#we also started putting out birdseed for the wild birds

[tonkionweb]

Homemade bird feeder

Homemade bird feeder how to#

Pour 2 sachets of gelatine into the boiling water and stir until all the gelatine had. We used 1 pint of water, but if you only want to make a few bird feeders use less water as we made a LOT You need roughly the same amount of water as bird seed. Building the Bird Feeder Step 1: Prepare the Base Rails and Slats Step 2: Cut the Base Ends Step 3: Assemble the Spreader Step 4: Cut the Food Bin Pieces. Pour boiling water into a bowl (adults only). Simply leave the middle of the structure open for birdseed and include openings with a perch on each side. STEP 2: Mix the gelatine and boiling water. I hope you’ll try making these with your kids, too 1.

Homemade bird feeder how to#

Lastly, if Legos are available in the house, consider building a bird feeder in any shape out of them. In this tutorial you will learn how to make a simple and easy soda bottle bird feeder for wild and pet birds at home.Best bird feederHomemade bird feederDIY. Today, I’m sharing four eco-friendly and easy bird feeders you can make with your kids: (1) bird feeder muffins, (2) pinecone bird feeders, (3) log suet bird feeder and (4) birdseed wreath feeder. There are loads of Homemade Bird Feeders Kids Can Make, that are inexpensive and simple to put together.Great for the wildlife, and great for getting the kids closer to nature. It’s also a fab craft activity to do with your children. Roll the peanut butter covered toilet paper roll in the bird seed until. Feeding garden birds is a great way to encourage them into your backyard. We love this fall-festive and natural way to feed the birds in your neighborhood. Feeders can also be made by taking one PVC pipe, cutting holes into the side, installing wooden dowels as perches, decorating as desired, screwing a threaded rod into the cap at the top of the PVC pipe, adding twine or string and hanging the feeder from a tree. Using a popsicle stick, cover the outside of the toilet paper roll with peanut butter. Kitchen Counter Chronicles used gourds to get her bird feeder started. In the garden, try drilling holes into a clay terra cotta flowerpot and filling it with bird seed. To hang this item, wrap twine around a tennis ball or block of wood, place it underneath the pan and bring the two ends of twine up through the center hole. A Bundt or angel food cake pan can also be converted into an outdoor seed container. In addition to containers, a soup ladle can also be used as a bird feeder - simply attach it to a board or sturdy backing material, fill it with birdseed and hang it on the side of a house, porch or deck. Feeding birds now also gives them the extra energy they need to survive this particularly cold winter, to migrate, and set up their spring nests 10 Homemade Birdseed Feeders.

[anadorablekiwi]

*mysterious cottagecore witch vibes*

[sweater-daddiesdumbdork]

Jingle All The Way

Summary- 1.6k Sam x You. Christmas is being spent at Clints farm with the Avengers. Sam takes up Clints offers to use his draft horse team to take you on a quick around the farm winter ride. 

A/N- its a mess, I dont know alot of horse terms, just the basics. But this was one of my favorites things to do when I was little and got to ride with my great uncles logging horse team through the woods after it snowed. Used two of the prompts from the Winter/Holiday Challenge Sage and I are hosting. Thanks for the horses names @what-is-your-plan-today​

HAPPY HOLIDAYS ❄️❄️❄️

“Sam what is this?” You ask as you tighten your scarf around your neck. Laurie had insisted you get dressed and go outside, there was a surprise waiting for you. Unaware of what he was up to, you were shocked to find Sam holding onto one of the draft horse's bridles while you came out of the house, grinning at you. 

“Will you come for a sleigh ride?” He asked while you stepped off the porch and your hands came up under one of the horses nose, letting him snuffle your palm looking for a treat, the soft velvet and whiskers making you giggle. Sam let go to give the horse freedom of his head, while you scritched along the length of his jawline and up to his ears. 

“Do you even know how to drive a horse team Sam?” you asked as you nuzzled your nose against the velvet muzzle and whiskers, giggling when the lip wriggled against your face like he was feeling you out. 

