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(Bird Play Areas) We call them "Play Areas" because the one in front, shown below, resembles a kid's playground -- complete with a child's wading pool that offers various sized rocks for different bathing requirements (smile). Also, because the birds and ground squirrels tend to chase around in these areas too, trying to out-eat each other (laughing), even though we never let the ground go bare. There is always more than enough seed avaiable on the ground and in the feeders because you just never know when unexpected company might arrive! We buy mostly Red and White Millet, in 50 pound bags, and then mix them manually in a huge plastic trash container with a locking lid. We also buy smaller bags of mixed seeds, thistle (for the Finches we don't have yet), and also several different kinds of suet for the winter. The other day, Carla encountered one of the ground squirrels at close range, since they aren't normally too skittish around us. When she started talking to him, this guy felt so guilty that he spit out the entire contents of both his cheeks, all at once, right then and there -- a huge pile of seeds -- and then ran off (laughing)! |
(5-19-00)
Our front yard Bird Play Area This area has three bird houses, one above-ground feeder (Red & White Millet), two bird-baths, and lots of good sized branches and rocks. Not to mention the lawn-art Carla placed out there too, which includes a good sized butterfly on a stake, a cat on a metal coil that moves in the wind, and even a flying pig on a stake. Nah, we don't spoil our birds too much. Our visiting relatives wish they had it so good! |
(6-1-00)
Since our trees are not very big yet, Don installed wooden dowels on several of the fence post mounts so the birds would have a place to perch, if they wanted to. |
(6-1-00)
Then he thought about mounting some of our driftwood branches to the posts, which the blackbirds seem to prefer. |
(5-19-00)
A blackbird getting a cool drink of water. |
(5-17-00)
This was absolutely hillarious to watch. It's a bird, halfway INTO one of the Ground Squirrels holes. Not sure if it was after seeds or flirting with a Ground Squirrel. |
(6-1-00)
This is the start of our back yard Bird Play Area. The feeder on the left is strictly thistle for Finches. The other feeder usually contains mixed seed. There are also two bird houses installed on existing 6" fence posts about 100 feet away. Next up will be a bird bath or two. |
(6-1-00)
At the West end of the house, we set up an old tree stump and lots of driftwood branches for the birds to roost on. This is one of their favorite places now. |
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Text links to our Bird photo web pages:
Birds Home American Robin Bird Play Areas Brewer's Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird Horned Lark Lark Bunting Mountain Bluebird Mourning Dove Prairie Falcon Red-winged Blackbird Swainson's Thrush Unidentified Birds Western Meadowlark |
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