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Bluebirds & BirdbathsDate: Fri, 18 Aug 2000 14:51:07 -0700 (PDT) Hi All, This year I had only one pair of Eastern Bluebirds(EABL) and they had 2 broods of 5 babies each time. They all survived and fledged with the last brood fledging on Aug.1 My yard is full of baby bluebirds and the birdbath overflows with them. All day they can be seen at the birdbath 4 and 5 at a time, its like a swim party. I added some large plant trays around the yard full of water and some rocks to stand on(of course the dog thinks they are for her :) I have seen up to 9 EABL at a time together at the trays. It is a site to see!!! I can usually tell which ones are from the last brood because their little mouth flies open when a parent or sibling comes to join in the swim party.It has been 18 days since the last brood fledged, does anyone know how long they will stay? If they stay I would like to provide meal worms and berries for them this winter. Also (this is off topic) I have alot of Dickcissel in my area. On my morning walk I always seen them. The first of this week I noticed they were very thick in the trees along the road, then I realized that the fields were plowed to dirt for almost as far as the eyes could see(with my eyes thats not to far) Then this morning they were all gone, I only saw one. I took it as a sign that it was time to move on because fall was just around the corner however it was still a little lonely. Now I'm off to the Best of Bluebird-L to read about Bluebirds in the Winter...I hope they stay!!! Kerry in Okla.
Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 16:45:17 -0400 I have three bird baths with drippers, but rarely saw bluebirds in them. About two weeks after they fledged last year, I saw two of the fledglings at the bath nearest their nestbox.. Quite a sight. Randy Jones ----- Original Message ----- Do you have spray baths - or other baths - for your bluebirds? Would
appreciate knowing what they prefer Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 19:26:51 -0700 I have two shallow trays meant to be planter trays, plastic, about 2 1/2 or 3
feet long and 5-6 inches wide that just sit on the deck railing. I put a rock in
the center of each to weight it down. Last year the bluebirds loved it and
brought the family...I didn't feed them, but here there is plenty to snack on,
since I live in the country. ----Original Message Follows---- Do you have spray baths - or other baths - for your bluebirds? Would appreciate knowing what they prefer Thanks, Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2001 00:03:36 EDT Hello all, Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 07:12:48 -0700 (PDT) Good Morning, Has anyone used a product call Care Free Birdbath Protector? This item is
advertised on the bluebirds forever web site. One of my birdbaths is located I don't want to use the product until I have further information from someone that had used it or a similar product. Happy Birding, From: "Ernie Tucker" ernie724"at"citlink.net Everything I read says birds need water nearby - but we don't have any, and at our old house we put in a bird bath, and also had a garden pool. Never saw a bird at either one. Here at our new location I've decided to try something different, and got two plant saucers - 12 inches in diameter and about an inch and a half deep - made of heavy clear plastic. I put one in a plant stand and set it out in the yard between feeders. We've had a few goldfinches stop by for a quick drink, but nothing else - and our blues are all around it. On the back deck I mounted it on our deck rail - and haven't seen anything near it. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to attract them to the 'baths'? OT-Our male bluebird has been putting up a great defense of his nesting bride - he has successfully driven the red-headed woodpeckers away from the feeders at the front of the house - but is tryin valiantly to do the same with the pileated woodpeckers. The woodpeckers try to ignore him, but you can see more and more that they are a little edgy when they are on the feeders. The male kept two of them on the go last evening. It was quite a show! Ernie & Jane Tucker Crossville TN 35.887-85.021 Date: Sat, 01 Jun 2002 15:50:11 -0400 Haleya Priest Amherst MA What I have found is that my birds show preference to different bird baths. I have all sorts of shapes and sizes and gold finches like one kind, crows like another, Bluebirds like another, etc. I also think the location of a bird bath is important and can make one kind of bird like it over another. So even if you wanted to stick to that kind, try buying more and placing them in different areas in your yard and at different heights. If you want to make your own and save a bunch of money here is a website
someone posted at one time for home made bird baths: Ernie Tucker wrote: Everything I read says birds need water nearby - but we don't have ... From: Jgandy8580"at"aol.com When living in the old family farmhouse we had a U-shaped dirt driveway that constant traffic created depressions which we normally filled in. The outside the kitchen sink window we left, however, and made sure it was constantly full of water. We had both a standing and a hanging bird bath but most birds, especially the larger ones, preferred the puddle. As an added bonus there were usually butterflies at the muddy edges. The puddle was only about 2" deep and 3' x 5' in area. From: "emcooper" emcooper"at"bayou.com I run the water hose in my yard a lot. We have a separate pump that pumps water from the system we are on that supplies our house and shop. I let it run and it is amazing how the birds seem to love to come to the ground and bath in the puddles instead of the birdbath. It is so much fun to watch. Evelyn Cooper ... Date: Sun, 02 Jun 2002 15:38:58 -0400 Haleya Priest Amherst MA Jgandy8580"at"aol.com wrote: When living in the old family farmhouse we had a U-shaped dirt ... From: "Billie Santrock" wvmoma119"at"citynet.net I took a large clay pot & turned it upside down. Used a 14 inch clay dripdish
for the water and placed it on top of the inverted pot. I grouted the dish
bottom and placed a stain glass design in the grout. ...followed by three coats
of sealer. Waited a week & added about two inches of water. The birds seem to
enjoy the lower to the ground over the traditional bath. From: "Bruce Burdett" blueburd"at"srnet.com Haleya, Billy, jgandy, et al, They're made by our local granite guy just down the road. His son hollows
them out with a blowtorch, a mallet, and a cold chisel. It sits on top of a
sawed-off 16" diam. white pine stump about 3 feet from the ground. Not even a
bear could budge it if he took a mind to. From: "Karen Smith" ksmith"at"brandywine.net I have heard that birds like dripping water and as I wanted the birdbath to be in view of my windows and had no trees to hang a bottle a water from, I set up a fountain using a large planter urn and a fountain. For two years, I saw less activity then using a plain Birdbath. This year, I bought a 3 tier fountain, still no activity. Could it be that they don't like the forceful dripping? Has anyone had success with these kinds of fountains? Karen From: "susan"at"changeswithin.com" changes"at"sunlink.net Karen, I am thinking of adding a dripper bath ... one of these days soon! They just
make a few 'plunkie' sounds a minute ... I do notice that I get more visitors at
my bird baths immediately after they have been filled and water noises are
caused by them 'tricklingly' over-flowing. Susan in Central PA ----- Original Message ----- ... From: "Fawzi P. Emad femad <at> fpemad <dot> com If you are willing to tinker a little, it is easy to make a dripper using your existing water birdbath. I can send you a picture showing how to make it if you request one. Cost of material is about $15. To buy a ready made one is about $55 (this includes the hoses needed.) Fawzi Fawzi Emad in Laytonsville, Maryland From: "Fawzi P. Emad femad <at> fpemad <dot> com I have already sent eight Messages with the picture and a text explanation on how to make the dripper. One correction is needed: [at the rate of 90 drops per minute, the water usage is about 9 gal. per 24 hours.] If there is much more interest in the dripper, I plan to ask JimMcl to put it up on his site... Fawzi Fawzi Emad in Laytonsville, Maryland Date: Thu, 06 Jun 2002 04:43:57 -0400 Karen, It's the sound of dripping or running water that will *attract* your birds. Once they know where they can find a cool drink and a bath, they don't care if it makes any noise at all. I use a plain birdbath. I bought a "Y" spigot adapter with dual volume control valves and ran a short length of old hose to the bird bath. I adjusted the valve to allow a constant trickle to the birdbath. There is a perpetual overflow to the flower bed below which 1: keeps the bath water fresh and cold; 2: keeps the flowers watered; and 3; generates enough noise to attract the birds. Whether you have a well like I do or city water, it's equally important to allow just enough volume of water through to accomplish your objective. Too much volume will waste water and run up your city water or electric bill. If experimentation with the valve will not give you the right amount of trickle, clamp or kink the hose. I used a clamp to close off 3/4 of the hose and it was the just the right amount of extra restriction I needed to get the trickle to where I wanted it. Have fun! I have heard that birds like dripping water and as I wanted the ... From: "Stan, Apple Valley/St. Paul, MN [44.44N, -93.10W]" ... Date: Tue, 02 Jul 2002 21:40:07 -0700 Linda Violett - Yorba Linda, Calif. For an inexpensive mister/dripper: Visit the stores and look at the parts used for their $45 mister. Then go to a hardware store such as Home Depot and assemble a kit for about $10. Assembly tip: Light a match and pass it under the end of the 1/4" hosing as you make each part connection--this will soften the hose for easy connections. If you want part of the mist to spray and part to drip to a basin, twist a grocery store vegetable tie onto the hose near the spray nozzle and bend the twister into part of the spray to create a partial dripper. For those who offer water, try to offer a ground-level water source. "Stan, Apple Valley/St. Paul, MN [44.44N, -93.10W]" wrote: ... Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2002 04:55:35 -0500 (Central Daylight Time) From: "Gretchen" gcornnells"at"adelphia.net Is it possible to locate a birdbath close to the BB boxes or will that bring in unsavory characters? Right now I have a BB couple who have built a nest but no eggs yet. I also have a Tree Swalllow couple checking out a BB box. Please advise. Thank you! From: "Randy Jones" randyj"at"enter.net I have a birdbath about 50 feet from the nestbox, but adjacent to the bluebird feeder. It's used by finches, robins, mockers, goldfinches, blackbirds and starlings, but none have offered any trouble to the bluebirds. We also have two other birdbaths further away from the nestbox. Randy Jones ... Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2003 10:59:18 -0500 At 06:04 PM 4/25/03 -0400, Gretchen wrote: ... Regarding "unsavory characters" I have just as many problems in nestboxes located well away from a birdbath. I don't see a problem with a birdbath near a nestbox--the bluebirds may find it a convenience! Kate Arnold Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2003 13:37:19 -0400 Haleya Priest Amherst MA The online Bluebird Reference Guide:
http://birds.cornell.edu/bluebirds/ ---------- ... From: "emcooper" emcooper"at"bayou.com My birdbath is open to the public and they all use it without any squabbles.
