New Product: Bird Bath Self-Waterer

Need a bird bath that supplies a continuous water supply over long periods yet doesn’t get stale? Consider the Bird Bath Self-Waterer, now available at The Bird House.

The bath is a 14-inch-diameter round tray with a bathing troughs. Attach any 20-liter soda bottle to the tray and you have a waterer that’s ready for your lawn or garden. The American-made Self-Waterer can be hung from a tree branch or placed on a post.

The Self-Waterer relies on a vacuum to keep the water fresh. The water is released slowly, as the birds need it. All you do is fill your soda bottle, then screw in the tray and fill the tray. The Self-Waterer is designed to discourage the growth of algae or mosquitoes. In that respect, it’s superior to conventional birdbaths.

The set-up is quick and easy. First, remove the label from your 2-liter bottle. Next, you have a choice. The Waterer has a hook for hanging from a tree limb. Or you can place the Waterer on a post. If you choose to put it on a post, dig a hole and apply pre-mix concrete to secure a ¾-inch-diameter steel water pipe (available at most hardware stores) in the ground. Make sure to put the threaded end of the pipe up. The Self-Waterer self-threads onto the post. 

To guarantee new water is as fresh as possible, simply rinse the bottle each time it is refilled.

One final note: The Self-Waterer is not meant for winter use. Store it indoors or in a garage until spring.

Products sold at The Bird House may be available for a limited time, so hurry in!

Getting rid of those pesky grackles

As we look out the kitchen window at the feeder in the yard, a common sight is grackles … many, many grackles. Their iridescent heads poke up, followed by their young brownish brood, loudly squawking as they beg for food. 

Many of us are seeing these big birds taking over their feeders, scaring smaller birds away, swishing seed and making a mess! A common question in the store is, “How to I get rid of these pests?”

If you are a fan of grackles, the good news is that they eat almost anything—caterpillars, grubs, snails and beetles. They also love chopped fruit, bread, corn, grapes, millet, chopped suet, peanuts and wheat.

However, if you want a greater variety of birds, there are ways of discouraging grackles from hogging your feeder.

• Use tube feeders that have short perches with no tray on the bottom.

• Use feeders that are designed for smaller birds.

• Replace your existing feeder with a caged feeder. Smaller birds can get through the  mesh cage but grackles—and other hogs such as starlings and squirrels—can't reach the seed or suit.

• Try an upside-down feeder for suet. Small clinging birds and woodpeckers can feed, but grackles don't like to eat upside down.

• Avoid platform trays.

• Do not spread food on the ground. Wait until the grackles move on. 

• Try safflower seed. Not only does safflower discourage squirrels, but grackles, too.

Remember birds' needs when planting your garden

Serviceberry: a favorite for birds

You can do a lot for birds in your own backyard, beyond putting out seed and setting up a bird bath. By diversifying the plants in your yard and providing resting and nesting places as well as food for all seasons, you can attract many species of birds.

There is a symbiotic relationship between birds and plants that is revealed in the wild. Plants depend on birds to pollinate their flowers and have large blooms to attract them.

Plants that depend upon birds to disperse their seed have brightly colored fruit, as seed-eating birds have a good eye for color. Most trees and shrubs bear small fruits, no more than three-fifths of an inch in diameter, making it easier for birds to eat.

Some guidelines for establishing a bird garden:

