10 replies to this topic

[cheerio]

I'm looking for some tips to bird watching during the winter. I want to get some pictures of birds in my backyard during the winter

There are alot of trees in my backyard, not so sure about evergreens and stuff. Does anybody have any tips on attracting birds during the winter and stuff? I've searched google and got some results, but I'm wondering if anybody here already knows how, I'd like help 1 on 1 from somebody.

If not winter, I can wait 'till spring. I had better start early

Thanks!

[Canen Art]

Bird watching is tons of fun. One way is to build a homemade bird feeder to attact them to your back yard durning the winter months. Birds do need food durning the winter months and a bird feeder is the way to bring them in close enough even to photograph them.

I'm working on a tutorial on how to build a homemade bird feeder for purposes like this. I will try to get it finished up soon.

Basically you need a 2 litter empty pop bottle, razor knife, 2 stakes, wire, wire cutters, and bird feed. You can put them all together to make a neat little bird feeder. I have a few around my house. They work really nice.

Best Regards,

Jason

[Donna]

I have heaps of bird feeders all through our property, nothing fancy just regular feeders and one huge homemade one outside my office sitting on a tree stump. The large homemade one is the one they come too most. My neighbor has an entire city of homemade feeders the birds love them.

I have found if they are in the trees the squirrels will protect the feeders and won't let the birds near them so I tend to put them in places the squirrels cannot access. <_< mind you the squirrels are pretty smart lol they will get to anything if they are hungry enough and I like them so they don't bother me.

Woodpeckers love big trees so they should come more during winter than summer, they do here.

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Jason can you still get 5cents return on those pop bottles lol

[Canen Art]

Donna, on Oct 22 2006, 09:51 PM, said:

Jason can you still get 5cents return on those pop bottles lol

Not here, but if I could I wouldn't mind sharing something with nature.

Regards,

Jason

[cheerio]

Thanks for the tips! I'm looking forward to making a home-made bird feeder, because I'm taking woodshop in school this semester, so I can probably build it there. What I don't have is bird-food, but I can make that! I have rice and peanut butter which I hear is very good

[Donna]

What's wrong with natural birdseed? if you use peanut butter make sure it's mixed with suet or grains. Find out what birds are native to your area during winter and you can easily look up feeding guides.

One found quickly:
http://www.bachmans.com/retail/tipsheets/b...rdFeedChart.cfm

[cheerio]

Thanks. I'm thinking fruits, but I don't understand how to make it 'available' to the birds

[Canen Art]

cheerio, on Oct 23 2006, 01:23 PM, said:

Thanks. I'm thinking fruits, but I don't understand how to make it 'available' to the birds

You can take a board and nail a 4 inch nail through the middle of it so you could stick your fruit on it. You can also put dried corn on the cob, which squirrels love.

Regards,

Jason

[cheerio]

Cool, I'll try that for sure

[cheerio]

In a moment I'm going to put a picture of a part of my front yard. I just want to know what things I can probably do to attract birds to the bird-bath in the picture, if anybody feels like responding. The first is a little island in my front yard,and the second is a tree (in my front yard..of course)  IMG_0417.jpg   165.57K   147 downloads  IMG_0418.jpg   199.71K   109 downloads

Edited by cheerio, 27 October 2006 - 02:06 PM.

[Mr. Matt]

* I am no expert on bird photography *

Tree wouldn't be the best to try and shoot, can be very hard to try and shoot them, as they can hide in the leaves. If you want to try, you can get little tubes with food in them, you can hang them off the end of branches. The birds then hang off them to eat, would be good if you can do it.

And the little stand in the garden, perfect place to put some bird seed, get a nice telephoto, put some bird seed out, and you've got a good place to get some photos of birds mate

Matt