18 - Friday, October 9, 1992 — North Shore News

HOM

GARDEN

NEWS photo Terry Peters

GOLDFISH COME to the surface of a backyard pond - there are a wide variety of plants avail-

| able that can enhance pond settings. 7 Attract birds with yard feeders

FOR THE amateur bird- watcher, many an afternoon is probably spent in a near- by park or zoo. But why not view these colorful fly- ing creatures from your home by inviting them into your yard?

Watching birds in your own yard is an interesting activity that is both educational for children and relaxing for adulis.

Learning to identify different birds and bird songs, recognizing bird lifestyles, and learning how and what to feed them can teach children io care for and respect wild animals.

And for adults of all ages, wat- ching birds can provide a calming end to a hectic day cf work.

Attracting birds to your yard is simpler, actually, than you may think. An easy way to do it is to provide food, especiaily during fall and winter when natural food sources become scarce.

Though not difficuit to make, even a simple bird feeder can be a time-consuming project. Ornate, large-scale birdhouses/feeders can be purchased, but they are costly and more likely to be used by long time bird-watchers.

An easier, very inexpensive op- tion is to buy a prefilled plastic

bird feeder from a nearby garden centre or hardware store.

These usually come filled with a well-balanced, nutritious selection of bird food, including sunflower seeds, oatineal flakes and crushed peanuis to attract a wide variety of song birds.

And, when empty, they can be refilled or recycled.

Hang feeders properly

After purchasing or making a bird feeder, scout your yard for the best areas for hanging the feeder.

Keep two things in mind while looking for a place to hang a feeder: first and most importantly, look for tall trees, house edgings or other areas that are out of reach of mice, squirrels and cats; second, make sure to hang the feeder in an area that is easily seen from the house.

Mice and squirrels are frequent but uninvited visitors to bird feeders. They can be kept at bay by stringing an inverted tin, such as an empty coffee can, between the tree and the feeder. To keep cats from scaring the birds, hang the feeder from a tree branch that will support the weight of the feeder and its bird guests but not that of the cat.

And don’t hang the feeder too

close to a platform from which a cat can swipe or lunge for the birds.

Most avid bird-watchers recommend two to three bird feeders per yard to attract a bread spectrum of bird visitors. And moving the feeders to different locations once or twice during the year keeps returning birds inter- ested and brings more birds irto the yard.

Another attraction is to place a bird-bath in the centre of the yard. This will give the birds a place to stop for a quick drink and it offers them a chance to relax, clean their feathers and splash around in the cool water.

Now that your yard is set up for hours of bird socialization and recreation, pull up ai chair and relax,

You may want to buy a guide to bird-watching that will help you identify the guests in your yard and the beautiful sounds they make.

Regardless, you’re now an ac- tive bird-watcher. And, as a full- time participant of this increasing- ly popular pastime, you are now entitled to use bird-watching as a natural outlet for relieving stress, spending quality time with your family and enjoying the sights and sounds of feathered friends.

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