It is not too far from a nestbox. Usually, a Bluebird pair takes this nestbox on
the second cycle and it is much hotter and dryer and I am wondering if that may
be the reason. Evelyn Cooper Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2003 09:43:21 -0700 ...in our area of California in the mountains, those of us who are trying to help wildlife with bird baths and fountains are being restricted from doing so. Below are quotes from the September 30, 2003 water regulations the Big Bear Department of Water and Power: 1) Outdoor watering will be limited to twice per week. Even-numbered addresses on Saturdays and Tuesdays, and odd-numbered addresses on Sundays and Thursdays. Watering hours (before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m.) will not change. 2) New turf (sod or seed) installations will be prohibited. 3) Washing of vehicles must be done using a bucket and hose with a shut-off valve. Rinsing should be kept to a minimum. 4) Ponds, fountains, and stream beds may not be filled or refilled using DWP water. 5) Paved surfaces are to continue to be swept off with a broom rather than washed down. These restrictions will be in effect until April 2004 at which time the Board will reevaluate DWP's water situation." [End of excerpt] For birders, Regulation #4 is heartbreaking. In a drought situation, wildlife need a drink of water more than people need to wash cars. Water and other resources continue to be used by new residents (legal and illegal) but it is now illegal for birdlovers at Big Bear (such as myself) to offer our native wildlife a drink of water from a yard fountain, in drought conditions . . . when they need water the most. Mon, 20 Oct 2003 15:11:39 -0400 Hi Linda, Here in southern PA we had a serious water shortage last year. I put a rain barrel out on my down spout and got enough water to keep the pond filled. With just half of my roof running into it (my houise is 26 x 38) it took less than 1/4 inch of rain to yield 55 gal. Don't know if this will work for you. Good luck. Fred From: John Schuster Dear Linda and friends, I see a loop hole in provision #4 it states and I quote "4) Ponds, fountains, and stream beds may not be filled or refilled using DWP water." Fountains are basins that have moving water in them, but I see no reference to BIRD BATHS in this provision. BIRD BATHS are basins with standing water and need refilling when near empty. In my opinion this is sound conservation. By using BIRD BATHS instead of "Ponds, fountains, and stream beds" you will reduce water usage (partially if the BIRD BATH is under a trees to reduce evaporation), which in turn preserves our native avian during drought conditions. On the other hand, birds are not entirely stupid either (in fact I think they have more sense that some people I know.) If they can not find what they need to survive they will seek it elsewhere and when the good times return they will return too. Cheers and as always... Happy Bluebird Trails To You, John Schuster Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2003 17:10:48 -0700 The rain barrel idea works only if there is rainfall to fill the barrel. In arid Southern California, there is very little or no rainfall from May through November. This cycle is normal and expected even in years of "good" rainfall. This particular drought is being felt more because limited mountain water has more and more people to serve. Unfortunately, people can continue to use the water for just about *any* purpose except for helping wildlife. Is there anywhere else in this nation where it is legal to wash a car with a hose but illegal to fill a bird bath? From: "Keith & Sandy Kridler"
... I believe last months numbers on the US chicken eggs delivered to market were running about 5.7 BILLION eggs a month. The average laying hen produced 21 eggs last month. In hot weather a hen will drink one pint of water every 24 hours. More water is needed to wash and sanitize each egg and even more water is used to sanitize the egg packing facilities. Thousands of square feet of water cooler pads are used on every laying house in the hot areas of the US. In Texas it is not illegal to capture and reuse water from sinks or bathtubs for use on outdoor plants. In the summer months some people run all of their "gray" water from their house out to their yard grass and plants. You can also re-route your drain lines from AC units to furnish "distilled" water for bird baths or water ponds or a tree. Many birds have learned to drink the water that drains out of air conditioned cars on hard surface parking lots. ...KK From: "Paula"
Linda, I would not be concerned with filling a birdbath with these
regulations as written. A birdbath is not a pond, fountain, or stream bed. If
you do have a large fountain that you normally use to help the birds, a smaller
birdbath would be a good alternative during the drought restriction. You could
call water company to clarify, but I really doubt they would restrict use of
backyard birdbath. As a former councilwoman for our local municipality, I can
assure you it is difficult to anticipate all possible scenarios when drafting
legislation, but they try. I am sure that the spirit of the law in this case is
to eliminate unnecessary use of large volumes of water. Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2003 23:06:44 -0700 Paula and All: It seems several on the List have became tangled up in whether the water restrictions include bird baths in addition to fountains. The real issue is that water offered to wildlife is exclusively restricted as an acceptable use of water. There are no limits to indoor water usage. Even water for exotic grass and flowers planted at mountain cabins is OK within certain days/times. For those still confused as to the spirit of the water regulations, below is an offlist note sent to John when he first posed the "bath" vs. "fountain" concept. John, Filling and refilling fountains and ponds is equivalent to bird baths. As an example, the bird bath at the mountain cabin is a shallow plastic "pond" at ground level. In past years, a slow dripper was set to replenish the water loss between weekends. All kinds of birds would perch on the dripper and sip fresh water and then take a bath in the plastic catch basin (pond). If we did not go to the cabin during the month, our water usage would be at the lowest minimum level (less than a cubic yard of water for the month). But since there were no daily spikes, the water company assumed there was an outside leak, find the dripper and would turn it off. We do not waste water by planting flowers and grass. We saved our water usage for wildlife. Mountain quail, coyotes and all kinds creatures are increasingly coming to this water source as other sources are drying up. To conform to the hours where outside yard water is OK, we attached a timer on the dripper to refresh the bird bath (pond) at times when other people are permitted to water their yard. This NEW regulation issued in September still allows water usage for cars and yards but *not* wildlife. From: Kerry Sweet [mailto:ksweet3450"at"yahoo.com] Hi all, Reading Debi's post of how she can see the Eastern Bluebird babies in the yard playing reminded me of seeing so many in the birdbath in late July and August ... 6 or 7 at a time playing in the water ... The Parents with all the babies from the season ... I could always tell which were the newest fledglings at the birdbath ... it was the ones who's mouths would fly open when one of the parents came flying down to the birdbath. I also remember reading posts from Phil Berry about it being so HOT his way he didn't see how his babies could survive in the nestboxes ... but somehow they always did. He just reminded me the other day that the "dog days" will be here soon so don't forget to keep those birdbaths full. Just another one of those rewards we get. Kerry in NE corner of Okla. From: Evelyn Cooper [mailto:emcooper"at"bayou.com] Barbara in Cloverdale, CA, writes: I sure could use a bluebird "fix"! Well, I made myself a bluebird "fix" today. It had been several hot sweltering days and not a sign of the even at the birdbath. They were hanging deep in the woods and there is a natural water source there. However, I ran the hose down my gravel driveway again today and looked out and nine Bluebirds were splashing and having a big old time. A Summer Tanager came and drank, but they ran him off. He was beautiful. I feel better already! I don't know if these feisty little Bluebirds will let anything else bathe with them except the resident Robins. They squabble among themselves. (juveniles) This sure helps this hot old month of August! Evelyn Cooper Delhi, LA From: JOHN & BARBARA SIBIO Evelyn, and List: You say you saw a Summer Tanager trying to share the bath with the bluebirds -- I saw a Western Tanager this season, for the first time, and he was gorgeous! Our bluebirds routinely share the birdbath with the house finches and gold finches, with no problem. I don't know if they've given up bathing, or what, but I keep the bath nice and clean and fresh and haven't seen one bluebird out there for weeks. It's been quite cool, which might explain it, but I sure do miss having them around. It's going to be a long, sad, winter :- ( . Barbara in Cloverdale, CA From: Evelyn Cooper [mailto:emcooper"at"bayou.com] Barbara, these birds came to my driveway (it is gravel) where I was running the hose and there were many little puddles for them to splash in. They absolutely adore it. They have not been to the birdbath in several days as they were in the woods and there's water there. However, they love fresh running water. It is a sight to see. Carolina Chickdees, both male and female Summer Tanager, Bluebirds, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Robins. When the larger birds show up, the smaller ones let them have it for a while, but soon come back. Usually when it gets so terribly hot here is when we don't see them. They hang to the woods in the shade. Evelyn From: Elizabeth Zimmerman [mailto:ezdz"at"charter.net] At a local "bluebird blather lunch" we had a discussion about whether metal bird baths are bad because birds feet might stick to the metal in cold weather. (I have one from Smith & Hawkins that I really like because it's light and easy to tip over to empty,and I