• Re-create layers of plant growth found in woodlands—canopy, understory, shrubs and ground level.
• Select plants so that there is food in all seasons.
• Plant small trees and shrubs in same-species clumps to boost cross-pollination and fruit growth.
• Plant some evergreens which birds use for cover during storms.
• Plant vines for fruit or perching.
• Leave a dead tree for birds to perch on to use as a singing post or for woodpeckers to carve out nesting cavities.
• Supply a source of water for drinking, bathing or cooling off.
• Provide nesting boxes, which are good substitutes for increasingly scarce nature tree cavities.
• Leave lots of leaf litter under trees and shrubs for robins, towhees and juncos to pick through the mulch for worms, insects and spiders.
• Don’t use pesticides. They can harm birds directly or contaminate insects that birds eat. (A lawn company was none too pleased when I told them that pesticides did not fit into our natural-habitat philosophy.)
• Beneficial insects devour or destroy bugs harmed by prized garden plants. Some beneficial insects are predators and eat other insects, mites and other garden pests. Parasitoids are insects that develop as an egg or larva inside a host insect, ultimately killing it.
• Studies have suggested that native “composites,” including members of the aster family, have the best blossoms for attracting beneficial insects. Composites with daisy-like blooms consist of tiny flowers packed together on a central disk surrounded by colorful ray flowers. Examples of these flowers are aster, coneflower, goldenrod, tickseed (coreopsis) and sunflower.

Goldfinches love the seeds of purple coneflowers

Culinary herbs such as members of the carrot or parsley family have flower clusters called “umbrellas” that look like upside-down umbrellas. They attract beneficial insects and predatory bugs. Examples are parsley, cilantro (the name of the leaves; the name of the seed is known as coriander), chervil, dill and lovage.

Many of these plants also are directly beneficial to birds due to the seeds that develop. The seeds of coneflowers, coreopsis and sunflowers are especially prized. 

Water is not only for drinking

Whether it drips, puddles, flows or splashes, the sight or sound of water is irresistible to birds. They depend on water for hydration and temperature control and even flight. Clean feathers are essential for efficient flying. Birds seek water on a daily basis and will only live within easy flying distance of a water source.

A Robin gulps while a Flicker lets water trickle down its throat

Birds fall into two categories of drinkers. The most commonly seen drinking method among land-based birds is gulping. The bird immerses its beak in the water, tilts its head back and lets the water trickle down its throat. On the other hand, pigeons and doves drink water using their beaks like sipping straws.

Some shorebirds wet their food before they eat it, providing another source of water. A few land-based species also wet their food but we’re not sure why. Ever see a grackle break up a peanut over the bird bath and then eat it? Perhaps it is to make swallowing easier. Or maybe it’s to clean the food.

Birds use water to cool themselves on hot summer days, but waterbathing helps with waterproofing. After birds clean their feathers in the bath, they oil, preen and run their feathers through their beaks to realign the feathers to give them structural integrity needed for successful flight. Most backyard birds wade into water 1 to 3 inches deep and splash violently. 

(Click here for a hilarious 3-minute video from Facebook on the antics of songbirds splashing about to bath. You'll love it!)

Because of their weak legs and narrow-pointed wings, swifts and swallows dive into the water just deep enough to create a spray that is scooped over their backs. Kingfishers and flycatchers actually dive into the water and then vibrate their wet feathers to dry off.

Bird baths are best placed near a shaded area with cover nearby. This allows birds a protected “drying off” space to clean and preen in peace.

Are birds only drinking but not bathing in your backyard? Sometimes the birds cannot tell how deep the bath is if the bowl is dark. Try placing a few contrasting pebbles or rocks in the bath so the bird can better see the bottom.

The standoff

Who will you place your bet on--the chipmunk or the nuthatch?

Slippery when wet ...

Summer To-Do's

Summer is finally here. Here are some tips to help you enjoy the birds in your backyard.

• Try to fill your feeders the same time every day. Birds will get to know your routine. For instance, the creak of our back door is a wake-up call for robins and catbirds.
• Monitor stored seed for webbing, larvae or insect infestation. Pantry moth traps help alleviate the problem.
• Clean hulls from under feeders. Sunflower seed hulls are toxic to grass. Move your feeder a few feet to allow the grass to recover. You can also put indoor-outdoor carpet under the feeder which makes cleaning up the hulls much easier.
• Move suet feeders to the shade to slow melting. You should also consider "No Melt" suet for warmer weather.
• Clean hummingbird feeders with soap and water every time you fill them, which in summer heat should be about every four days. High sugar content can cause mold to build up. If you see the nectar getting cloudy, it should be changed right away.
• Clean seed feeders, too. Wet seed that sits at the bottom of the feeder can get moldy or can sprout. It could be harmful to the birds you’re trying to attract.
• Freeze blueberries and other small fruits for winter feeding when birds really appreciate the sweet treats. Take advantage of lower prices during the berries’ harvest times.
• Keep bird baths scrubbed free of algae. Use Bird Bath Protector (an enzyme not a chemical) to slow the growth of algae and other organic growth. Use a Water Wiggler or a dripper to keep water moving. Birds notice moving water, and the movement prevents mosquito eggs from hatching. Bird Bath Protector, Water Wigglers and other products are available at The Bird House.
• Be ready to refill bird baths frequently due to a lot of splashing. Exchange warm water for cooler, fresh water for drinking.

