February 8, 2008
Backyard tip of the week:Cleaning your feeders regularly is an good way of improving the variety and the health of the songbirds in your yard.
To disinfect, immerse your seed feeder or birdbath in a nine to one water-bleach solution, rinsing it thoroughly, one to two times per month. twice as often, if birds are seen to be sick or sluggish.
For stationary birdbaths, its important to empty the water every day. Just brush or wipe it clean and rinse, then refill the birdbath with fresh water.
A clean feeder and birdbath is a winning combination, one that the birds are sure to love!
Backyard sightings for last week:
Included northern cardinals and dark-eyed juncos, white-throated sparrows, eastern goldfinches, house finches and purple finches. Red-bellied woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers, white-breasted nuthatches, tufted titmice, black-capped chickadees, blue-jays, the occasional pair of crows, just a couple of grey squirrels, a pair of European Starlings, and a bunch of mourning doves.
Cool sighting of the week:
Happened yesterday, when the male cardinal was eating from the fly-thru feeder, the black capped chickadee flew up and landed right next to him. They ate together briefly, seeming to have a sort of friendly communication with one another, before they quickly flew away. The juxtaposition of a tiny white and black chickadee against the much larger and bright red cardinal on a winter's afternoon was spectacular!
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