can just wipe it with a paper towel to clean it. And it looks better than the clunky concrete one that I broke at the WBU store when I whacked it with a big bag of bird seed I was lugging to the counter :-) Here's the answer: Will birds stick to metal feeder parts during subfreezing temperatures? Our fingers may stick to metal ice cube trays because moisture freezes on contact with frigid metal. However, a bird's feet are covered with dry scales, so there is no surface moisture to freeze to metal perches. Eyes, tongues, and beaks are usually safe from exposure to metal feeder parts. Rapid reflexes prevent the eye from coming in contact with foreign surfaces, and the beak is protected by a horny, dry surface. Bet from CT From: Deb Cohen [mailto:bdcohen "at"webriver.net] Could anyone up north care to recommend a source for a heated water bowl or dish for the birds? I have seen one meant for dogs but it's really intended for use inside a dog house. I don't believe it is made to be exposed to the elements. Thanks a lot. Deb in Upstate NY ( -2 deg. F this morning.) From: Cher [mailto:BluebirdNut "at"a-znet.com] Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2004 10:02 AM Subject: Re: Winter water - OT Deb, I don't know where you are in Upstate NY, but I got mine at a local bird supply store in Auburn, NY. It looks just like the top part to one of those two-piece plastic birdbaths they sell at WalMart or Lowe's. In fact, it fit right on the base I already had. I've had mine for three or four years and it's still going strong. It's made by Allied Precision. It's here on the BestNest website: http://www.bestnest.com/bestnest/RTProduct.asp?SKU=API-670. However, I only paid about $50, because I didn't need to buy the pedestal. I've got mine fired up and I added fresh water yesterday. I'm hoping my Bluebirds will remember the water source they chose to stay near all last winter and come back for a visit! Cher From: Dottie Roseboom [mailto:rosedot "at"mtco.com] Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2004 8:17 PM Subject: Re: Winter water - OT Deb, Here in Peoria, we have an excellent Seed Store (farmers) that in the winter specializes in bird paraphernalia. They have 5 or 6 different heaters made specifically for bird baths. One is the bird bath, with the heating coil inside the bowl. Sounds like the one Cher mentioned. The owner said that it works quite well (she & I have been friends for a long time, so I don't think that she would steer me wrong.) Another type of heater, is made similar to the heating rods used in livestock tanks. It just lies in the birdbath. Mom bought us one, 17 or 18 years ago. It's still going strong. In cold weather (0 degrees), some of the surface will freeze, but enough water remains open for the birds to drink. Farm & Fleet (chain store in Illinois, not sure where else) sells several different styles of heaters. While looking at those, I decided to try one of the heated dog bowls (1 qt size), because it was on sale for $9.99. The directions did not mention anything about keeping it out of the elements. In fact the picture showed it outside of the dog house. I placed a tall rock in the bowl's center, as it was a bit deep. Have used it all fall/winter. The birds like it as well as the one that I've had for years. However, it tends to "skim" over with ice when the temp hits around 5 degrees. I wonder if the larger dog bowl would not do this? Two more considerations when buying heaters: do they turn off when the water temp hits 35deg? No sense in heating water that isn't freezing. And some heaters use quite a bit of wattage (utility bill). The little dog bowl that I bought is 25 watts, while many of the circular heaters will use 200-250 watts. IMO, having open water is one of the easiest things that we can do for our feathered friends. I keep several available throughout the winter. Dottie Roseboom From: Paula [mailto:PaulaZ"at"columbus.rr.com] Deb, I left the OT off the subject heading because I think this is right on topic. I had 3 male EABL at the bird bath today and it was a beautiful sight. I also observed two robins taking a major bath in the water until a male HOSP intimidated the two of them. I use heater that is made for bird baths. It is an electric coil that is placed on bottom of bird bath. It keeps water melted, but does not get it hot. I purchased mine at Wild Birds Unlimited, but I am sure there are other sources. They also make heated bird baths. If you already have a bird bath, the coil is the cheapest way to go I would think - easy and effective. Paula Z Powell (Central) OHio From: Doogelbery"at"aol.com [mailto:Doogelbery"at"aol.com] From:
Elizabeth Zimmerman [mailto:ezdz"at"charter.net] Our feed store sells a theromstatically controlled thing that you can plug a bird bath/livestock water heater into, so it only goes on when the temperature is low enough. From: JOHN & BARBARA SIBIO [mailto:jsibio"at"comcast.net] Sent: Thursday, March 03, 2005 12:53 PM Subject: Goldfinch It's 50 degrees and sunny here this morning and I was treated to a rare sight -- a birdbath overflowing with lesser goldfinch, American goldfinch, and house finches! There were eight or ten birds splashing in the water at any given moment, while others sat on the edge waiting their turn, and even more fluttered in the air above the bath. I've never see such a large group bathing together at one time. Finally, one very bold little guy waded in and chased all the others away. The flock took off into the oaks, and he enjoy his morning ablutions in solitude. I can't emphasize enough the importance of providing a clean, safe, birdbath for attracting all types of birds. This is where I saw my first Western Bluebird, and they continue to enjoy bathing every season. And, so do all the other birds! Come to think of it now, I've never see an Acorn Woodpecker bathe, although we have a large population of them here. Maybe the bird bath isn't large enough for them??? Barbara in Cloverdale From: Shawn [mailto:shawnee4"at"charter.net] Mine are just the 16 inch saucers for terra cotta pots set on top of posts. Got the idea from Better Homes & Gardens, they used a 16 inch pot turned upside down, with a 12 inch pot stacked on top of it (also upside down), for height, and the saucer set on top of the upside down stacked pots (I have on like that, too. The Bluebirds here LOVE them! Shawn in Sevierville, TN From: Shawn [mailto:shawnee4"at"charter.net] Sent: Saturday, March 12, 2005 11:33 AM Subject: Re: attracting blues Dorothy, We already had an occupied Bluebird box when we bought our house, but I put a few birdbaths out last summer, and they came in numbers. We have added two more nestboxes (the proper distance, and where the birds can't see each other, of course) to hopefully accommodate some of the bathing beauties. The Better Homes & Gardens website (bhg.com) had birdbath plans last summer for a cheap, easy, and attractive birdbath. You just get terra cotta pots (2 different sizes--I think I used a 16 inch and a 12 inch), and a terra cotta saucer (I used a 16 inch, I think). I think I got mine at Lowe's or Walmart. You put the open part of the larger pot on the ground, and put the open part of the smaller pot over it to add height (stack them upside down, basically), and set the saucer on top of that. FYI - the site didn't mention using a clay pot sealing spray on the saucer (allow to dry completely, of course, before putting out for bird use), but I think it would have helped, and I did see that on another website. My saucers have been out all winter, are kind of crumbling, and it seems they won't hold water anymore. I may replace the saucers with glass ones if I can find some. Shawn in Sevierville, TN (formerly of Houston, TX)
A couple of you already have this information, but since it is spring, and I have attached the links, I though other Bluebirders might like this! The link that I used to make my birdbath was bhg.com ("Better Homes & Gardens" website). Here is the link The saucer also started crumbling from absorbing the water (so, if I do it again, I will definitely use the sealant--I may try to find a glass saucer to put in place of the terra cotta one, then no sealant necessary, and the pots could still Bring on the bathing Blues! Shawn in Sevierville, TN From: doogelbery"at"aol.com [mailto:doogelbery"at"aol.com] Does anyone have any advice on using a clear sealer, like Thompson's Water seal or something like that on a concrete birdbath. Every couple weeks I have to use a wire brush to clean the algae and dirt off of them. I am thinking by using a clear sealer I could then use a sponge to clean them out without so much work? From: John Schuster [mailto:wildwingco"at"earthlink.net] Dear Doug and friends, A safe way and trick (I just learned about this trick this year) for taking care of algae in birdbaths or water fountains, is to dump 1 cup* each week of H2-O2 or Hydrogen Peroxide into your birdbath or water fountain (*depending on the size of your bird bath or water fountain, dictates how much Hydrogen Peroxide you need to kill off the algae, so you will need to experiment on how much to use, but have no fear...the birds will be safe no mater how much Hydrogen Peroxide you use.) That's right the 3% Hydrogen Peroxide in the brown bottle that you can buy for next to nothing at Target (where I buy it) or your local drug store. The 3% Hydrogen Peroxide just raises the oxygen level in the water, killing off the algae. No scrubbing needed, the algae just magically goes away. So simple and safe that I'm shocked I didn't know about this trick years ago. As far as sealers go, stay away from Thompson's Water Seal. It's water based and not worth the water that it's mixed in. If you must seal the concrete surface of your birdbath or fountain, go to your local paint store and tell them what you would like to do. Chances are they will recommend a water based, 2 stage epoxy sealer. For best results you need to first clean the surface of the concrete with Hydrochloric acid, or muriatic acid (Hydrochloric acid is nasty stuff gang, so read all labels and follow all safety precautions), rinse with clean water and let dry for 24 hours. Next, apply your first coat of 2 stage epoxy sealer to the concrete surface, and let the first coat cure for at least 48 hours. Next, lightly