“Of course, like driving a slow moving car.” He said and you arched a brow at him in disbelief. “I asked Clint if he minded we take ourselves a ride around the property. He said Twist and Shout knew the way so we just enjoy the ride.” Each horse knickered hearing their names, bobbing their heads as if in agreement. Your face split in a huge grin watching the gentle giants get excited to pull the sleigh behind them. 

“Twist and Shout?” You laughed softly at the names, offering your hand to the other horse who lipped at your fingers and then stretched to grab the ball of your winter hat and pull at it, playfully swinging her head to wave the hat around before dropping it at your feet before you could grab at it. 

“You are sure you know what you're doing with them?” you ask as you reach down to grab your hat and put it back on your head. Sam pulled you back towards the old looking sleigh, pilled with blankets inside for the two of you, and which Sam kept you moving till you were climbing in. 

“Promise, Clint gave me a crash course. Also…” Sam reached into the pile of blankets and pulled out a walkie talkie. “He gave me this just in case our cells don't work.” 

You settled into the sleighs seat, rearranging the pile of blankets so they settled on your lap while Sam walked around the front of the sleigh, pausing in front of the two horses who patiently waited for the signal to go. Reaching in his pocket he snapped off pieces of candy cane and held them in his palms, whispering just to Twist and Shout. “Keep me on the trail you two.”  

Giving one last stroke along a muscular neck, Sam made his way to climb into the sleigh himself, and gathered the reins in his hands while sitting down next to you. 

You didn't even pretend to know how to get the horses moving, so you waited while Sam cleared his throat, glancing at you for a second. “Okay, I've never done this, so… don't laugh.” Sam warned and you bit your lip with a grin, shrugging at him. Sam gave a light snap of the reins while making a loud clicking noise with a “Go On”. Twist and Shouts ears twisted hearing the command, and both horses strained forward in the harness, the sleigh jolting forward behind them. You jumped in surprise at the sudden movement, grasping Sam's arm with a laugh. 

The bells on the harness jingled in the cold winter day while the runners underneath made a whoosh noise. You twisted in your seat to see the farmhouse and barn quickly going out of sight while the team moved a bit faster with each moment, obviously used to doing this for their owners' family. 

You settled into Sam a bit more, his arm sweeping around you while the horses steadily followed the trail into the woods lining Clint's property. The branches were heavy ladened, the sunlight streamed through the branches enough to make the snow glint and the woods were filled with a heavy snowy silence that seemed to magnify the jingle bells on the horses harness and the steady beats of their hooves hitting the fresh powder from the night before. Your head tilted back to watch the trees overhead glint and sparkle in the snowy wonderland. 

Sam couldn't help the feeling of warmth that blossomed in his chest seeing you so happy in the moment, swaying slightly at the sleigh's movements, and your hands tucked into his jacket for warmth while excitedly pointing out little things you saw along the way. Animal trails had busted through the snow banks and glimpses of white wild rabbits scuttled ahead of the horses till they leaped for the safety of the treeline. 

“How did you know I always wanted to go on one of these?” You finally settled down, Sam grinned down at you and gave a roll of a shoulder. 

“Hmm, a snowbird told me.” Was the only hint he gave you and your brows furrowed thinking who could possibly know that a sleigh ride was on your Holiday Wish List. You had certainly never shared with anyone. 

Where had Sam gotten the idea? The night before when he was down in the kitchen looking for the cookies you had baked with Laurie, Pepper and all the kids earlier that day. Rummaging through the tins on the counter, Clint happened to be talking to Steve and Bucky about Christmas on the farm traditions, of what they should be prepared for Laurie insisting on happening. “Yes, she insists on a Christmas Eve sleigh ride. I deck the horses out and the sleigh with lights and such, then drive them down into town to go caroling.” 

“Sounds like it is a very special moment for her.” Steve said and Sam with a couple cookies folded in a napkin piped up. 

“How hard is it… taking the horses out on a sleigh? Sounds like something Y/N would really enjoy doing.” 

