Archive for the ‘Mealworm feeders & mealworms’ Category
Definite Signs
It was a sunny morning, and I actually had a few more minutes than usual to watch as the birds came and went for thier morning meal. At first it was just another day, and then all of a sudden I realized that the Goldfinches were here in mass and actually starting to show signs of their golden feathers.
There was a cowbird staring at me as he sat proudly in the platform feeder, and the mealworm feeder was becoming very quickly in need of a refill as the bluebirds swooped down to fetch them .
The first red-winged blackbird that I have seen in some time sat at the heated bird bath and drank before jumping in for a bath.
All of this took place in a matter of a few minutes and I felt the excitement growing as I saw these very definite signs of the dawn of spring. It is March after all and even though it is snowing as I write this, spring is all a flutter at the feeders.
Sunday Blessings
For some reason I just cannot get the whole graphic in here, but the bottom says, “God Bless.” And I mean that. God Bless you and yours
It actually got up into the mid 40’s today. Before we ate dinner tonight, my husband accompanied me to the back yard where we replaced the old finch feeder with the new one and filled it with fresh nyger seed. I replaced the suet in the suet feeder, put water in the bird bath.
The mealworm feeder was empty, and while I refilled it, kept wondering where the bluebirds have been lately. I haven’t seen them in a while. While we ate dinner, my husband and I enjoyed watching a downey woodpecker at the new suet cake. I actually think my husband is catching my “bird watching itis.” Oh goody!
I was blessed with a great Sunday and I hope you were as well.
A Fun Day With More To Come
There aren’t too many days that are as perfect as this one. First and foremost, there wasn’t a flake of new snow. Dinner was great, and I got to share it with my son, his wife and 3 children. We always have a wonderful time. Even better, two of my grandchildren stayed overnight and tomorrow we are picking up 2 more of my grandchildren and we are off on a day long excursion.
The window bird feeder will need filling once again tomorrow. The juncos were devouring every seed they could find. And the two little blue birds who braved the old and took a dip in the heated bird bath enjoyed their mealworms from the mealworm feeder
.
There were a few times throughout the course of the day when there wasn’t a bird to be seen anywhere. Those hawks keep thinking this is great hunting ground. Seems like the little birds are winning.
Robust Appetites
I had a wonderful day yesterday with 2 of my grandaughters. What else? We went shopping. They are at an age when they are very difficult to buy for, so we make a day of it, and they get what they want. What I can’t figure out is why they get so hungry so often. We went out to breakfast, and a couple of hours later they were hungry again, then before I blinked it was time for lunch and yikes, another hour or two and we had to stope for a soft pretzel and drink. Where do they put it all?
I got that same feeling when I went out to fill the mealworm feeder this morning. Where do they put all of those mealworms? I am not complaining. The payoff is getting to spend time watching my fine feathered friends enjoying their treat! The robust appetites of the birds is almost par with that of my pre-teen grandaughters.
A Great Tao Lesson
As the weekend approaches and I excitedly anticipate a lot of time with granchildren both this weekend and next, it is only fair to share some of my Grammy attitude. From the “Tao of Pooh” by Benjamin Hoff:
“When you discard arrogance, complexity, and a few other things that get in the way, sooner or later you will discover that simple, childlike, and mysterious secret known to those of the Uncarved Block: Life is Fun”.
Now, go out and enjoy the last few days of fall. Take a leap into that pile of leaves, walk in the park and feed the ducks, run, skip and hop in the mall. Play carols, bake cookies and decorate for Christmas. Keep smiling and make sure your mealworm feeders are full. The bluebirds will sing those Christmas carols with you.
Morning, Mourning Reflections
I am sitting at my kitchen table with a cup of coffee, looking out my back yard which is awash with bright sunshine and shadows. It’s feeding time, so all of the bird feeders are full, and the activity is hard to ignore. The bradford pear tree leave are shades of cranberry, crimson, yellow and red and the magnificent blue sky has only wisps of white clouds.
If you sense a melancholy undertone that may not normally be present, perhaps it is because today I am fondly remembering sitting in this same chair and sharing a cup of coffee with a friend of 30 years who passed away yesterday afternoon. Oh how she loved to sit here with me and ask questions about the birds. She was a very special lady, my maid of honor and a friend like no other I have ever had, and I will miss her very much.
I know I have shared many times about how excited I get over the bluebirds, and how I enjoy seeing them dance around on the ground and flit from branch to branch - they always seem to be playing! Well, they have cheered my melancholy and have found the new mealworm feeder and mealworms. It only took a few days.