sand the first coat, then apply your second coat of 2 stage epoxy sealer over the first coat, let the second coat cure for another 48 hours and your done. We used this type of sealer on the concrete floors in our recording studio, to seal the concrete floors, so concrete dust wouldn't work it's way into the electronics. This sealer works great, wears like iron (we get allot of foot traffic over the floors and the floors shows no sign of wear) and once cured will be safe for the birds. ...John Schuster From: elizabeth.young"at"spotplus.com [mailto:elizabeth.young"at"spotplus.com] Not trying to be stupid here, but do you pour it in, let it set and then rinse? Or do you leave it in the water? That sounds nasty From: Torrey [mailto:torrey_canyon"at"yahoo.com] Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2005 12:42 PM Subject: Re: A safe way for taking care of algae in birdbaths... ---Elizabeth wrote: > water? That sounds nasty The neat thing about hydrogen peroxide is that it 2 H2O2 --> H2O + O2 This is a *very* cool trick. Thanks, John, for sharing. Torrey Moss From: Gretchen Cornell [mailto:gcornnell"at"diocesecpa.org] I would like to say thank you to John for that tip. I have been buying birdbath "conditioner" for the algae problem at $7.95 a bottle for 4 oz. ! Geesch! Gretchen in South Central PA From: John Schuster [mailto:wildwingco"at"earthlink.net] Dear Elizabeth and friends, Just pour the Hydrogen Peroxide into the water of your birdbath or fountain (no fuss no muss) and it will not bother your fish if you have any. Oh, and it is not nasty either. Read more about Hydrogen Peroxide In fact, ever since I learned about the health benefits of Hydrogen Peroxide, I've been using it as a mouth wash (my dentist recommend the method.) First, I brush my teeth, then I use the cap that comes with the Hydrogen Peroxide bottle, mixing one cap full of Hydrogen Peroxide, diluted with a cap full of tap water and then I gently floss. The foaming action of the Hydrogen Peroxide is the reactive process of of the Hydrogen Peroxide killing off the bacterial plaque and the hard tarter just comes off the teeth in chucks. Spit out the foam and rinse with water. If you swallow any of the foam, do not be alarmed as it will not hurt you, in fact it's good for you. For years, I've had to have my teeth cleaned every 3 months because I have a type of bacterial plaque and hard tarter that is fast growing. However, once I got onto the Hydrogen Peroxide program, my dental hygienist didn't have much to do on my last cleaning, as the Hydrogen Peroxide had blasted the bacterial plaque into oblivion. Oh and the hard tarter deposits...well there wasn't very much of that either. My dentist gave me 2 thumbs up for a job well done, so now I only have to go to the dentists twice a year (saving me $$$$), plus as a bonus my teeth are whiter, and my gums are a healthy pink color too. There is also Stabilize Oxygen (another word for food grade Hydrogen Peroxide) for disinfecting contaminate water for drinking. They've found that Stabilize Oxygen is heather than the old Chlorine tablets that we used when I worked for the California Division of Forestry back in the '70s. Read more about Stabilize Oxygen ... From: Christy [mailto:ke4fej1"at"email.msn.com] Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2005 7:07 PM Subject: Bird Baths....Vote for Elbow Grease!!! Hi All, Hmmm, well I have to toss in my 2 cents. When I started with this site I read and read all the posts and one of those posts, and also much discussion was on care of the bird baths and feeders. I remember it all very well and believed what we talked about. I have for two years now been passing along to all my Monitors, and the area I write my magazine article for that: One should clean out their Bird bath each week. To do that was it needs to be completely scrubbed totally rinsed, and then lightly bleached, and then rinsed real good, and let totally dry before refilling. Now is that a lot of work? Yup! And that is why people don't get in that habit. But I cannot help but think that adding peroxide is going to do the cleaning that needs to be done to the edge where the bird is going to put You are also supposed to empty and clean your feeders, and scrub them well, lightly bleach and totally dry before filling...also done weekly. So if you are cleaning your bird bath, you can also be cleaning out your feeders. Why do we always seem to go for the shortcut way? Why not work to do the best you can? Is there a pattern going on?... Do you also have boxes on trees, or fence posts, and no predator guards. Do you just make notes on a calendar on your breeding information and don't have a booklet of complete notes? I think being a real Bluebird Monitor and trying to be an example to others ...is doing the best you can, and always working on doing the best. ...and for info... I don't have a birdbath or feeders... too much work for me! ((....Also those not used to using Peroxide watch out... I used to use it to clean my toothbrush, jewelry etc. Also used it much more diluted as a rinse... hmmm I had a tiny spot on the side of the tooth...well it ate that little spot real clean...it was all ready for filling then, but it did it in a couple of minutes. So I wonder what it is doing if it can always get under you fillings? Things like soda pop are always working away at fillings as well as other things..and when those filling edges get worn....it is more decay happening from those items getting under those edges, which make them have to be replaced as years go by... so I don't think constant using may be the way. But the big thing is I found Peroxide takes the color out of my skin!... Christy Sarasota, FL From: Lynn Emerich [mailto:lemerich"at"epix.net] Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2005 8:42 PM Subject: Re: Bird Baths....Vote for Elbow Grease!!! Christy, I clean my birdbath, which is a small running fountain, when it looks like it needs it. I use bleach, which is a lot more powerful than peroxide. I've been using peroxide since I was a very young kid for scrapes, bruises, cuts, etc. I never got sick from it and never turned any whiter than I am now. You must be overly sensitive. Lynn near Bernville PA From: Christy [mailto:ke4fej1"at"email.msn.com] Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2005 11:40 PM Subject: Re: Bird Baths....Vote for Elbow Grease!!! Hi Lynn, Thanks for your reply... Good for you!!!!... on cleaning and Scrubbing with Bleach!! What you say makes sense. As to the Feeders... they are like are places we eat out/off of... and we aren't walking and pooping on them..we clean our plates glasses with every use... once a week wouldn't be too bad for the birds equipment ???......just because we can't see the disease does not mean it is not there ...if dirt did not have the disease I wouldn't care so much. Like Bluebirding... and like they preach on the L... if you can't Monitor a box... might be better to not have them..but if you don't have HOSP or a Starling problem then I would say ok to have boxes......that is why I don't have the bath and feeders. I would like them... but I don't have the time to clean them either. As to having them on Trees and no guards... well that is what I am doing ... As to the records... wouldn't you have more fun/interest if you could open one booklet and have years and years at your finger tips as to what happened when...and even 8 boxes filled makes for a lot of notes on a calendar. No, your not a bad birder, but I think you can be a better birder, and I believe very easily you can be a GREAT BIRDER!!! With my 70 plus Monitors I ..Try to help... some work to make changes ...and Hmmm if you have a 1000 lbs. of seed a year... if you were one of my Monitors... I would work on you to get the boxes on a single post...but after years if you don't have predators ...I could wait for that change... ......Fun... Bluebird Project I have... ....huh? For some it is too ...(((shrinks... never... Ice Cream!))) Christy Sarasota, FL From: Tree Greenwood [mailto:doctree"at"crosslink.net] Sent: Friday, May 20, 2005 1:58 AM Subject: Re: Bird Baths....Vote for Reality My comments on a post made Thu 19 May 2005 at 20:42: Bird baths are cleaned once a year in the spring when algae bloom clogs the filter before other aquatic plants provide enough shade to suppress the algae. Our main watering station is a 400 gallon or so artificial pond about 3.5 x 8' and 3' deep in the middle. A pump moves water up to spill down a series of 6 or 7 ceramic and plastic basins to return to the pond. It's heated and continued to run through most of the winter with the exception of a few of the coldest days. Do our watering stations spread disease? Maybe. Feeders get cleaned when we find the time. The plastic feeders get cleaned better and more often. Top and bottom come off, wipe out the gunk, toss them into the dishwasher set to air dry (the heated dry cycle can melt or warp some feeder tubes). They come out clean enough for me to eat out of so they're clean enough for the birds. Wooden feeders get cleaned less often and differently. Tray feeders usually get washed with a power washer when I have it out for another chore. Hanging wooden feeders are scraped and wiped frequently to remove any damp or soiled food and fecal matter but scrubbed and bleached? That happens only in late summer when they're taken down and just before screws get tightened and a couple of fresh coats of outdoor polyurethane are brushed on. The wood fruit feeders are attached to a 4x4 pole. They get scraped off regularly but only an occasional power wash. And that danged fancy metal feeder that my daughter and son-in-law gave me for my birthday last year? The one that most of the birds avoid unless all the other feeders are empty? Don't know how I'm going to clean it; probably try the power washer to get to all the inaccessible nooks and crannies inside the thing. Birdfood spilled under the feeders is usually consumed by ground feeding birds. Whatever they don't manage to find and eat gets raked into the mulch when I do other chores in the yard. Quite a few sunflower seeds obviously aren't found by the ground feeding birds and sprout. We let them grow. We always have a gorgeous mid-summer sunflower garden and there's a late-summer feast for the