“Not hard at all, Twist and Shout know where to go as long as you let them just go, they will follow the trail around the property and bring you right back up to the house.” Clint said while Bucky and Steve sat across the table, shuffling through some cards to start playing a hand. 

“Can be just Y/N and Myself?” Sam asked to confirm which caused an Awww from Bucky as well as a sharp elbow to his gut from Steve to shut him up. 

Clint ignored them while confirming. “Sure can, want me to set them up tomorrow for you?” 

“You know I owe you a favor.” Sam no so subtly flipped Bucky off and Clint laughed. 

“Don't worry, I will collect. Have them ready around 10 for you.” 

With that Sam's spectacular Christmas surprise came to life and you scoffed with a playful roll of your eyes at him. “A little birdie? Sounds like a Hawkeye looking out for a falcon told you.” 

Sam glanced away a moment not wanting to give himself away as they started to leave the forested area for a clearing near the house. Sam’s eyes widened as he shifted your attention with a point of his finger at the edge. “Y/N, look.” Standing there near a snowman that the kids had loaded the day before with carrots, nuts instead of coal for eyes and birdseed dusted all over him for the birds, were two deer sniffing at it to inspect it and making a grab for the carrots. Sam pulled lightly on the reigns to slow the Twist and Shout down, while you twisted in your seat to look. 

“Do you think I can lead them home? I want them Sam!” your eyes Sam could have sworn had turned into those giant heart eye emojis and he looked at you doubtfully. 

“What are you going to do with a couple deer in Washington? Or the Compound?” 

“What wouldn't I do with them?” You bit your lip excitedly while watching one of them tug off the carrot nose and Sam laughed deeply, his deep baritone bouncing off the snow covered clearing. Both the whitetails lifted their heads, ears flicked forward before spinning back towards the woods, their tails flashing in warning before disappearing from sight. 

“Damn Sam, now they are gone.” You playfully pushed against his chest, but he just pulled you in closer to him regardless, still laughing as you huffed at the loss of the deer. 

Twist and Shout shuffled a bit and Sam gathered the reins once more, giving the command of “Go On” which sent the team forward again. “How about I make it up to you Babe, and let you drive?” Handing you the reigns, you straightened. “Clint said snap them once and they will pick up speed.” 

“You are going to let me drive? And here I have to fight to get behind the wheel.” Wriggling in position, you flick your wrists to move the reins and the horses give a slight surge forward, making you fall against Sam with a surprised laugh. 

“Because you're a goddamn daredevil. Every time you take off with the wings, just about give me a heart attack woman.” Sam retorted, his arm tightening around you while the horses galloped through the snow, bursts of soft powder busting up around them. The wind was chilly against your faces while the sleigh pulled back into sight of the house, the jingle bells twinkling merrily. 

“Like you're any better, jumping out of planes whenever you please. Don’t worry… Bucky is sure to fill me in.” You smirk at him and Sam rolls his eyes at you good natured. 

As the sleigh pulled up towards the house, Morgan and Clint's kids burst out of the house tugging on their winter jackets and stuffing hats on there heads. “Us next! Us next.” 

Sam looked hesitant, but you pulled in closer to him and waved them up in the sleigh to join you and Sam. 

“One more time around Captain.” you say excitedly while the kids pile in around you two, Twist and Shout happily shaking their heads about going around again, sure to shake the jingle bells in a joyful manner.

[ninavarelas]

my books....

this is rly so wild. that’s my name on there!

everyone has been so excited about the IRON HEART cover reveal, i’m stunned. i get in my head sometimes and forget i am not on a little island where i’m the only one (other than my friends and family) who cares about this story. it’s so strange putting something out into the world and seeing people take it and care for it in ways that have nothing to do with me, if that makes sense. like it comes alive and takes on a new and different shape for each person. that’s so neat and i’m so happy and honored i get to witness it. i can’t put into words (haha) my gratitude for the people who have read and thought about and loved CW and are now so excited for IH.

lovely beautiful rory powers posted on twitter about how as a debut it’s important to distinguish between what you think you want bc it’s a status symbol vs. what you actually want. i’ve been thinking about that.

