Archive for September, 2008
Follow Your Dreams
“To Believe in Yourself and to follow Your Dreams, to have Goals in Life and a Drive to succeed, and to surround Yourself with the Things and the People That Make You Happy - This Is Success!” Author Unknown
“If you can imagine it, you can create it. If you can dream it, you can become it” William Arthur Ward
Taking Off
There is only one way to get started, and that is just DO IT! Last spring I watched a mother bird teach her young to fly less than 3 days after their birth - I saw a few ruffled feathers too. The amazing thing was that those baby birds had no clue what they were doing, but by the end of the day they were flying! Oh how obvious their determination was to me.
You and I don’t have to be any different - they spread their wings and after falling and bumping into things a few times, off they went.
I don’t know why, but I am the queen of procrastination at times. This little blog may become just the beginning of bigger things to come in the near future, and the point is……………..I just jumped right in and did it. Finally, after how long? After writing and storing the little tips and articles. I started feeling like I was rich with material that no one was going to read. Glad I finally got to it - hope you will be to.
Sing Because You Have Wings
“Be as a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels bending beneath her, still she sings away all the same, knowing she has wings.” Victor Hugo
Have you ever caught yourself neglecting to follow a dream because you were afraid to get out on the “skinny branches”? I have. It could have been fear, lack of self confidence, lack of commitment to a project - OK, all of the above at one time or another. I’m not perfect.
Did you ever watch a bird land on one of the smallest, almost invisible, branches on a tree, and wonder why she didn’t break the branch and fall? Instead she just sits there and sings a beautiful song. Sometimes the bird song can seem almost endless and there she sits and just sings and sings. She knows the branch won’t break, and that little bird doesn’t even come close to fearing that the branch will break because she has wings. She sings because she knows that whenever she is ready, she can spread her wings and fly.
Next time you have a dream, remember that little bird. You see, we have wings too, and far too often, we forget that.
Have You Heard “Where Eagles Fly”?
When it comes to birds, there many ways to show you how I feel about these amazing creatures. I came across this video that I would like to share with you. “Where Eagles Fly” by Warrior Panther. It is a fantastic song and the graphics are amazing.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW7zyw2Q0VM[/youtube]
Choosing Your Feeder
While your choice of feeders will depend largely on who and what you are feeding, here are a few things to keep in mind.
- Durability: A well built feeder, made of quality materials will look better longer.
- Easy To Clean: The health of the birds and life of your feeder will be improved if you maintain your feeders regularly.
- Dry Seeds: Wet or damp seeds will spoil. Look for drainage holes in the floor or tray and a roof that overhangs the feeding area. A squirrel dome will help protect a tube or other style feeder.
- Capacity: The bigger the better, right? We have found the small and medium size feeders are easier to clean and help to ensure fresh seed. Two medium feeders with different seed will attract a wider variety of birds.
If you are looking for a general all purpose feeder, we recommend a house or hopper type feeder, or a tube feeder with a large tray attached, filled with Black oil sunflower seed or a seed mix.
The most effective way to attract a wide assortment of birds is to offer a variety of foods in different feeders. A collection of feeders for your yard might include:
- A house or hopper type feeder for sunflower seeds
- A tube style Thistle feeder
- A suet feeder
- A wire mesh peanut feeder
- A nectar feeder
- A fruit or jelly feeder
- A platform or tray feeder for millet
Eagles Soar
“Celebrate your success and stand strong when adversity hits, for when the storm clouds come in, the eagles soar while the small birds take cover.”
Author Unknown
Why Feed The Birds
Backyard bird feeding is an easy way to enjoy Mother Nature. By inviting the wild birds into our yard we are able to enjoy the ebb and flow of the seasons.
You’ll chuckle at the antics of a male bird as he tries to entice a mate in spring. The whole family will gather at the window when the proud parents bring their young to the bird feeder for the first time.
It’s amazing how watching a couple of birds frolic in the bird bath can make a hot summer day seem a little cooler, or how a few Chickadees flirting from branch to branch can make the back yard seem a little warmer on a cold January day.
So go ahead and hang that one little feeder and before you know it you’ll be like the rest of us, with four or five bird feeders outside your windows, a field book and pair of binoculars within easy reach on the inside.
Where to Place the Feeders