birds that love sunflower seeds. So, Lynn, you have some company. I'm another bad birder on this list who neglects weekly duties. Take care, R J 'Tree' Greenwood From: Evelyn Cooper [mailto:emcooper"at"bayou.com] Sent: Friday, May 20, 2005 6:24 AM Subject: RE: Bird Baths....Vote for Reality I own one birdbath. When it gets gooey on the bottom, I take the hose with a nozzle on it and it knocks all the stuff off clean as a whistle. I got the impression that John's method with the hydrogen peroxide would keep it from forming. My birds had 100% rather bathe in the puddles on the ground than any birdbath. I would tend to think that all the birds bathe in much worse stuff everywhere than a not so clean birdbath or with where a little hydrogen peroxide had been applied. I doubt John has lost any birds. Evelyn From: elizabeth.young"at"spotplus.com [mailto:elizabeth.young"at"spotplus.com] From: Bruce Burdett [mailto:blueburd"at"verizon.net] Sent: Friday, May 20, 2005 11:13 AM Subject: Re: Bird Baths....Vote for Elbow Grease!!! I scrape out our birdbaths (solid NH granite) with a stiff wire hand-brush, and then hose them out thoroughly with a hard stream of water. From: John Schuster [mailto:wildwingco"at"earthlink.net] Dear Friends, Yes, Evelyn, the hydrogen peroxide is used to help keep the algae from forming, John Schuster ... Hydrogen Peroxide or H2O2 is formed by four atoms, two hydrogen and 2 oxygen. Water or H2O is formed by three atoms, two hydrogen and one oxygen. When combined with water, the Hydrogen Peroxide (or H2O2) is mixed with the water or H20, raising the pH (oxygen) level in the water killing off the algae. That it. Do not worry about the birds gang, as Hydrogen Peroxide is completely safe for them (as it is for us.) For example, I have a bird bath, but I also have a wine barrel pond consisting of 3 wine barrels that spill into each other. This is where most of our birds drink and take a baths on the submerged rocks that I placed in the middle of each wine barrel. In this wine barrel pond we have tadpoles, frogs, and fish (that eat mosquito larva) in the pond and the Hydrogen Peroxide hasn't killed or hurt them in anyway. So if the tadpoles, frogs, and fish are A-OK with the Hydrogen Peroxide in the pond water, then the birds that come by for a drink or take a bath are going to be A-OK too. Furthermore, I was thinking today that as the birds enjoy their bath in the pond, the elevated oxygen level in the water may help heal their skin from mite or flea bites too. Of course there is no real way to be sure, but then again it can't hurt them either. On a closing note, the Hydrogen Peroxide just kills the algae, thus reducing the need for frequent uses of the old elbow grease. You will still need to scrub, but not as often. ...John Schuster From: Christy [mailto:ke4fej1"at"email.msn.com] Sent: Friday, May 20, 2005 6:50 PM Subject: Bird baths etc Hi All,...no, RJ..not a Bad Birder....but we all have room to do better...and maybe someday we will change things we do and make things a ...Chuck...nooooooo can't clean out your equipment...... If I wanted to clean, I would get my own...but I don't want to be a bad example...so I don't have that equipment. I used to toss my seed on the ground, to watch all my backyard birds... until I learned on this site was the worst thing I could do...for their health... also learning ..if you have feeders..you have Rats... I don't toss out the seed any more... ...as to the Tooth... no if your teeth are in good shape the peroxide won't hurt... I just wanted anyone thinking of giving it a try as a mouth wash a try... to realize... if you have decay..which that tiny spot I had was... it Christy Sarasota, FL From: Evelyn Cooper [mailto:emcooper"at"bayou.com] Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 11:15 AM Subject: RE: A safe way for taking care of algae in birdbaths... Horace, I have never used hydrogen peroxide in the birdbath. I just heard about it per John's post to the list. I don't know if I am going to use it as I always have a water hose with a nozzle right at my finger tips that makes it clean as a whistle. I don't think it is harmful if others want to use it. I did just a little research on the internet, and there are groups that use it as means to cure health problems, i.e a few drops of it so many times a day for certain things. If people ingest it, it must not be fatal. I cannot remember if John gave the amount to use, but maybe this e-mail will jog his memory or someone's about it. Evelyn Cooper From: John Schuster [mailto:wildwingco"at"earthlink.net] Dear Evelyn and friends, The landscaper that thought me the hydrogen peroxide trick (for small ponds) suggested 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide for a pond and you can add more if needed. In my opinion, the best time to apply would be between 10 AM to 12PM (when bird actively is down) so the UV has a chance to break the hydrogen peroxide down to it components. Hydrogen peroxide is H2O2 which breaks down to H2o (or water) and oxygen that kills the alge. If you are dealing with a birdbath, then try a 1/4 cup and build up from there. Some on the list have suggested to me to using 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide. Food grade would be best as it is a more pure form of hydrogen peroxide. However, 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide is very strong. If I was going to use it for a birdbath I'd use drops (say 15 to 20 drops to start) rather than cups of the 3% hydrogen peroxide that you can buy at your local drug store. Of course the old elbow grease, a quick jet of fresh water and or just a steady drip of fresh water into your birdbath (the sound of dripping water helps attract birds to your pond) is just as effective. From: Kathleen Holcomb [mailto:kathholcomb"at"yahoo.com] Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 3:14 PM Subject: Re: A safe way for taking care of algae in birdbaths... Dear All, "3% Hydrogen Peroxide (Drug/Grocery Store yuck. Cheers, From: Blubabies"at"aol.com [mailto:Blubabies"at"aol.com] Is there any data to support Hydrogen Peroxide being safe for birds? It is used in mouth care for adults safely, but swallowing should be limited. In humans, an excess of hydrogen peroxide will cause GI upset, abdominal cramping and diarrhea. Well, how much can birds ingest safely? Has this been tested? And what are the long term effects. I am a nurse by profession. While there are many chemicals that do not cause immediate problems, 30 years later cause malignancies. Debbie From: Kim St. Martin [mailto:kimstm"at"charter.net] Hi. Can you please give me some suggestions on where to place my birdbath. I have it in the sun right now and I have seen a couple of birds drinking from it and once I saw a bluebird take a bath. I have a tree about 30 yards from the bird bath now. Should I move it under the tree? -----Original Message----- I have a birdbath that is in the sun part of the time, and the birds love it. I also have one that is shaded almost all day, directly under a huge oak. I don’t bleach my bird baths very often, but I dump them out every day, scrub with a brush if necessary, and use the “jet” setting for most of the cleaning. Considering all the ponds and puddles that wild birds drink out of, a little algae or spec of dirt is unlikely to do much harm. As far as soaking it in the bleach, a few minutes is enough to kill the algae, then a scrub or “jet” blast should remove it. Moving your bird bath under your tree would certainly keep the water a little cooler. You never want a bird bath or feeder right next to low cover that could hide a predator. The birds like to perch nearby, check things out, then move in for a drink, a bath, or some food. Kate Arnold -----Original Message----- Yeah. Mine fight each other over the birdbath...they especially like Yesterday, I had a goldfinch, hairy woodpecker and a male bluebird Folks buying new baths: either put a rock in the bottom, or buy a -----Original Message----- Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas Sandy and I ate supper at our county extension agents home. She and her husband Jim devised a really neat dripping water bird bath. It is located in their back yard bordering thick brushy woodland. The main bird bath is located on a post more than 8 feet off the ground! The water is actually dripping into the bird bath located up in the old oak tree limbs! Jim drilled the birdbath and attached an overflow pipe with 1/2" polypropylene that runs down the back of the post and is buried under the ground for about 50 feet and then comes back up another post and gravity creates another dripping birdbath at the far end of the yard. This one overflows into a "frog bath" a shallow bowl buried level with the ground surrounded by moisture loving flowers! He can clean the larger overflow pipe out by pressurizing the line and back flushing the pipe. Squirrels can get to the high level bird bath without coming to the ground, chickadees and titmice were drinking up in the tree limbs at the same time a flock of blue jays were in the normal height bird bath out in the open yard but well under another large oak tree. Right below the blue jays, cardinals were drinking from the ground level bowl! All wildlife is suffering from a lack of clean water in our area. Marty and Jim have NO green grass and their yard and field crunched as we walked around looking at heat stressed plants. For some strange reason their neighbor began mowing the yard across the road from their house. You could not see the mower! We could only hear an engine and watch a dust cloud circle the small yard like a tornado on a leash! The sun was setting over the tree line giving the whole surreal setting a strange pink glow shading to orange and red. We have a long hot summer to survive yet! KK
