Backyard Birding Techniques
Backyard Birding Techniques
Bird Feeding / Watering Station and
Backyard habitat Setup
If you have a love of birds and want to be able to see them close-up is to provide a bird feeding / watering station as well as some back yard habitat. This article explains how you can setup a Birding Station and build a backyard bird habitat.
First and most important is a water source. Buy a good birdbath. My birdbath is a concrete type a couple of inches deep. Be sure to keep the Water changed everyday especially in the summer. Occasionally you will have to clean it out using a diluted mixture of Clorox and water. This keeps the algie from growing.
Second, you need some various types of bird feeders mounted near the water. Use Shepard’s hooks to hang them on. I have several different types, one that is Squirrel proof, one for small birds and two for the larger birds. I feed sunflower hearts mixture with fruit. Buy a variety of seeds, because different birds like different seeds. Seeds such as white millet bring in Indigo and Painted Buntings. The sunflower hearts bring in Cardinals, Tufted Titmouse, Chickadee’s and others. You could use Black sunflower seeds or buy the mixed variety. The more varieties of seed you have the better the chances of having a variety of birds. You can also put out fruit for the fruit loving birds such as Orioles and Catbirds. The one other thing is to set out a Hummingbird feeder. The hummingbird’s love to come to the feeder to feed on the sweet nectar. You can buy a pre-mixed solution or make it yourself with sugar and water. You need to keep the solution changed regular so it does not get rancid. I place my Hummingbird feeder next to the Honeysuckle, a plant that the hummingbirds love.
Third, place the Feeding / Watering Station, near an area of some trees, undergrowth, brush pile and bushes. A place where the birds can feel secure and escape to. My backyard is small but has some trees and bushes. The tree’s insures safety for the birds as well as a place to perch before coming to the feeders.
If you place all of the feeders and birdbath together in a central location, you will be able to see close-up the variety of birds it will draw in. You can take photos of the birds; you can keep a journal or just enjoy the birds as they come in to feed. You can place near the house so you can enjoy the birds from the back deck or the windows. You can place it out in the backyard near the outdoor sitting area and study the birds with Binoculars. I placed the feeding station just off my backyard deck and used the deck as a platform to get bird photos.
To build some bird habitat, you can plant shrubs that have berries or seeds or plant a cone bearing evergreens for food and safety. I have some Turks Cap and some Mexican sunflower bushes as well as honeysuckle. The birds perch on the branches before coming to the feeders. Evergreen shrubs, like holly, mugo pines, junipers and yews, can provide shelter. Deciduous shrubs can also provide protection for the birds as well as nesting areas.
Typically, birds will build their nests 5 to 8 ft. from the ground. Do not forget to use vines when selecting your bird-loving plants. Vines can be a source of nesting material, a home in which to nest and a source of food. Boston Ivy is a good example as well as honeysuckle (which hummingbirds love). I had a Baltimore Oriole and a Tennessee Warbler feed on the Turks cap flowers.
Building a backyard bird feeding / Watering station and developing bird habitat is both fun and easy to achieve. As you can see, there are many ways to attract birds to your yard. With a proper setup of the bird feeding / Watering station and planting of some backyard bird habitat, before you know it, you will be an avid backyard birder.
Article submitted by: Robert Strickland of Beverly Hills. Florida
Website: Strickland
Bird Feeding / Watering Station and
Backyard habitat Setup
First and most important is a water source. Buy a good birdbath. My birdbath is a concrete type a couple of inches deep. Be sure to keep the Water changed everyday especially in the summer. Occasionally you will have to clean it out using a diluted mixture of Clorox and water. This keeps the algie from growing.
Second, you need some various types of bird feeders mounted near the water. Use Shepard’s hooks to hang them on. I have several different types, one that is Squirrel proof, one for small birds and two for the larger birds. I feed sunflower hearts mixture with fruit. Buy a variety of seeds, because different birds like different seeds. Seeds such as white millet bring in Indigo and Painted Buntings. The sunflower hearts bring in Cardinals, Tufted Titmouse, Chickadee’s and others. You could use Black sunflower seeds or buy the mixed variety. The more varieties of seed you have the better the chances of having a variety of birds. You can also put out fruit for the fruit loving birds such as Orioles and Catbirds. The one other thing is to set out a Hummingbird feeder. The hummingbird’s love to come to the feeder to feed on the sweet nectar. You can buy a pre-mixed solution or make it yourself with sugar and water. You need to keep the solution changed regular so it does not get rancid. I place my Hummingbird feeder next to the Honeysuckle, a plant that the hummingbirds love.
Third, place the Feeding / Watering Station, near an area of some trees, undergrowth, brush pile and bushes. A place where the birds can feel secure and escape to. My backyard is small but has some trees and bushes. The tree’s insures safety for the birds as well as a place to perch before coming to the feeders.
If you place all of the feeders and birdbath together in a central location, you will be able to see close-up the variety of birds it will draw in. You can take photos of the birds; you can keep a journal or just enjoy the birds as they come in to feed. You can place near the house so you can enjoy the birds from the back deck or the windows. You can place it out in the backyard near the outdoor sitting area and study the birds with Binoculars. I placed the feeding station just off my backyard deck and used the deck as a platform to get bird photos.
To build some bird habitat, you can plant shrubs that have berries or seeds or plant a cone bearing evergreens for food and safety. I have some Turks Cap and some Mexican sunflower bushes as well as honeysuckle. The birds perch on the branches before coming to the feeders. Evergreen shrubs, like holly, mugo pines, junipers and yews, can provide shelter. Deciduous shrubs can also provide protection for the birds as well as nesting areas.
Building a backyard bird feeding / Watering station and developing bird habitat is both fun and easy to achieve. As you can see, there are many ways to attract birds to your yard. With a proper setup of the bird feeding / Watering station and planting of some backyard bird habitat, before you know it, you will be an avid backyard birder.
Article submitted by: Robert Strickland of Beverly Hills. Florida
Website: Strickland
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