Birds

Empty bird baths will not have birds in them to watch. Water can attract the birds that do not visit a bird feeder, but there are reasons to have a bird bath other than your own backyard watching enjoyment. Birds need water, they use it to clean their feathers and they actually need water to drink.

Whether you buy an expensive bird bath or make one from house hold items, you want your bath to bring in birds and not mosquitoes or algae. Place your bath close to the ground and near cover where it is more natural for the birds. Remember to make your bird bath a safe place to be by providing some cover the birds can fly to in case a cat or other predator is lurking about. Cover can be simply close flying distance to a tree or a brush pile, but not cat perching distance. Birds like a shallow gentle slope to wade through the water, about a half inch to an inch of water at the edges sloping into the maximum of two inches. Look for the bird bath that will not break in the freezing temperatures and is easily cleaned.

If you have a deep bath you can place some stones in it to make it shallower and give a more secure footing, now the birds can stand in the water or get a drink. Birds like the sound and sight of dripping water. You can buy a dripper or sprayer, or make your own by hanging an old bucket or plastic container above the birdbath and punch a tiny hole in the bottom; just enough to let it slowly drip. Bathing birds can leave behind dirty feathers and droppings, leaving it unsanitary for others. Be sure to change the water every two to three days. Mosquitoes are attracted to the standing water of a bath and can cause problems. You can buy a water wiggler to distract mosquitoes and actually attract more birds. You may consider to use the solar powered wigglers and sprayers that are available.

I am building a web site around things that I love, which is my family and friends and spending time with them. At I have suppliers that I enjoy working with and count on getting product out to the customer as quick as possible. I enjoy reading articles and blogs about other peoples back yard gardening or bird watching experiences. I get a lot of enjoyment from my family and friends. My down to earth attitude helps me listen to others and learn many gardening and yard care tips. I find life is always teaching us, we just have to keep our minds open to different points of views.