From: George Smith [mailto:glsnj"at"yahoo.com] Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2005 9:18 AM Subject: Re: BLUEBIRD-L digest 1218 Hi Ron and all, George From: JBrindo"at"aol.com [mailto:JBrindo"at"aol.com] Thanks to everyone that responded to my question about bluebirds keeping their beaks open when it's hot. I like the idea of having a few portable bird baths that I could easily move around as needed. Not all my boxes are located close to water so I think this would help in some cases. A good thought for a next summer project. These bluebirds on my trail are getting spoiled just like my two grandchildren! That's what makes it so much fun. Jay From: Keith & Sandy Kridler [mailto:txbluebirder"at"sbcglobal.net] Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas From: George Smith [mailto:glsnj"at"yahoo.com] Sent: Friday, July 01, 2005 9:51 AM Subject: Re: O/T Backyard Pond/Waterfall....Need Information Please... Keith, In order to control any type of "bug" infestation, more specifically the mosquito[in your part of the country I imagine they have to be huge!!! :) ], you would need to either chemically treat the water(not good IMHO for the birds) or put a couple of goldfish in the water and don't feed them every day. George From: Tina Wertz [mailto:tinawertz"at"bellsouth.net] Sent: Friday, July 01, 2005 11:28 AMu Subject: Re: O/T Backyard Pond/Waterfall....Need Information Please... The use of a biofalls system with lava rock and beneficial bacteria, will also help in controlling algae. Oxygenating, Floating and Marginal Plants also an important role in this as well. I definitely agree with George the importance of fish to keep the mosquito infestation under control. I would hate to think that I built a breeding pool for those nasty disease carrying bugs. I must say, I get as much joy from my water garden as I do feeding the birds. Tina Wertz From: Trish Culpepper [mailto:trishkcully"at"earthlink.net] Sent: Friday, July 01, 2005 12:06 PM Subject: Birdbath Pond/Waterfall Trish - Frankston, TX From: Mary Beth Roen [mailto:mbroen"at"hotmail.com] Sent: Monday, July 04, 2005 9:32 AM Subject: H2O2 for algae John Schuster and all, If I remember right, John was the one who told the list about using hydrogen peroxide in ponds and bird baths to kill algae. Thanks again Mary Roen, River Falls, WI From: Jim Koehler [mailto:jimnann"at"midwestinfo.net] Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2005 11:54 AM Subject: RE: H2O2 for algae Moving water also pretty much stops algae from growing, especially if it's From: Kathy [mailto:howbizr"at"gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2005 3:52 PM Subject: Re: Birdbath Pond/Waterfall I don't personally have a pond, but my friends who do say they occassionally get a fishing Great Blue Heron or a raccoon. However, I haven't heard any reports of losing -all- the goldfish. The thing is, you can buy several really cheap "carnival" gold fish - some will die, some will live, but they will grow up like crazy in a pond that has bugs in and around it. Goldfish also come in black and in brown which isn't as pretty, but they will survive fishing attacks better. Kathy Haines From: Lynn Emerich [mailto:lemerich"at"epix.net] Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2005 4:15 PM Subject: Re: Birdbath Pond/Waterfall My daughter in law has a small pond in her back yard. This is in a Lynn From: Kathy [mailto:howbizr"at"gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2005 1:26 AM Subject: Re: H2O2 for algae Except with the case of "green water" or monocellular algae. I have a filter in my fish tank (I know it isn't a pond, but it's the same I also found that generally speaking, algae is pretty sensitive to sunlight. If you remove its light for a day or two, you get a substantial decrease in the population. I got this kind of death from the algae that grew on the plants themselves. Although you have to be careful - that kind of light loss hurts the plants, too. I never really got much algae on the rocks, just this greenish brownish layer, which could have just been cyanobacteria. Kathy Haines From: George Smith [mailto:glsnj"at"yahoo.com] Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2005 7:46 AM Subject: Re: H2O2 for algae Normally, ponders add a UV light to the output of the filter, it basically kills the microscopic algae before it becomes attached to anything, the reason they put it on the output is you don't want to kill the beneficial organisms entering the filter. As far as the filter goes the more surface area inside the filter the better, some ponders use lava rock, the stuff you put in a grill as a filter medium found in the grill section of you local home-depot. As for the fish tank, a smaller more compact version is also available. I personally refuse to add chemicals into my little Eco-system, besides the little algae carcases just feed the next algae bloom. PS. Word of caution, when ever you mix electricity, with water, be sure your electrical circuit is protected by a GFCI ( ground fault circuit interrupter) if you don't know what that is, call a qualified electrician and have him/her install one. From: Jim Koehler [mailto:jimnann"at"midwestinfo.net] Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2005 10:55 AM Subject: RE: Birdbath Pond/Waterfall I bought four of the brown goldfish this spring at Wal-Mart because they didn't have any goldfish the day I was in there. Then about a week later I was in there & bought four more goldfish & this time they were gold & they all were put into my pond. Within a month I had 6 goldfish swimming in my pond & now all of them have turned gold a little at a time. One got spots & one striped, but they all changed to gold goldfish. I now have six beautiful goldfish growing in my pond because two of the goldfish died early on. Jim Koehler From: Gretchen Cornell [mailto:gcornnell"at"diocesecpa.org] I'm just wondering if I saw what I thought I saw or if I'm putting too much into what I saw. Last evening minutes after I freshened the birdbath Mamma BB took a bath and then entered the box where she has her 3rd clutch (4 babies). Minutes later she did the same thing again. I live in South Central PA where we are putting up with 90+ temperatures with very high humidity. I was wondering if she was trying to cool the babies (which are about 5 days old) or am I just putting too much into a bird simply taking a bath? On a side note I will tell you the proud parents raised 5 (first nesting) 2 (second) and as of this morning 4 (third) are still living, they are both very attentive parents. From: Evelyn Cooper [mailto:emcooper"at"bayou.com] Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2005 9:32 AM Subject: RE: Hot Weather, Birdbaths & Babies Gretchen, it is a good guess that is what she was doing. I had the opportunity to watch a Mama Cardinal and two babies in the top of an azalea bush in a nest. In the morning she would sit on the nest. In the afternoon when it was so hot, she would sit up on the side of the nest blocking the sun from the babies. She was panting it was so hot. Evelyn Cooper From: Torrey [mailto:torrey_canyon"at"yahoo.com] Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2005 5:42 PM Subject: your new bluebird "sanctuary Hi Ed, I can't give advice on mealworms & stuff like that -- I run a trail at a state park but don't (yet) have a backyard to put boxes in. (We're moving next month, & then we'll have a yard, & then i'll put up boxes. Anyways, you didn't mention a water source in your backyard bird sanctuary. Here at the office, we have a heated bird bath & it attracts all sorts of birds the whole winter. Our banding coordinator normally gets several families of bluebirds overwintering in his woods, & they often visit his heated bird bath. I'd recommend having a nice long talk with somebody in a wild bird type store. You don't have to buy from them, but they ought to have lots of good advice on what works best in your local area. (Plus, i often find it best to *see* things -- I can't look at plans & visualize how things work so well.) But it sounds like you've got food, nesting sites, & possibly shelter covered already. Now just add water. :-) Torrey Moss From: Kate Arnold [mailto:koscharn"at"cox.net] Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2005 7:01 PM Subject: RE: your new bluebird "sanctuary You're right on in recommending a water source. You can attract birds and wildlife with water and plantings, even without feeders, because all creatures need water, and in times of drought or hard freezes, water can be hard to come by. I love watching birds in the bird bath, even when a flock of blackbirds took a dust bath, followed by a bath in the newly refilled bird bath. They turned the water filthy in minutes, and splashed most of it out, but they were fun to watch, and they left the other bird baths alone, so I didn't begrudge them their fun. I just dumped it out, rinsed it and filled it again. As I mentioned, I have more than one bird bath. It gives birds a choice and allows shy or small birds a bath or drink away from larger birds. And there is nothing like seeing bluebirds in all three bird baths, enjoying themselves as only they can! Kate Arnold From: Evelyn Cooper [mailto:emcooper"at"bayou.com] Also, remember that songbirds like Bluebirds like it shallow. I keep mine Evelyn Cooper From: JOHN & BARBARA SIBIO [mailto:jsibio"at"comcast.net] Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2005 11:26 PM Subject: your new bluebird "sanctuary I once found a sparrow dead in my front yard birdbath! It is a small birdbath, but deeper in the center. Now I keep a large, flat stone in the middle to prevent another drowning! I purposely bought a more shallow bath for the back yard and I rinse it and fill it every day. I also have a flat stone in the center of that one, too. It seems to work, and it gets used a lot during the season. Barbara in Cloverdale, CA From: Tree Greenwood [mailto:doctree"at"crosslink.net] Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2005 11:33 PM Subject: Water (was "Re: your new bluebird sanctuary") Evelyn, Kate & all, I like to 'naturalize' my birdbaths with stones, a sprinkle of sand and often a branch from my landscape maintenance. Most metal, ceramic and plastic birdbaths sold are not only too deep but also too slippery. The additions help with both problems. Soaked branches get tossed into the compost pile to be replaced with new ones. I also make sure to provide liquid water on the coldest days of the year. Lots of birds visit. Take care, R J 'Tree' Greenwood From: Lana Hunt [mailto:lanahunt"at"kcp.uky.edu] Sent: Friday, August 12, 2005 6:33 AM Subject: Re: Water (was "Re: your new bluebird sanctuary") Tree, I love your sanctuary! I have stones piled up in the center of