tbh i’ve kind of always been weirdly unambitious about certain things. i feel disconnected from the publishing world in general bc so much happens in NYC/the east coast and i’m in LA, so i rly haven’t met very many writers or industry people at all, just talked online. (i’m excited to meet people at yallwest this year though! i’m not there in any professional capacity but you bet i’ll be attending panels to hear those cool folks talk!). and honestly, having a 9-6 day job on top of writing is a bit tiring, as my weekdays are just work>writing>sleep and my weekends are all writing. it’s very easy to feel, as i said, like i’m on a little island, separated from the real world. time moves around me and i’m not always aware of it, or an active participant. i don’t rly keep track of what awards are about to be announced or what lists are coming out, etc. which is bad bc I Should Pay Attention To Career Things but good bc there’s nothing about the reception of my first book i’m not satisfied with. the things i see are: people talking about her on social media, people making art and memes, people with CW @s and quotes in their twt bios, people posting cool bookstagram photos, people telling me when they see her in libraries which is my favorite thing.

this is kind of morbid (?) but in terms of career ambitions, i was never rly able to imagine an adult future for myself, so the fact that i’m here and writing is so nice and i want to keep doing exactly this for a long long time. i have sort of vague, generic aspirations (hitting NYT list, being financially comfortable) but the thing i like most is the process of writing, like the physical process of sitting down and writing words, and if someone wants to publish the product of that, and people want to read it, it feels like a wild bonus.

i think my ideal life is like, i live in a little cottage in the woods and write all day and i have a rly nice bathtub and lots of windows. and sometimes my agent calls me and says hey guess what we sold the thing, you can keep your cottage for another year! and i’m like wow! thank you! and also in this scenario i’m magically good at making bread and the local birds do my laundry and i pay them in birdseed and shiny trinkets and we have a cool symbiotic relationship type thing going on. ALSO all my friends live nearby so i can cook them dinner whenever i want.

HMM what else... what other thoughts.... i’m starting to draft my 3rd book now and am thinking about my 4th. i’m not sure when i’ll be able to give more detail about 3rd book (probably not for a while 😭) but i’m excited about it. she’s weird and spooky and very me, even more me than CW. i like her a lot.

ok i think that’s about it... i’m bored at work and i like talking into the void here. 2 many thoughts head full!!

anyway i hope all y’all are doing well, i hope february is kinder than january, i hope you’re reading or watching or eating good things. ok love you bye

[north-of-annwn]

To be a Local Witch

Throughout history and our legends, Witches and Wizards were the crazy men and women that lived on the outskirts of the village. Their craft was wild and strange to those that lived in the village, but, nonetheless, people would seek after their wisdom of the land, the plants, the local spirits, and for wisdom or guidance in their path. These men and women, often bachelors, would know the ins and outs of the region and often went walking alone. 

Today, our villages are less rustic and more like local towns, and suburbs. But one can still be a Local Witch, and develop special connections with the land you call home. 

Become a Local Witch: 

Learn Local Lore Folktales, legends, and even tall tales develop the culture of a town or area. Learn these. Retell them over summer campfires, and over drinks with friends. People will start to LOVE your stories. 

Start Frequenting locally owned shops and stores Develop connections and relationships with the owners and those that work there every day. Learn their names, and introduce yourself after visiting more often. Supporting locally owned shops helps small business owners and provides nourishment to your community. This is putting down roots, and develops your connection with the people that shape your town.

Find a Local Bookstore This is an extension of 1 and 2. Locally owned bookstores always have a Local Writers, Local Plants, and Local History sections. Ask inside where these sections are, and start devouring these books. Not only will you be supporting a local shop, but you have a direct source of helpful information. Oftentimes, employees and owners also know a lot of Lore. Talk to them about what you’re interested in learning. They probably have some hidden gems of information. 

Learn about your Indigenous Plants Start researching and learning about the flora that grows locally, learn their lore, their uses, and magical or folklore associations. If Natives from your area used these plants, find out how. Learn where these plants grow and research local foraging. If you’ve never foraged, see if you can find a local group that can serve as helpful guides to stay safe. Never ingest anything unless you are SURE. 

