My garden is bird/butterfly friendly woohoo
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by weezie13 on May 30, 2006 03:26 AM
Tammy you can take regular pie tins for right
now and load it up with dark, flat rocks for the
butterflies.. they'll love that.. and keep it out
of the wind, but in the sun..
*mud is their best friend too for some butterflies*
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Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2
http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
now and load it up with dark, flat rocks for the
butterflies.. they'll love that.. and keep it out
of the wind, but in the sun..
*mud is their best friend too for some butterflies*
* * * *
Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2
http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
by tkhooper on May 30, 2006 03:39 AM
Well I can definitely so something like that I guess. Not pie tins but I do have the top of some of the plastic coffee containers and they are black to help draw the heat. Dark colored rocks may take some walking around the neighborhood to come up with lol. Of course they may be using the bricks for that and I just never noticed. What do you think? Could that be there sunning space?
I guess what really got me to noticing this today was the sparrow out in the parking lot trying to take a dust bath. The poor thing was out of luck because the spot he had chosen was all gravel lol. He looks so funny rolling around.
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I guess what really got me to noticing this today was the sparrow out in the parking lot trying to take a dust bath. The poor thing was out of luck because the spot he had chosen was all gravel lol. He looks so funny rolling around.
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by weezie13 on May 30, 2006 03:47 AM
Yep, bricks work well...
they definately hold heat.. and a good landing spot..
I use the bottoms of planter saucers too...
**Heck, I've seen the birds bathing in my kids upside down snow saucers that they've left out from winter and have rain water in them...
find one of those and put some sand it it for the birds..
or they have dusting powders for animals, I do know of the one kind for hamsters, but they might sell that stuff in the bird section for home birdss... don't know... worth a check..
might work for you...
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Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2
http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
they definately hold heat.. and a good landing spot..
I use the bottoms of planter saucers too...
**Heck, I've seen the birds bathing in my kids upside down snow saucers that they've left out from winter and have rain water in them...
find one of those and put some sand it it for the birds..
or they have dusting powders for animals, I do know of the one kind for hamsters, but they might sell that stuff in the bird section for home birdss... don't know... worth a check..
might work for you...
* * * *
Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2
http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
by tkhooper on May 30, 2006 04:17 AM
Once the mud puddle dries up there is enough silt in that spot that they can get their dust bath. It's just that it's wet right now.
I took the coffee can lid out and filled it with water and then surrounded it with a dark gray gravel. Hopefully they will like the spot. I plan to plant miniature roses all around that spot next year so they will be protected from other animals. I'll get a picture of it later. Right now it is so hot outside it's impossible to stay out there any length of time.
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I took the coffee can lid out and filled it with water and then surrounded it with a dark gray gravel. Hopefully they will like the spot. I plan to plant miniature roses all around that spot next year so they will be protected from other animals. I'll get a picture of it later. Right now it is so hot outside it's impossible to stay out there any length of time.
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by weezie13 on May 30, 2006 04:22 AM
Oh, I know exactly what you mean about HOT,
we just had our Memorial Day parade in front of our house, and you could have rung us out for just the few minutes we were sitting there.
It's going to be a HOT day...
The minature roses sound like a good protective area for the butterflies..
* * * *
Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2
http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
we just had our Memorial Day parade in front of our house, and you could have rung us out for just the few minutes we were sitting there.
It's going to be a HOT day...
The minature roses sound like a good protective area for the butterflies..
* * * *
Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2
http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
by tkhooper on May 30, 2006 05:29 AM
Well here is a place for the butterflies to cool off or get even hotter. And of course there are still bricks around one of the flower beds and some up higher on the slope that I just know I'll get to someday. lol
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by weezie13 on May 30, 2006 05:35 AM
Tammy you can even use dark frisbee's too...
or my favorite, go to Burger King or McDonalds' and get a salad, big one's or side one's.. and save the containers..
They're easy to clean, just the right size for a bath for one... and if they break, easily replaced. and they're black..
* * * *
Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2
http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
or my favorite, go to Burger King or McDonalds' and get a salad, big one's or side one's.. and save the containers..
They're easy to clean, just the right size for a bath for one... and if they break, easily replaced. and they're black..
* * * *
Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2
http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
by weezie13 on May 30, 2006 05:38 AM
Ooooooooooh sorry, that is a veryyyyyy nice lookin' one...
I knowwwwww they'll love it...
It does take a bit of time for them to get to know there's water there..
and you have to keep an eye on it.. when they are black, or filled with stone,
they evaporate fasssssst.. *especially on a hot sunny day*
but thats' what makes the water warm..
A small hint.. keep another water thingie somewheres' around, so if the original birdbath dries up, you still have the outside warmer temp'd water you can pour straight in.. then refill the back up with the cold water...
