Tending your garden birds
Anyone who has noticed birds splashing around in a birdbath or puddle in the rain knows there’s something irresistible to birds about dripping water. Wildlife stores even sell birdbaths now with drip attachments. You can make a homemade drip bath by hanging a jug or bucket with a hole in the bottom a few feet above a birdbath. Try suspending the “dripper” from a tree branch or shepherd’s hook. The flow doesn’t have to be high-volume. A small hole that delivers the occasional drip will suffice, and it won’t waste water.
The proper recipe for homemade hummingbird nectar is 1 part table sugar to 4 parts water. If your hummers are not draining the feeder within three days, boil the mixture to help retard the growth of mold. Boil the sugar water for 1 to 2 minutes, then cool before filling the feeder. When the weather’s hot, clean your feeders at least twice a week. Operation Ruby Throat recommends cleaning plastic feeder parts with a diluted solution of hot white vinegar, not bleach. For tips on hummingbird watching and feeding, visit the Web site at www.rubythroat.org.
Birdbaths should be periodically cleaned to ensure the health of bathers. Use a stiff brush or scouring pad to remove dirt and algae. The National Audubon Society recommends soaking birdbaths in a solution of water and bleach in a 9:1 ratio, respectively, for a few minutes (be sure to cover or monitor the birdbath to keep birds away from chlorine solution). Scrub the basin, then thoroughly rinse and dry before refilling. For more birdbath hygiene info, visit www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/bird_feeding/feeder_maint.html.