New Product: Colorful bird baths

Most people await dry summer days when they think of birdbaths, but actually now is the time to consider placing a birdbath in your backyard. Birdbaths can be a focal point for your flower garden. There is a second benefit: Birdbaths help fledglings find much-needed water at a time when they may not have the wing strength to travel far for natural sources.

One of the most popular birdbaths from The Bird House is a line produced by Burley Clay, a 90-year-old company in Roseville, Ohio. This season we've begun carrying the Zanesville Collection, a beautiful design made of glazed clay. The baths are carefully crafted and a handsome addition to the backyard (or front yard, for that matter!).

Burley Clay employs the lost art of "jiggering." In this technique, a plaster mold is placed inside a spinning steel drum. The craftsman then adds the appropriate amount of clay to the mold. As the clay begins to dry, the plaster mold draws water from the clay. The ware is then removed from the mold and any rough edges are trimmed. The final step is glazing, which leaves a glossy bath that is easier to clean that most conventional baths. 

This acquired skill requires a period of apprenticeship and sometimes is passed down to family members who have worked in Ohio potteries for generations.

The Zanesville baths come in two parts: the saucer and the pedestal. The bath has a locking mechanism to keep the two intact.

Burley Clay baths should not be used in the winter because they could crack. These baths are about 2 inches deep. We recommend adding pebbles (such as clay-based stones that available at The Bird House) to make birds feel comfortable when drinking or bathing.

We've been carrying a variety of Burley Clay products over the years, and they've always been popular among bird-lovers. Come on in and see the glazed Zanesville Collection.

Products sold at The Bird House may be available for a limited time, so hurry in!

Wheee!

Lehigh Valley bird sightings for June 14

Purple Martin

Reports of this week's bird sightings were compiled by Dave DeReamus of the Eastern PA Birdline, a project sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society.

Bethlehem, Northampton County

Peregrine Falcon, up to 5 seen this past week

Leaser Lake, Lehigh County

Acadian Flycatcher, 1 on June 9 along Fort Everett Road. Also, Cliff Swallow and Hooded, Cerulean and Worm-eating warblers

Peace Valley Park, Bucks County

The Prothonotary Warbler remains at the park. Also seen this week were Snow Goose, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Bald Eagle, Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Purple Martin.

To report sightings, send an e-mail to becard@rcn.com with the word "Birdline" in the subject heading.

Directions to many of the sites listed in this week's report can be found at "Birds of the Lehigh Valley and Vicinity," a guidebook published by the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society and available for sale at The Bird House.

Lehigh Valley bird sightings for June 7

Reports of the week's bird sightings were compiled by Dave DeReamus of the Eastern PA Birdline, a project sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society.

Mississippi Kite

Bethlehem, Northampton County

Peregrine Falcon, 1 during this week

Moore Township, Northampton County

Mississippi Kite, 1 fly-by on May 31

Kunkletown, Monroe County

Yellow-breasted Chat, 1 on June 5

Bake Oven Knob, Lehigh County

Hooded, Cerulean and Worm-eating warblers

Peace Valley Park, Bucks County

Prothonotary Warbler, continues in the area this week. Also seen: Bald Eagle, and Wilson's and Magnolia warblers

Directions to many of the sites in this week's report can be found in "Birds of the Lehigh Valley and Vicinity," a guidebook published by the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society and available for sale at The Bird House.