Attracting new birds

We have 4 large feeders out in our front yard, we watch them through the living room window. And we also have 3 finch bags out there. We have quite a bird frenzy going on, but I see the same ol same ol . Would like to attract a few new ones.

How can I. With what food?

Now we have

cardinals both males and females.
american finches
purple finches
dark eyed juncos
wood peckers
doves once in a while

How can I attract some bluebirds. I had some last winter, but none here now.
would like a few other birds to come around also.

Now we're just feeding a wild bird mix in one of the feeders, and black oil sunflower seeds in all the other feeders and The tradtional finch seed for the finches.

I did make up a batch of suet a while back, with some bacon grease, peanut butter, wild bird seed, black oil sunflower seed.

I have bought mealy worms at the pet store, but didn't seem to get a big attraction to them, I don't have a good place to put them either without them crawling off.

We love our birds, and spend alot of money during the winter to keep them around. I'd like to attract some new ones .

kathy

I also have a pan out there that I keep fresh water in.

Hi kathy, Having the right plants and shrubs in your yard can make a huge difference!

Many other interesting birds including Bluebirds enjoy berries.

Heres an old but wonderful thread from last year thats very informative.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/682674/

Another thing Bluebirds love is mealy worms that can be purchased online or in much smaller quantities at wild bird shops and some pet stores like Petsmart.

Having water (birdbaths) is another essential.

Hope this has helped. Pelle

Kathy_Ann, I'm so glad you posted this, and Pelle, thanks so much for the awesome thread! Now, in addition to wanting Chokecherry for certain butterflies, I definitely want it for certain birds!!

I saw "dried catapillars" in a garden catalog. Has anyone tried those? And how do you "store" mealy worms?

You store them in the fridge. Someone just posted a really good article about it.

I'll see if I can find it.

I have tried Dried Mealworms but the birds turned their beaks up at it. :-)

Thanks Pelle, they looked wierd anyway!

Okay heres the article on mealy worms.
http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/how_to/feeding_feeders/mealworms.aspx

I'll be back w/ more. :-)

Heres a good place to buy meal worms in bulk.

http://www.sunshinemealworms.com/

About making suet for Bluebirds and other birds.
http://www.juliezickefoose.com/blog/2006/01/suets-big-deal.html

This message was edited Jan 20, 2008 1:08 PM

Now I have a question about quantity, how many fit in a plastic shoebox, and how fast do you go through them? Do you leave the box open? Can I use oat bran?

Give them old-fashioned rolled oats. Since that is what she said I think it would be best to go with that. Don't forget the carrots. :-)

I don't know about how many would go in a plastic shoe box.

2ndcousinDave buys 5 or 10,000 at a time so he would probably know.

I've raised mealy worms before, didn't store them in the frig but on the kitchen counter in a plastic container. with potato slices for food and water. they turn to beetles eventually and lay eggs on the undersides of the potatos, worms grow up . It worked good for me, I wouldn't put them on the counter now cause the wood stove keeps it too hot in the house, but rather out in the garage where it's cooler.

I may go back to raising them again to attract the bluebirds in the spring time, problem is something else eats them before the bluebirds get to them. and it takes a while to attract the bluebirds also.

pell is right, I put oatmeal in the plastic container for them to dig around in.

Hi, Kathy ann

Some other thoughts--

If you want to attract ground feeders such as various interesting sparrows, and maybe towhees if they occur your area, try some milo or millet in small piles in clearings or on a flat rock near scrubby areas or evergreens where the birds may be nesting... don't over do it or you may get every dove, pigeon, or starling and squirrel in the county at your place, though...

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Publications/Birdscope/Autumn1994/spt94084.htm

And don't forget putting out orange slices and grape jelly for the orioles--and of course the sugar water/nectar for them and the hummers...(and even some woodpeckers)...

Also whole (unshelled) peanuts if you like the blue jays...

I am not so knowledgeable about Arkansas birds, but there must be an Audubon Society or Birding society that can give advice, too...

http://arkansasbirding.blogspot.com/2007/06/red-headed-woodpecker.html

http://www.birdsofarkansas.org/

http://www.birding.com/wheretobird/arkansas.asp

Also, it's almost time to put up blue bird boxes and owl boxes are another idea--I am not sure what your habitat is, but places to nest are always popular especially now that spring is just around the corner...

I know someone mentioned pans of water and it's also helpful to have a little fountain attachment so that the birds are attracted to running water (or maybe just the sound of it!)

We will want to hear more about your backyard birding experiences...and pictures, too!

Good luck. t.

