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Attracting beneficial birds for gardening
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Author:  Organo Gal [ Sun Nov 29, 2009 11:03 am ]
Post subject:  Attracting beneficial birds for gardening

I am wanting to control veggie pests with a balanced eco system. The plan includes insect eating birds, toads and predator insects.

I put up bird feeders and have not had any takers. Early on I got a few small migrating birds but nothing since.

It has been unseasonably warm.... Will that delay their feeding?

I did Niger, black oil sunflower, peanuts, suet etc. No grains. Mainly targeting chickadees & the like.

I live in Tulsa, OK

I also want to put up PM house and bat house. Also thought about a ladybug house for overwintering. Esp since the bulldozer is destroying the field behind my house right now. Does the ladybug house really work?

Author:  northwesterner [ Sun Nov 29, 2009 3:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Attracting beneficial birds for gardening

The birds take a while to discover the bird feeders. I don't leave mine up all year, but when I do (about this time of year) they seem to stay full for a while, then they come along and the rest follow. You might try scattering some seed on nearby concrete (not a huge amount--just enough so you can tell if someone is coming along and eating it). And make sure you have a source of water like a bird bath nearby. That's what works for me.

Marshall Grain is a feed store here in Fort Worth, TX, that has a good essay up on their store web site about putting up a purple martin house, including placement and timing.

Bats are great also, though so far I've only enjoyed them in the wild, discovering a few roof spots where they crawl in (shakes are good for that). Don't know about the ladybug houses up in your area.

Author:  Birdzilla [ Mon Nov 30, 2009 9:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Attracting beneficial birds for gardening

Sounds like a very good selection of foods. Just to be sure, you offered the Nyjer in a Nyjer feeder and the sunflower in a sunflower feeder? The ports are different. Otherwise, patience is the key. You might also add water. The sound of running water is a big attraction to birds.

This web site has lots of good info on purple martins.

http://purplemartin.org/

There must be a lot of free flying space around the martin house. Martins will not come if there are too many nearby trees. If you are purchasing a new martin house, make sure the pole design makes it easy to raise and lower the house. Until the martins are established, the odds a very good that you will have to remove House Sparrow nests on multiple occasions. If you leave the House Sparrow nests in place, it is unlikely the Martins will try to move in.

The timing of opening your martin house is also important. February is not that far away, and martin scouts could start arriving in your area in late February. The web site mentioned has a map of arrival dates.

Author:  petersteel [ Mon Jan 11, 2010 5:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Attracting beneficial birds for gardening

i think u should use netting bird and bird repellent. that will be thet best option for u .. that will really help u..

Author:  CHF3 [ Mon Jan 11, 2010 2:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Attracting beneficial birds for gardening

petersteel wrote:
i think u should use netting bird and bird repellent. that will be thet best option for u .. that will really help u..

LOL - I think she meant that she wants to invite birds who will eat the pests. Nothing like watching a couple mockingbirds fight over a big fat hornworm.

I'm thinking the bird netting would not encourage more visits to the feeding station.... but then, given God's sense of humor it just might!

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