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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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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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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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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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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In my last post I wrote about the ruby-throated hummingbird’s spring 2010 North American migration. The ruby-throated hummingbird is the only type of hummers found in the eastern United States.

A hummingbird feeder is a great way to attract the ruby-throated hummingbird. The hummingbirds are drawn to the color red, so this is a good color of feeder to purchase. Avoid a feeder with yellow on it because yellow attracts bees. When selecting a hummingbird feeder, look for one that has a basin because they are easier to clean than the inverted bottle type. Since the hummingbirds are very territorial purchasing several feeders will lessen the chance of fighting. This will give you more opportunities to spot the ruby-throated hummingbird at your bird feeder.

The ruby-throated hummingbird has a long bill and drinks nectar by rapidly sticking their forked tongue in and out. The nectar provides the fuel that they need to keep up their rapid pace.

To make your own nectar for your bird feeder mix one part sugar with four parts water. If you find that you are attracting bees you can dilute the mixture with a little more water. Don’t add red food coloring or honey to the mixture because these are not good for the hummingbirds.

If possible hang the feeder out of direct sunlight to keep the solution from fermenting. Keep the feeder away from windows to prevent hummingbirds from flying into them. Placing your hummingbird feeder near flowers will help to attract hummers to your bird feeder.

It is very important to change the mixture often, especially when the weather is hot. Clean the feeder carefully each time you change the solution. If the solution is cloudy it has already spoiled and you should replace it immediately.

The ruby-throated hummingbird eats insects to supply the protein that they require. If you put out fruit or banana peels they will attract flies near the feeder, then hummers will eat the flies and discover your feeder.

Ants are a nuisance at the hummingbird feeder. Ants will crawl down to the hummingbird feeder if you don’t do something to stop them. One thing you can do is to purchase an ant moat that can be hung above the feeder. A do-it-yourself idea is to take a plastic cap, put a hole in it and thread a wire through it. Close the hole with silicone sealant. Then keep the moat filled with water to stop the ants from crawling down to the feeder.

By following these simple guidelines you will be enjoying healthy hummingbirds at your bird feeder for another great season.

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There are many details of the hummingbird migration that are not known.  Relatively few are banded each year and even fewer are recaptured to provide some information of that bird’s activity. Until the technology will allow very small, lightweight transmitters it is unlikely that enough data can be collected to fill in the unknowns.

What is known is that the ruby-throated hummingbirds that spend their winter in southern Mexico or western Panama have begun their northward migration.  To successfully migrate the birds must double their weight to fuel the long journey ahead. Some of the birds will be migrating up to 2500 miles including a 500 mile, 20 hour trip across the Gulf of Mexico. Some ruby-throated hummingbirds will choose the longer, but less difficult, trip along Eastern Mexico into Texas and then migrate up the United States from there.

The males begin the migration first with the females following approximately a week and a half behind. Their migration is spread over two or three months.

After they arrive in Eastern Texas or southern Florida they travel as far north as Nova Scotia, Labrador, New Brunswick or as far west as Minnesota into Manitoba , Saskatchewan and  Alberta.  They may move up to 20 miles per day, depending on the weather and availability of insects and plant nectar. There is evidence that an individual hummingbird will take the same migration route and return to the same place each year.

You can watch the migration and report the first sighting at your bird feeder here: http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html

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Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Your Nikon 7430 Monarch 8×42 binoculars will allow you to see all the colorful birds that stop by your bird feeder. You will really be able to see the feathers, eyes, beaks and wings. Click the link to order your Nikon 7430 Monarch 8×42 binoculars.

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Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

View the beautiful birds at sunset with your Nikon 7430 Monarch 8×42 All-Terrain Binoculars. Be able to watch them up close as they hunt for food and glide through the air. Click the link to get your pair of  Nikon 7430 Monarch 8×42 All-Terrain Binoculars.

Technorati Tags: bird watching, Bird Watching Binoculars, Birds, monarch binoculars, Nikon 7430 Monarch 8x42 All-terrain binoculars, nikon 8x42 monarch atb binoculars, nikon binocular, nikon monarch 8x42 atb binoculars, nikon monarch 8x42 binocular, nikon monarch atb, nikon monarch binocular, nikon monarch binoculars 8x42, watching birds, Your Bird Feeder

	NIKON 7294 Monarch III 8x42 Binoculars
Magnification	8X
Objective Aperture	42 mm
Prism	Roof
Lineal Field of View	330ft/1000 yds (110/1000m)
Angular Field of View (degrees)	6.3
Eye Relief	19.6 mm
Exit Pupil	5.25 mm
Close Focus Distance	8.2 ft (2.5mm)
Central Focus Wheel	Yes
Relative Brightness	28.1
Fully Multi-Coated lens	Yes
Dielectric High-Reflective Multilayer Prism Coating	Yes
Phase Correction	Yes
Eye Cups	Multi-setting click stop eyecups
Weight	21.5 oz (610g)
Length (L x W)	5.7 x 5.20 in (146 x 129 mm)
Waterproof	Yes
Fog Proof	Yes
Warranty	Nikon is dedicated to quality, performance and total customer satisfaction. If your Nikon Binocular, Spotting Scope or Fieldscope requires service or repair not covered by our 25-Year Limited Warranty, Nikon will repair or replace it (even if it was your fault) for just $10, plus return shipping and handling.

Check my posts- Easy Steps to Choosing the Right Bird Watching Binoculars for helpful ideas on selecting binoculars or for my review of the Nikon 7430 Monarch 8×42 ATB Binoculars.

I recommend the NIKON 7294 Monarch III 8×42 Binoculars if you are in the market for a new pair of quality yet affordable binoculars. Click to order your NIKON 7294 Monarch III 8×42 Binoculars.

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