Tabasco, would you say that now is a good time to put up blue bird houses for us as well? I definitely want to attract them this year, and have the perfect habitat for them -- huge field behing my house, as well as across the street from me, but no one has seen them here. :(

Indiana_lily-- I had read somewhere that in our region February/March is a good time to put up blue bird boxes because they start looking for mates and nest areas in late winter/early spring depending on weather conditions, but I am far from an expert on blue birds.

Of course, there is a certain amount of 'nest box minding' involved if you don't want starlings and house sparrows and 'what not' using the boxes for shelter, too...

I do have these threads in my 'favorites' and they give lots of information

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/6090/default.aspx

http://www.ohiobluebirdsociety.org/aboutbirds_box.htm

http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/backyard_birds/bluebirds/bird_friendly_yard.aspx

I did notice that in our Christmas Bird Count here in Cincinnati that the Bluebird population count was down to 86 from about 144 last year...quite a drop...

My sister gets Bluebirds every year, end even though she has multiple houses up, some Swallows or others always chase them out.

I'd be Very happy w/ Tree Swallows. :-)

unshelled peanuts? raw? or roasted. I've been reading on the net about feeding the orioles. Need to figure out a way to put grape jelly out there LOL. I was going to do the orange slices or halves

Peanuts: raw, not roasted, and definitely NOT salted (important!!)

Resin

I guess if their roasted then they would have salt on them ha? thanks for the help.

I buy the unshelled roasted, unsalted peanuts at Walmart and Kroger for the Blue Jays, the Tufted Titmouse will take them as well.

Thanks so much for those links, Tabasco! Attracting bluebirds this year is very high on my priority list, and that information helps bunches!

Sadie, I use the roasted, unsalted peanuts as well as the raw shelled peanuts. I've seen other birds besides the Jays and Titmouse take the roasted, unsalted peanuts as well.

Does anybody know if it's too early to put out hummer feeders and oriole feeders? I don't want to waste all the nectar if their not going to come around for a long time say spring or summer. It's still pretty cold here.

How do you mix up your oriole liquid for your feeders? does anybody ever buy the mix already made up?

I think i'm goin gto buy a oriole feeder. I saw one on the net that had oranges all over it , it looked pretty neat.

I already have some oranges out hanging in the trees for them. LOL. Trying really hard to get some newbies out there. I love watching them so much.

And what's the difference between hummer liquid and oriole liquid feeders? besides the color

I know Hummer nectar is a 4 to 1 ratio of water to sugar, not sure what the ratio is on the Oriole nectar. It's best to mix it yourself or buy one of the clear mixes rather than the ones that have red or orange die in them.

I just looked on the web and found this for Oriole nectar but I think they'll drink the Hummer ratio too:

I thought the oriole liquid was orange flavored though?

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/unpave/oriole.html#Nesting

So many of our DGers watch the Hummingbird Migration, and I think the Oriole Migration is interesting, too. Journey North keeps track of the Orioles and also explains how to make your yard oriole friendly with nesting materials, orange slices, jelly, etc.

Orioles really merits a thread all their own, so I will repost later in the winter when they start moving north. It looks like they are in Florida and the islands now...

About the peanuts--we buy cracked raw peanut halves in bulk at the feed store. I figured they were about $1.25 per pound...I am careful about when/where I put them out since I want them mainly for the woodpeckers...I don't know how the price compares to Walmart...

A recipe for grape jelly juice for Orioles recommended by Julie Brophy at Journey North


"Would You Please Pass The Jelly?"
Orioles LOVE grape jelly. You can attract them to your school or backyard with this tasty treat, and report your first oriole next spring! In fact, hanging a grape jelly feeder like the brand pictured above, is a pretty sure way of attracting orioles to your feeding station. Once they find it, the orioles can't seem to get enough. Even into the fall when you might spot their young at the feeders too!

Julie's Recipe

Use one part water to one part grape jelly.
Mix the grape jelly with the water so that it becomes the consistancy of thick juice. Use a blender.
Pour it into the feeder (use a funnel if you can)
Store the remainder in the refrigerator.

More info from Journey North here: http://www.learner.org/jnorth/unpave/oriole.html#Set

So it's pretty safe tos ay that putting things out now for the orioles is useless right?

when should I start putting things out for the orioles?

and when should I start putting out the hummer feeders?

Hi kathy, Heres the Migration Map for Ruby-throat Hummingbirds.
http://hummingbirds.net/map.html

This shows last year when they started migrating so just look to your state and start putting the feeders out before that date. They will be updating the map for this years migration.

I don't know anything about this site Kathy but it seems you can click on the map or something to see when Orioles start migrating.

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/oriole/

This message was edited Jan 22, 2008 3:35 PM

ok, thanks