults alike. Bird watching with the family will open up many new activities that can be shared by everyone.

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You do not have to go far to enjoy and learn about birds and bird watching. Your own backyard can serve as a fun place where new bird watchers can start learning the basics about birds.

To construct the best birdwatching area in your backyard, you can make use of different bird feeders filled with a variety of seeds. Different styles of feeders and seeds will attract different birds to your yard.

Experiment with the various seeds in the bird feeders to attract the specific birds that you want to see in your backyard. Your geographic location is one of the main factors that will determine the birds that will visit your feeder.

Some of the more common types of bird feed are black oil sunflower seeds, cracked corn, striped sunflower seeds, nectar, safflower seeds, millet and thistle. You will learn what seed attracts which birds to the different feeders that are placed around your backyard.

Get to know how far away feeders need to be from each other. Birds like to have a safe landing area away from their predators. Place feeders close to trees, bushes or shrubs. It is important to keep feeders away from noisy streets or any other noisy areas that could spook the birds.

Backyard Bird Feeder

Increasing the number of plants in your backyard will almost guarantee that more birds will be visiting your bird feeders. You can even try to create a layered garden to provide richness and diversity in your garden. You can add layers by planting clusters of shade loving small trees, shrubs and ground cover under taller trees. The birds will love the plants and your backyard will be transformed into a beautiful natural woodland.

Now it’s time to sit back, observe and study your backyard bird habitat. Make sure you have a clear view of all the feeders. A basic pair of binoculars is needed to catch a close-up look of all the birds. These optical devices will greatly increase your ability to identify birds by their distinct markings and behavior. It will not take long until you become very familiar with many of the birds that will be coming to the feeders.

As you become more involved in bird watching, a spotting scope can provide you with a closer look at your new feathered friends.

There is nothing better than watching colorful birds fly around a native and natural garden that almost looks like the bird’s natural habitat.

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Have the ruby-throated hummingbirds reached your area yet? Check out the Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds Spring 2010 Migration Map to see!

After their long journey from southern Mexico or western Panama the hummers have made their way up through the mid and eastern parts of the United States and into Canada. They have been spotted on the eastern side of Quebec, near Toronto and Ottawa and some have continued as far north as New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Did you know that most hummingbirds will migrate to the same spot every spring?

I have to tell you that the first ruby-throated hummer of the season I saw was on April 30th, precisely the same day that I saw him last year. Maybe, I was looking harder that day, too!

Here are two more interesting facts about hummingbirds:
1. Ruby-throated hummingbirds are 3 – 3 3/4 inches long with a wingspan of 4 – 4 3/4 inches.
2. Hummingbirds are very intelligent. From one year to the next they can remember places and individual people (How do they know that?).

I hope you have your hummingbird feeder cleaned, filled and out for the hummers. After their long spring journey back to their favorite spot they will certainly need the nourishment.

Visit my other posts for more information on Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Spring 2010 North American Migration and Prepare Your Hummingbird Feeder For The Ruby Throated Hummingbird

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The ruby-throated hummingbirds have made their way into the mid-section of the United States. They were first spotted in the states in February around the panhandle of Florida and eastern Texas. Some of them will make their way as far north as New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Labrador and west as far as Minnesota into Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada. Check out the Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds Spring 2010 Migration Map. You can see that they are as far north as the Kentucky/Indiana Border and as far northeast as Virginia.

One thing that I have found interesting this year is that the ruby-throated hummingbirds are migrating farther west into areas of central Texas. It will be fun to see exactly how far west they will venture.

In early spring, a fascinating event to watch is the ruby-throated hummingbirds migration route around the Allegheny Mountains. You will notice the vacant areas in southwestern Virginia, eastern West Virginia, north-central Pennsylvania and western Maryland as they seem to avoid the Allegheny Mountains. It usually takes a week or two for them to fill in this region. See if you notice this happening this year.

Here are two interesting facts about the ruby-throated hummingbird that you can use to impress everyone at your next party:
1. The hummingbird’s heart rate can get up to 1260 beats per minute.
2. The hummingbird has the largest brain, percentage wise in relationship to total body weight-4.2% of all birds

Keep an eye out for your first ruby-throated hummingbird this spring. Your hummingbird feeder should be out and ready. They will soon be reaching your area if they haven’t already. The ruby-throated hummingbirds will appreciate the nourishment after their long trip from Mexico or Panama.

Visit my other posts for more information on Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Spring 2010 North American Migration and Prepare Your Hummingbird Feeder For The Ruby Throated Hummingbird

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Heated Bird Baths For Winter

The Whole Family Enjoys Bird Watching

Backyard Bird Watching

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird-Final Leg For The 2010 Migration

2010 Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Migration Update

Heated Deck Rail Bird Bath

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