Homemade SuetI just got done making suet for the wild birds. It is cheap enough to buy, but gets even cheaper if you make your own. The following is my recipe.
Floating Flower Bed for the HummingbirdsWe don't have much area to plant flowers in our yard as it's mostly concrete everywhere and an in-ground pool, so we had an idea for our backyard hummingbirds. That was to give them some real nectar, from real flowers.
A Big Bug? No a Hummingbird!I was sitting outside hand feeding my favorite squirrel. This usually keeps her out of my bird-feeder when I heard this thump and felt something hit the side of my leg. Looking down I thought, WOW, what a huge bug. I reached down to pick it up and throw it into the grass when I realized it was a hummingbird.
Happy Backyard Birds at ChristmastimeI love to share the holiday spirit with our backyard feathered friends too.
Creative BirdbathsIf you enjoy watching a robin splash about in a birdbath and want to help our feathered friends to a cool drink during these hot summer and fall days, you don't have to spend a fortune on fancy, high-priced garden store models.
Helping Out Lost Little BirdsWe found these little birds crying at the end of the garden, looking lost, no mother around. We put together some dried leaves and mini twigs in a bamboo basket and wooden cheese box to see if they needed nesting. Surely enough, they got right in and got comfortable.
New Tenants in the BirdhouseThis is a deck garden with an ornamental birdhouse on the railing. Last summer it was claimed by a couple who used it to start their family! The close proximity to humans didn't bother them at all.
Get Bird Houses Ready NowAlthough it may still seem like we're in the icy grip of winter, spring will be here soon. It's time to make sure the bird nesting boxes on your property are ready for their residents. And if you don't have bird houses, it is a great time to add them!
Making Homemade Suet Cakes for BirdsFor those who enjoy feeding backyard birds, suet is a great choice for attracting a variety of beautiful species.
Log Bird FeederMy husband drills various sized holes into a white pine log for me and adds a simple hook so I can put my kitchen food scraps, fat cut from meat, and rolled in seeds or stale bread with peanut butter.
Sleepy Robin (Western NY)This fledgling robin is all tuckered out after hopping around my backyard. He perched on a fence rail and took a nap while I snapped away with my camera just inches from him.
House Finches on SageOur Mexican sage plants are beautiful. The purple of the blossoms is incomparable. Often different birds visit the large sage in the front garden to find a seed or two to eat.
A Treat For The BirdsBefore cleaning a greasy frying pan, wipe it out with a slice or two of bread. Feed the bread to the birds in your yard. Birds flock to this treat, which is a good source of nutrition for them and makes washing the greasy pan easier.
Bird Feeder TipsRemember our bird friends by remembering this tip for thistle. When thistle seed (also called niger) gets wet, it cakes together and the birds can't get it out of the feeder.
