Year: 2009

What to Do if You Find a Young Bird (Nestling) on the Ground

TOP WILD BIRD PRODUCTS

Before you help or pick up a young bird or nestling found on the ground, make sure that you follow these simple steps:

1. Don’t assume that the bird found on the ground has been “orphaned” by the parent bird. Most young birds on the ground have not been orphaned. A parent will not typically leave their young on their own. Usually the parent bird is nearby watching over their young and providing them with food. This may even be the case if a cat or dog has caught the bird.

2. If you have determined that the parent bird is not nearby and the young bird has fallen from the nest, put the young bird back into the nest. The parent birds will not be able to get the young bird back into the nest. The parent birds will NOT reject the young bird if it has been handled by humans. A good bird book can be very helpful in determining what type of young bird needs help.
3. If the entire nest is found on the ground, put the young birds back into the nest and place the nest into the tree where it was found as soon as possible. Secure the nest to the tree with wire cloth or a small wire basket if necessary.
4. If the entire tree branch with the nest has fallen off of the tree, try to reattach the branch to the tree. You may want to use wire or rope to tie it to the tree. Try to keep the branch tied to the tree until the birds have hatched.
5. If the nest has been damaged by the fall or by water, try to build a new nest for the young birds. To build a nest, use wire or a small wire basket and use dry grass and leaves as a filler. Put the young birds into the nest and place it back in the tree. Do not use cardboard or wood to made the nest because they can harbor moisture and mold. Also, make sure that you try to return the young birds as quickly as possible to the original location.
6. To help prevent fallen nests and orphaned birds, place nesting boxes around your yard to encourage birds to make homes inside them. Nesting boxes can be secured to a tree or a post and are harder to blow away in a storm.

Nesting a Robin’s Perogative

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This photo was taken about in early May 2009, in my mother’s backyard.

Apparently, every year for the last 20+ years, a robin’s nest has been built in this very same spot. Of course, it’s not the same robin every year (Robins are not able to be octomoms). According to a zoology archive from the US Department of Energy, very few robins survive their first year. For those that survive, a life span of about 5 to 6 years is the norm.

So, back to this particular robin in her nest. I’ve been following this bird, and her family, with my camera and video phone for the last 2 weeks. I’ll update the blog later with photos of feeding, the daddy and such, but for now I wanted to focus on the momma and nesting habits of the robin. Personally, I think she looks a little cramped and uncomfortable in that nest. But she seems to be content.

Most robins place their nest in a crook of tree or a shrub about 5 to 20 feet above the ground. What makes this particular robins nest interesting is that it is always built at the intersection of the gutters along the top of the garage. It does seem to be the perfect little hideaway, and usually is, until nosy people such as myself hang out all day and try to get the perfect photo of a robin’s nesting habits. Then, it gets a little ridiculous while the robin and the person (me) have a battle of wills. The daddy will come hopping along, squawk at her, look at me, and take off. Then I have to leave to give them a chance to bond as a family and let them feed their babies.
But, I have a secret window spot too. So I’ve had the chance to see it all in action. Quite amazing.

In any case, another interesting facts about robins is that they can produce three successful broods in one year. On average, though, only 40 percent of nests successfully produce young. And, only 24% of those young will survive to November. So, in order to help robins thrive, it is suggested that a person can try to place fruit on tray feeders or plant fruiting shrubs to attract more of them to your backyard garden.

One great tray feeder is the Droll Yankee Seed Tray. This clear plastic tray measures 7.5″ and will fit all Droll Yankee tube feeders and many other brands. The Droll Yankee Seed Tray easily attaches with a threaded plug and is constructed of clear durable plastic.

What’s even better is that even if you don’t have trees, feeding the birds with the Droll Yankee Seed Tray will be no problem. The ultimate yard system comes with a 68 garden pole and pole adapter for mounting feeder on top. Also included are three 24 pole sections, a triple pole hook assembly, pole adapter, and ultimate pole auger.

So, for now, we’ll let this robin rest. More updates will be available as we follow this beautiful bird and her brood.

Economical Bird Feeding in Style

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A great way for bird lovers everywhere to save money is to buy value-priced bird feeders and buy bird seed in bulk. This allows you to save both time and money. There are a lot of economical feeders that are easy to use, look great and you won’t have to spend a fortune on them.
In addition to value-priced feeders, buying bird seed in bulk quantities can also help to save you time and money. There are a lot of companies that carry high quality bird seed in bulk. Always remember that low cost doesn’t mean you have to give up quality and style.
One of my favorite value-priced feeders is the Garden Lantern Bird Feeder by Perky Pet. This low-cost feeder has a cute lantern style and holds approximately two and a half pounds of seed. It looks great in a tree or on a post and is easy to fill and clean. The price is great and the feeder is made of a durable plastic that is sure to last for years. The hopper style allows many birds to feed at one time, which makes it more fun to watch!
Another great, low cost feeder that is ideal for any age bird lover is the Garden Song Window Tube Bird Feeder by Opus. This cute, little window feeder has a bright red top and bottom to attract birds to your window and holds a pound of seed! It mounts securely to any window with its two suction cups and is easy to fill and clean. The low price makes it ideal for using several on various windows around your house. Feeder allows you to view wild birds up close and personal!
Once you have found the perfect, value-priced feeder, it is a good idea to purchase your seed in bulk for extra savings. Bulk seed is great because you save time and money by purchasing it in large quantities. With less time spent purchasing seed, you’ll have more time to enjoy your beautiful backyard birds! A great, value-priced bulk bird seed is Browns Natures Banquet Best Blend Wild Bird Food. This seed is made with high quality ingredients without the high cost and great for attracting a variety of wild birds to your yard.
Taking care of wild birds can be low cost and very enjoyable. This fun and economical activity is great for the whole family! For more great economical bird feeders and seed and informative tips from other bird lovers, check out Rachel’s Robin Wild Bird Supply!

Usability Enhancements at RachelsRobin Wild Bird Supplies

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Making it easier to find the perfect bird feeder for your needs
The staff at http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store.com/ have been working with usability consultants and web conversion consultants to help our customers find products easier on our website. There are a number of upgrades that we’d like to bring to your attention that will help our loyal customers and hopefully add a few new customers. We need your feedback, so please feel free to comment to this blog post.
You may notice in the lower right hand side of the screen, we are now sharing all of the tips that we have recieved throughout the years from our friends and wild bird enthusiasts on how they attract birds to thier yard.

Here is my favorite tip of all time:
A great use for an old slinky…..Put a bird feeder pole through the center of the slinkly and attached the slinky at the top. The squirrels and raccoons will not try to jump or climp on the pole!
More on: Bird Feeder Pole

Another big change to our website is the ability to narrow by keyword within major categories. This comes in handy if you are looking for a particular type of bottle type hummingbird feeder or a particular sort or tube style bird feeder.

Pictured above is the Birdscapes new Lightpost Hummingbird feeder which is my absolute favorite new feeder this year.

Finally, we have placed alot of emphasis on the habitat in your backyard that birds love. Birds will naturally migrate to locations that have flowers and bushes and trees. Understanding this, we added a couple of new categories – most notably Planters and Flower Boxes. There are over 60 different planters that we carry and we must say that we have exceptional prices.

One of my favorite new planters is the Canterbury Standing Planter that allows you to place the proper flowers in the absolute perfect location in your yard.

Please let us know how we are doing – once again, we truly appreciate your feedback.