• Ant Moats,  Bird Accessories

    The anti-ant moat

    a different kind of ant moatMoat: a wide, deep ditch, usually filled with water, surrounding a fortress or mid-evil town.

    Yes, an ant moat is usually made to hold water, serving the purpose of keeping ants from reaching sugar water in nectar feeders for hummingbirds, orioles and butterflies. And if you feed hummingbirds the sweet, sticky solution, an ant moat is one of those necessary accessories to thwart pesky ants.

    This wooden ant moat however, is dubbed the “anti-ant moat” and works by a principle other than holding a body of water.  It has a deep grove on the underside which is filled with a sticky substance that sugar ants won’t cross. It really does work, and although designed for the Lantern Series of hummingbird feeders, will work for any hummingbird feeder that’s meant to hang.cool ant moat for lantern style hummingbird feeders

  • Bird Accessories,  Bird Feeder Pole

    ok, is it the bird feeder pole or the ground?

    this bird feeder pole has seen better daysIt doesn’t look so bad here, maybe the rivets on the baffle are starting to give, and the nice green luster is gone, but this bird feeder pole serves the purpose quite well. Holding a good-size hopper on top, and two hanging feeders, with enough room for weather guards too. It’s really a nice set up. The bottom of the pole even sits in an auger, that screws down into the ground about eight to ten inches. So what’s the problem?

    If you could see this bird feeder pole now, you’d laugh, or maybe think “what the heck?”. It now sports a heavy rope which is braced against three ground stakes… professionally tied and knotted by a former sailor! Now I was very excited to purchase a brand new shiny bird feeder pole, which I plan to install as soon as the weather warms up (along with thorough cleanings of all the feeders). I can only hope the triple-braced contraption holds up until then. Today I tightened the rope, and added a small bungee to keep it from slipping further down the pole.

    The ground is just overly saturated with water right now  🙁

    Besides all the Georgia rain, and snow we’ve had this winter, our leaf misters ran all summer at the top of the small bank. The ground was already wet before winter’s mess. So I’m thinking why did I buy the new pole? Maybe some cement would have been a wiser option.

  • Bird Accessories,  Bird Feeders,  Uncategorized,  Window Bird Feeder

    window bird feeders great for small spaces

    canopy window bird feeder adds simplistic charmLooking to attract feathered friends but don’t have much yard space? There are several proven options that will draw wild birds to the smallest of spaces.

    Water is an optimal choice, the smallest of birdbaths will entice birds…they love a consistent fresh water source. The bath need not be large or fancy either. Something as simple as a plant saucer on an upturned pot works quite well. Just keep the bath clean and the water fresh.

    Another great option is window bird feeders. Plenty of styles are available, from trays or platforms, tube styles and hoppers, like the one shown here. The Canopy Window Bird Feeder adds a bit of charm with its cedar roof and tray. The overhang helps keep seed fresh, while the tray provides perching space for birds. It will accommodate most seed mixes, attracting a wide variety of birds.

    Even in apartments, if you have a balcony, you can entice wild birds and bring yourself a bit close to nature!