Life goes on, and once again, the Lord has blessed me with a smile, the beauty and wonder of nature and the bittersweet knowledge that Claire is at peace with Him.
Wishing For The Sun
Rain, Rain, go away! Wow has it rained. it started yesterday afternoon, went through the night and skipped a few hours this morning and then the skies opened up again this afternoon. It flooded out the mealworms, which are now under the mealworm feeder, instead of in it. I think I’d better examine the drain holes as they are obviously clogged.
Sun is promised for tomorrow. We need the dry out time!! And, the mealworm feeder will nees som dry mealworms.
Have a fantastic weekend everyone.
Bluebirds Make Me Happy
They do! They REALLY do! I know, the age old sayings about the “bluebirds of happiness”. Well, if you have ever looked out your window in a dreary day and caught sight of a bluebird or two, you would know exactly what I mean!! There are an abundance of Eastern Bluebirds here, and I use mealworms to attract them. Mealworms are their favorite food.
Due to the price of mealworms, I cannot always serve such a delectable banquet. I have found some dried mealworms, and keep them around for when they are especially appreciated. During the deep winter months when the ground is frozen, the bluebirds are quite grateful for even the dried ones. For some reason the live mealworms are hard to find around my area. And in the deep cold of winter, these insect eating birds hard pressed to keep their bellies full.
I have a small acrylic mealworm feeder that hangs on a stake or small shepherd’s hook. There a number of feeders available that are larger, but I find it best to only put out a few at a time due to weather considerations. Though a bit of creepy crawler syndrome strikes, it is well worth it in the end.
Into The Wild Blue Yonder
What a thrill it is every year to watch the whole process of the birds coming to the bird feeders and building their nests. They are all quite amazing, but my favorite is the Bluebird. I have been very blessed. My next door neighbor has three bluebird houses. Last year, only one of them was occupied by Bluebirds. This year, all three of the bluebird houses provided housing for bluebirds, and all three pairs had three broods.
After the eggs hatched, I got to watch the nestlings as they grew and was amazed at how quickly their housing quarters became quite crowded. I had the thrill of a lifetime when one evening I got to watch a brood of the nestlings learn to fly. What an experience.
Mom and Dad were on the ground chirping out instructions as the first little nestling eased out of the box. I was very close, the Audubon binoculars at my side, but I dared not move a muscle for fear of interrupting the process. I thought Mom and Dad would cave in to exhaustion, as it took a lifetime for the first nestling to make its first leap from the bluebird house. I nearly laughed aloud when it tumbled only a few feet away from where he had started. Then it made a second attempt and land but a few feet away from me on top of a sundial in the middle of my garden next to my hummingbird feeders. I had to remain frozen. It was chirping, calling out for his parents, when they started dive-bombing in panic as they spotted me. Finally, the little guy took off and landed on the other side of patio when it spotted his parents.
By this time the rest of brood was out of the nest and making their efforts. Then day by day after that amazing evening I watched as they continued to get stronger and fly longer and learn to fend for themselves, though they never stopped begging for Mom and Dad to give them an occasional treat. I have been through a lot of mealworms this year, and everyone of them was worth it when I remember the experience of watching the little birds fly into the wild blue yonder for the very first time.
They are still hanging out in the yard. Needless to say, I keep the mealworm feeder full, and now cannot tell the Mom and Dad from the young.
I am so looking forward to next spring when the whole process will start again, and in the meantime, what a great memory!
What’s New?
I ended my last article with a little teaser about my new bird feeder. I just hope everyone has been holding their breath and anxiously awaiting the results. Well, so far there really hasn’t been any results.
My newest bird feeder is a small mealworm feeder. It can actually be used to feed the birds a number of things. I was looking for something small and inexpensive to put outside, but close to the house so I could watch it closely. So, for the sake of being accurate, we can call it a bird snack feeder.
It has a little spike in the center so you could easily fill it with a half an orange, or an apple. It could hold water or seed as well, but I specifically wanted to use the mealworms first. I have a very active and larger mealworm bird feeder that is pretty far from the house and though, when I use the Audubon Binoculars, I can easily see, the robins and bluebirds that visit it regularly. I just want to see if I can get them to come a bit closer. About 24 hours ago, I packed the little feeder full of yummy dried meal worms - the same ones they eat from the other feeder. The special treats are about 15 feet from my back door on a stake under my Braford Pear tree.
Truth is, I am quite surprised and even a bit disappointed, but the bluebirds and roblins haven’t found it yet. The ultimate goal is get an Oriole here. First things first.