mine. I thought they were a *perching* spot. I see I should have them spread around instead so there are no deep spots. I am planning on purchasing some of the heating elements for my birdbaths. I notice you also have something planted nearby. I imagine this gives them cover as well as perching opportunities. Thanks for the photo. I plan to try to create a similar area incorporating the plants and different levels. From: Cher [mailto:bluelist"at"localnet.com] Sent: Friday, August 12, 2005 9:32 AM Subject: Singing the 'wild bird store blues' I'd just like to say a word in behalf of brick-and-mortar wild bird stores. (No, I don't own one, nor am I affiliated with one.) There's no harm in having a "good long talk" with someone in a wild bird type store, but the idea of habitually going in for what amounts to a "free consultation" with no intention of buying would soon put these stores out of business. My own local wild bird store is privately owned by a lovely woman who has a great deal of experience with all kinds of birds. She has given me some really good suggestions over the years I've been patronizing her store. I feel that it's well worth it to pay a couple of extra dollars for something in exchange for all the knowledge I've gained from talking to her. Sometimes her prices are actually better than buying online when you factor in shipping charges and waiting for your merchandise to arrive rather than going home with it in your hands. If your local store I'm afraid that in some circles "birder" has become synonymous with "cheap", (or should I say - "CHEEP"). You might get one - maybe two - "good long talks" with someone in a wild bird store if at the end of the conversation you walk out without buying anything. Developing a continuing rapport with a local store can be invaluable, but requires that the store owner doesn't groan in anticipation of another profitless Q&A session when they see you coming. Wild bird stores are a commercial enterprise, not a public service. Try to keep in mind that it's not a sin for someone to make a living out of other people's interest in birds. The birds profit by our taking an interest in their welfare, the store owner gets to put food on his table yet another day, and we profit when our lives are enriched by the presence of these beautiful wild creatures in our own backyards. It's all good. Cher From: Torrey [mailto:torrey_canyon"at"yahoo.com] Sent: Friday, August 12, 2005 2:42 PM Subject: Re: Singing the 'wild bird store blues' Yes, Cher, i wholly agree with you. I much prefer to go into a store where people actually know what they're talking about. I like being able to look at & handle stuff before i buy it. I would much rather spend my money in my own town (where the store owners pay taxes that support local services) than spend money on-line which ends up who-knows-where. This applies to wild bird stores, to book stores, to coffee shops, to everything. People have to decide what they value & spend their money accordingly. (As full disclosure, i buy my bird seed from the pet store i've been going to since they opened 7 years ago. For bird knowledge, i just talk to my boss or my co-workers. :-]) Torrey Moss From: Cher [mailto:bluelist"at"localnet.com] Just to clarify - I didn't mean to discourage all internet/mail/phone order buying. There are some things I do buy that way rather than locally, either because the price is MUCH lower, or because the items I want are not available locally. For example, my local wild bird store doesn't carry the Van Ert traps, and didn't carry the Deluxe Repeating Sparrow Trap from www.sparrowtraps.net either, until I introduced them to it. However, I buy enough of my wild bird supplies in that store that I feel comfortable having a talk with the owner from time to time, depending on how busy the store is. And I never go in to chat without buying something - even if it's not exactly what we've chatted about. Cher From: cflindberg"at"bellsouth.net [mailto:cflindberg"at"bellsouth.net] Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2005 1:29 PM Subject: Clean Bird Bath What is a safe solution water/clorox to use to clean bird bath & rid it of algae Cal Lindberg From: sheryl brown [mailto:sherylb1556"at"yahoo.com] Hello Cal Sheryl in central Illinois From: Kate Arnold [mailto:koscharn"at"cox.net] While the northeast is getting far more rain than they need, we in northeast Texas are still under the influence of the high pressure “cap” which keeps us dry, and pushed Hurricane Rita east and away from Galveston. You know the situation is bad when west Texas gets more rain than we do! With these dry conditions, ponds are drying up, as Keith has noted before, and birds seek water wherever they can find it. I am seeing birds in the bath that I don’t commonly observe there, including Brown Thrashers, which I rarely see. Yesterday about one hour before sunset the bath was occupied at least briefly by eastern bluebirds, Carolina chickadees, blue jays, mockingbirds, a brown thrasher who did not let the jays chase him away, cardinals, northern flickers, a downy woodpecker, a native sparrow that I have to look up in my bird book. These birds did not bathe all at the same time, but the bluebirds shared with each other, and at least one bluebird bathed with a female cardinal. I am used to bluebirds being enthusiastic bathers, but that thrasher was every bit as exuberant, and made a bigger splash due to his larger size. I did not see any titmice, but they may have bathed at another time, or used the other bath which is not in view of the kitchen window. I was supposed to be getting the table set for supper, but that was delayed while I watched the birds! The previous evening I was coming from the barn when I heard a number of bluebirds. At least six of them were in or near my smaller bird bath, having a great time, and talking to each other all the while. Kate Arnold From: Jean Carter Wilson [mailto:peanut123"at"comcast.net] Sent: Monday, November 21, 2005 4:19 PM Subject: Heated birdbaths? Hey folks, I'm going to order a couple heated birdbaths this year and was wondering if people had any particular models to recommend. I found a couple of sturdy-looking ones online for $80 or so, but I don't mind paying a little more for something that is for sure reliable and won't wimp out in the ice, snow and cold. I'd also like one with a bit of a longer cord, so I don't have to leave the connection to my big extension cord lying out in the snow where it might short out. We don't get really severe winters here, but the weatherman is saying it's going to be nasty soon and I don't want my birds to suffer. Anyone got thoughts? Thanks in advance. Jean in Nashville From: Lana Hunt [mailto:lanahunt"at"kcp.uky.edu] Sent: Monday, November 21, 2005 4:35 PM Subject: Re: Heated birdbaths? Jean, I am looking forward to the responses you get. I would also like to Lana From: Virginia [mailto:Vlutt410"at"frontiernet.net] Sent: Monday, November 21, 2005 5:23 PM Subject: Re: Heated birdbaths?---Cord Covers. Their is a device that 2 cords hooked together lay in and the cover snaps From: Lynn [mailto:lemerich"at"epix.net] Sent: Monday, November 21, 2005 5:24 PM Subject: Re: Heated birdbaths? Most of the heated birdbaths I.ve seen only have 4 or 5 ft cords on them. Here's what I do. Lynn near Bernville PA. From: Dottie, Hickory Hollow, Brown County, Indiana [mailto:yumyumkatts"at"voyager.net] Sent: Monday, November 21, 2005 7:05 PM Subject: Heated birdbaths? I have a heated curved tube that I got at Wal-mart pretty cheap. I put It melts the snow around it and it's like looking into a well until I get ... Dottie, Hickory Hollow From: Maria Pino [mailto:mfpino"at"comcast.net] Sent: Monday, November 21, 2005 7:02 P Subject: Re: Heated birdbaths? Hi Jean and list, Last month I ordered two deck mounted heated bird baths from bestnest.com. Again, the cord is not long enough so I used an extension cord. I wrap duck tape around the ends of both cords. This works well although this part of the cord and extension cord is never sitting directly in the snow. It does get wet and icey though. I will be interested to hear what others think. Good luck. Maria Pino From: Dottie, Hickory Hollow, Brown County, Indiana [mailto:yumyumkatts"at"voyager.net] Sent: Monday, November 21, 2005 7:13 PM To: Bluebird-L list Subject: Re: Heated birdbaths? I just use an outside extension cord. I don't cover any connections. ... Dottie, Hickory Hollow From: Nancy [mailto:nlw1"at"ptd.net] Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2005 5:55 AM Subject: RE: Heated birdbaths? I wrap my plug to extension cord with duct tape. This works for me and I have been doing this for over 10 years with a very inexpensive bird bath. Nancy in Sinking Spring, PA From: charlene anchor [mailto:charleneanchor"at"msn.com] Charlene Anchor From: rebel1956"at"comcast.net [mailto:rebel1956"at"comcast.net] Hi group, I'm just amateur, so maybe some of the experts here can answer my questions about things I've never observed Bluebirds do (I have seen them copulate though, and they weren't shy about it at all). Do Bluebirds take dust or water baths? I've seen them drink out of my heated bird bath regularly, but I've never seen a BB take a water bath or roll in the sand, which even our mortral enemy the HOSP does. .... Do Bluebirds ingest gravel to help their gizzard, proventriculus etc. grind up berry seeds when their diet changes from primarily insects to winter food? I've never seen it happen. Which is the more aggressive defender of the nest box/cavity, the male or female? In my limited observations, the females are even more aggressive towards Carolina Chickadees. Thanks, From: RBALTRUNAS"at"cs.com [mailto:RBALTRUNAS"at"cs.com] .... Last Summer I had EABL taking baths with HOSP! This year I saw one once. Certain species like to water bath more often. Robins and Blue Jays are my most frequent bathers. Robins are communal bathers. They pack as many into the bird bath as will fit. Ron From: Marilyn [mailto:musher"at"justfurfun.org] Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2006 8:44 PM Subject: RE: questions for the experts here Here we have what I call the Birdbath Gang - it's a bunch of bluebirds that come to the birdbath every evening about 5PM and splash around for a half hour or