* * * *
Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2
http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
I knowwwwww they'll love it...
It does take a bit of time for them to get to know there's water there..
and you have to keep an eye on it.. when they are black, or filled with stone,
they evaporate fasssssst.. *especially on a hot sunny day*
but thats' what makes the water warm..
A small hint.. keep another water thingie somewheres' around, so if the original birdbath dries up, you still have the outside warmer temp'd water you can pour straight in.. then refill the back up with the cold water...
* * * *
Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2
http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
by weezie13 on May 30, 2006 05:42 AM
I looked at it again, is there something in the water for the butterflies to land?
Or is that the birdbath one????
* * * *
Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2
http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
Or is that the birdbath one????
* * * *
Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2
http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
by tkhooper on May 30, 2006 05:57 AM
It's not very deep. Do you still think they need a landing stone? I thought they could just land on the edge. Or on the stones around the edge. That should be the same as landing on a stone in the middle shouldn't it? I know nothing about what I'm doing here as you can tell.
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by Thornius on May 30, 2006 05:58 AM
Birds also need to eat small pieaces of sand, grit, or gravel to go in their gizzard to help grind their food. They also pick up ants and put them alive on their feathers to help get rid of parasites. It is a technique called, "Anting". That sparrow may have been looking for grit for its gizzard or ants for health and hygiene.
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A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess.
* * * *
A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess.
by tkhooper on May 30, 2006 06:02 AM
How cool. I didn't know about the ants. Well I have lots of ants so they shouldn't have any problem finding those.
I wished I'd have had a movie camera. The sparrow rolled over and then did a kind of flip head over tail feathers. If I could have asked for a replay I would have.
I don't think the birds will use the pool because it's only about maybe 1/2 inch deep. And I was lucky enough that the water was already outside and had been sitting there for a day or two. It's from a rain we had back several days ago.
I will definitely remember to keep some water out there.
* * * *
I wished I'd have had a movie camera. The sparrow rolled over and then did a kind of flip head over tail feathers. If I could have asked for a replay I would have.
I don't think the birds will use the pool because it's only about maybe 1/2 inch deep. And I was lucky enough that the water was already outside and had been sitting there for a day or two. It's from a rain we had back several days ago.
I will definitely remember to keep some water out there.
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by weezie13 on May 30, 2006 06:50 AM
quote:Oh yesssssssssss, they need the stones in the water..
Originally posted by tkhooper:
It's not very deep. Do you still think they need a landing stone? I thought they could just land on the edge. Or on the stones around the edge. That should be the same as landing on a stone in the middle shouldn't it? I know nothing about what I'm doing here as you can tell.
If one of those butterflies falls in that water,
most of the time they're done for, unless you stand out there 24/7 to watch for them...
When the wings get wet, they can't get out...
Even the bees come there for a drink in mine...
and if I forget the stones, they are in there until morning and I get a chance to get them out..
* * * *
Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2
http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
by Thornius on May 30, 2006 09:23 AM
Bird baths should be about 2 inches deep. Walmart sells a concrete birdbath for around $20.00. They are heavy though. They weigh 100-200 pounds. I bought one last year and LOVE it! I plan to get another one this year.
* * * *
A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess.
* * * *
A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess.
by Thornius on May 30, 2006 09:26 AM
I put a fairly large rock that sticks up above the water level in my birdbath. I then line the bowl with colorful stones and marbles that I get at Dollar Tree for a dollar a bag. You dont have to glue them in, just put them loose in a singles layer around the central rock. It's very Zen and enhances my Feng Shui.
* * * *
A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess.
* * * *
A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess.
by tkhooper on May 30, 2006 11:02 AM
whew it's hot out there. Ok, I lined mine with sand and put sea shells in it so the butterflies have safety places to climb out of the water without getting their wings wet. I hope they like their little resort.
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by Thornius on May 30, 2006 12:21 PM
It's in the low 90's here in Tennessee......and the humidity is in the 90's too.
* * * *
A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess.
* * * *
A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess.
by porter57 on May 30, 2006 01:53 PM
i spent the last two days helping my nieces husband build a deck for thier pool.
i can officialy confirm that it is doggone hot
in the mid west. im burnt to a crisp!!!
and the pool wasnt open cause we didnt want to get sawdust in it.
i can officialy confirm that it is doggone hot
in the mid west. im burnt to a crisp!!!
and the pool wasnt open cause we didnt want to get sawdust in it.
by tkhooper on May 30, 2006 11:01 PM
I think you both have me beat it was something like 87 degrees here yesterday. But I'm such a heat whimp that was enough for me.
Porter look at it this way you should have an unlimited pass to use the pool since you help build the deck right?
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Porter look at it this way you should have an unlimited pass to use the pool since you help build the deck right?
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