so. Sometimes there are 4 or 5 bluebirds in the bath at the same time, while others are waiting their turn on the fence or in the tree that is right there. They get in the water and wave their wings around to make the water splash - sometimes there are 2 doing it at the same time facing each other. I love to sit on the deck and watch. We see Goldfinches and many other birds drinking from the birdbaths, but the bluebirds are the only ones here that REALLY know how to enjoy them! Marilyn Slaton, Mansfield MO From: Lynn Emerich [mailto:lemerich"at"epix.net] My bluebirds take regular baths all the time. They sit on the edge, take a few drinks, then jump in. I have seen as many as six at a time. They do drink with other birds, but I haven't seen them bathe with others. Lynn near Bernville PA From: KimMarie Markel [mailto:auroramn"at"verizon.net] We had an unusually dry and hot summer here last year so I kept 3 bird baths filled with fresh water all season for all the birds... One Sunday, early evening in late July, I watched "Backyard Momma" EABL jump in one of the baths and start splashing around - she was soon joined by her 5 fledges. It was like watching a swimming lesson or Sunday night family bath night :) Next thing I knew each fledge dipped a toe and/or wing in the water - once they realized they could splash too it was a bird bath frenzy with water flying everywhere :) After that evening it was a common occurrence to see adults and fledges flying in to cool off in the water - but they always picked the same bird bath (I wish I had gotten pictures - it was always fun to watch them splashing about). Interesting though, I had another pair nesting about 200 - 250 ft away from the backyard pair - never saw them at any of the bird baths, but they could have been going to the small, shallow creek nearby. kimmarie :) From: Jeanette Stamm [mailto:jeanettefromks"at"webtv.net] Sent: Monday, April 17, 2006 9:46 PM Subject: Re: BLUEBIRD-L digest 1496 HI All, Does anybody know if it would be ok to put a very small amount of chlorox in my bird bath? It holds about two gallons of water and I am so afraid the house finches will get conjunctivitus or whatever it is, or maybe pass it on to other birds that use it. I have quite a few house finches and they appear healthy but know they have had problems other years. And maybe their eye disease is not contagious? Can anybody help me out here? WE do have a lot of bluebirds out in the country but none in my backyard here in town. But lots of purple martins. Thanks for any info you can give me. From: denisefarmer"at"comcast.net [mailto:denisefarmer"at"comcast.net] Sent: Monday, April 17, 2006 10:17 PM Subject: RE: BLUEBIRD-L digest 1496 When y ou clean the bird bath (once a week, more if necessary) use 1 part Denise From: John Schuster [mailto:wildwingco"at"earthlink.net] Sent: Tuesday, April 18, 2006 10:51 AM Subject: Re: BLUEBIRD-L digest 1496 Dear Friends, Besides the 1 part Clorox bleach to ten parts water cleaning method, another good cleaner would be Apple Cider vinegar which nothing can live in. Mix 1 part Apple Cider vinegar to 3 parts water. Here is another great way to keep water clean and reduce organic growth. Change the Ph of the water with Hydrogen Peroxide (or H2O2) as algae can not live in a oxygen rich environments. Once you add H2O2 you oxygenate the water killing off the Algae. Hydrogen Peroxide is cheap, harmless, reduces frequent cleanings and elbow grease. We use it in small ponds and the aquatic life thrives, but organic growth vanishes. Many birders that have taken my suggest to use Hydrogen Peroxide (in leu of harsh chemicals) have reported to me how well it works. Give it a try and enjoy. ... John Schuster From: Steve Murphy Home [mailto:thcri"at"qwest.net] Sent: Friday, May 26, 2006 7:50 AM Subject: Water I have my meal worm feeder sitting right on the ledge of my deck. This makes it easy for me to watch my blue's and they can still see their nest from it. About 2 feet off I took and old Cool Whip container and filled it with water. I have well water and our kitchen sink cold is not soft water but right from the well. But my blue's are always resting on that Cool Whip container and dipping for water. To date I have not seen any of the other birds touch that water, just the Blues. Just a thought for others if not putting out water. Steve Murphy From: Autumn L. Kruer [mailto:autumnk"at"iglou.com] Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2006 8:49 AM Subject: RE: Grackles One exception I'd give to the water saucers - make sure you empty them and refill them regularly or you'll have a mosquito breeding ground. I've become very conscious of this lately with West Nile and have removed standing water, shifting it to fresh water changes or running/trickling water. Of course, I can't do anything for the farm ponds but they are spring-fed, are full of fish and frogs, and I hope this keeps the water running enough to keep mosquitoes down somewhat. Small pumps aren't expensive for smaller backyard ponds and for puddles-the cakes to deter mosquito breeding state they are safe for other wildlife. I had an incident last weekend in which there was an emergency in the back of our woods and I hiked in without spraying myself. I now have 2 mosquito bites, and got them in the middle of the day. This early, it tells me this may be a bad mosquito year in my region. Autumn in Kentucky From: Perez Veronica [mailto:v_perez11"at"yahoo.com] Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 2:28 PM Subject: heat wave - - keeping birdbath filled Poor birds were drinking more water than usual and taking baths early this morning. Now in the pm temps are approaching a 100 degrees. My hubby is working from home today and I have called him twice to check on my bird "queendom" (his words not mine) and to throw some ice into the birdbath ... good man is obliging :) . Veronica From: mrtony8 [mailto:philip.berry"at"mchsi.com] Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 6:43 PM Subject: Re: heat wave - - keeping birdbath filled I clean and refill our baths twice daily during summer..they are extremely important to bird life. If you don't provide water, please consider it. You won't be sorry. More happy things go on in the bird bath than you can believe. From: Robert Barron [mailto:rebarron"at"gmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 7:25 PM Subject: Re: heat wave - - keeping birdbath filled I'm not home during the day but have put a mister on a hose with a plastic bowl under it. It doesn't use much water and I can swap out the plastic bowels and throw them in the dishwasher. When I am home, I see hummingbirds flying through the mist and everything from Brown Thrashers to Bluebirds drinking and bathing from the shallow bowl. It overflows enough to keep most of the poop washed out in the overflow, although some falls to the bottom. At least I can change the bowl frequently. Birds seem to be like human babies. They poop when they eat or in the bath tub. I think clean water is more important than the water temperature. You could also put a reducing valve on a hose and convert it down to aquarium sized air hose and at least keep a continuous flow of clean water to your bird baths. You can do a lot with PVC pipe, compression fittings, elbows and battery operated hose timers. The birds will learn when the clean water is flowing. Keep us posted. Rob Barron From: Perez Veronica [mailto:v_perez11"at"yahoo.com] Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 8:26 PM Subject: Re: heat wave - - keeping birdbath filled Hi Phil. I do provide water in three bird baths and fill it up everyday sometimes 2x a day. I clean them every three to four days . On particularly hot days when I am home ,I put ice in it which dissolves right away... i don't really think the ice does anything , I guess it just makes me feel better mentally... :) From: happywebl"at"comcast.net [mailto:happywebl"at"comcast.net] Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 8:41 PM Subject: Re: heat wave - - keeping birdbath filled I got my husband to connect our two birdbaths to our drip system, so they are filled twice a day, automatically, even if we aren't here. The birds seem to enjoy the running water that comes out of the irrigation tubes; I don't know if they see it or hear it, but they seem to head for the bath when the water is fresh. The first Western Bluebird I ever saw was bathing in my birdbath at my former home. He sure was enjoying it, and he looked gorgeous in the sun! The bluebirds routinely bathe with goldfinch and housefinch here. What a happy sight that is. From: Keith & Sandy Kridler [mailto:txbluebirder"at"sbcglobal.net] Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 7:51 AM Subject: water cooler faucets Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas We use what is called a water cooler faucet that can just be screwed on right over your existing faucet. They come with the correct threads to fit your normal hose faucets already on your house. These are drilled and tapped for a 1/8" NPT (national pipe thread) fitting and you screw in a small needle valve right into the side of the water cooler faucet then use plastic water tubing for use in connecting your automatic ice maker to the water supply in your house into this small needle valve using a compression fitting. Anyone can install one of these with only a single pair of pliers. A hundred feet of this 1/8" tubing only runs $5.00 at our hardware store. If the drip stops you can open the valve and flush out dirt or scale which you cannot do with most misting heads. You can adjust the amount of drip or flow with this system. AND you still have a faucet that you can use for hooking up and using your water hose without bothering to unhook the water line. At the end of summer you unscrew this add on faucet, roll up the tubing and store it all till next year . We run the tubing up into a tree and I have a small dog watering dish hanging in the tree with the water dripping into this dish. (Picture a hanging basket container with a dog dish instead.) The over flow from the dish drips down into a very large shallow metal top off of a power roof ventilator that we have buried right at ground level and have slabs of rocks laying in it and right now there are four frogs sitti |