Start a local Plant Grimoire Keep dried presses of flowers and plants in it, draw and diagram to help you remember what they look like. 

Learn about the indigenous animals Research their folklore and mythology. Start finding out what they eat, and what their habitats are. (Safely) Do your part to help foster their growth and health. This could be making insect houses to help local endangered pollinators, or leaving out special birdseed for endangered bird species in the area. (Safely) Start interacting with the non-aggressive species and leave them treats. This is great for birds, deer, rabbits, moles, chipmunks, hedgehogs, etc 

Join local Conservation Projects  Getting directly involved in wildlife conservation strengthens our spiritual and natural ties to the land we call our home. Taking personal responsibility and interest in it’s stewardship is honoring the spirits of the land, and the Gods. 

Use Google Maps while exploring parks, or protected open spaces to drop pins and places where you find animal habitats or useful plants for foraging. 

That’s all for now. More will come later I’m sure. Now go be the best local Witch or Druid you can be! 

[myaekingheart]

Last night I dreamed I took a road trip to Audrey Hepburn’s house for a family reunion type thing. Certain scenes were in the format of old film dated 2011/2012 at the bottom left-hand corner. Her house was white and open and reminiscent of my grandparent’s house in the late 90s/early 2000s. Next door was an old apartment complex with dark wood siding and cement stairs. If you went out to the main road, you could see the ocean. 

In the middle of this, I went to school. I was in a classroom with lots of computers that looked reminiscent of my high school, but wasn’t specifically any actual room on campus. The two girls I befriended from my media techniques class last semester were there so I was sitting with them at a long table like in my high school physics class. One of the teachers, who was in a khaki button down like what zookeepers wear and had her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, brought wild animals into the classroom. There was a white cockatiel with a yellow crest who was particularly unpleasant, and he climbed on my shoulder and the zookeeper teacher berated me for doing something along the lines of scraping birdseed in a tupperware because the bird didn’t like that. At certain points it felt like I could literally feel his nails digging into my shoulder, an honestly I was scared of him. But then there was a tiger. He wasn’t fully life-size, rather the size of a large Labrador retriever, but he was the wild animal I was fixated on. I remember sitting on the floor with him roughing around and snuggling with him and shit and my friends were all sitting there staring at me with brows cocked trying to figure out how the fuck I wasn’t terrified of a fucking tiger. I remember saying “It’s just like Topaz (my cat) but bigger!” The tiger eventually fell asleep with his head in my lap. 

Audrey Hepburn and her son Sean picked me up from school around dinnertime accompanied by someone else I don’t realistically recognize but knew at the time to be like an aunt. I remember she was older, maybe in her 60s, with short graying brown hair and was wearing a short-sleeve button down. Sean was driving even though from my perspective it looked like they were all in the backseat while I was sitting in the passenger seat. Sean was arguing with the older woman about slowing down--she was insisting he was going too fast--and he said he would only slow down if “mija” wanted; he used the term mija to refer to his mother. Meanwhile Audrey was sitting there pressing her hand to her forehead looking frustrated and tired of the whole thing. I remember we were driving in an old brown convertible, and I remember passing the sea as we pulled into the street out front of Audrey’s house and the apartment complex. Burgess Meredith lived next door in one of the aforementioned apartments, and in this particular moment he was standing outside his front door on the second story in his boxers and undershirt swatting at the air (maybe with a newspaper? I feel like I remember some sort of paper being put into use here) shouting something that I wish I could remember the details of. All I know is that Audrey poked her head out of the car and shouted back at him “It’s a development, Burgess!” (development as in housing development) and I remember in my dream thinking this was the funniest fucking thing, that I had to tell everyone about this when I woke up because this was such meme-worthy content, the perfect joke. 

Sean dropped us off out front of the house and then went to go park, but when I got out of the backseat (apparently I was in the backseat now), I never closed the door and so when Sean went to drive away, the door scraped the cement stairs of the apartment complex. Sean looked back at me, pissed off, and I remember in that moment thinking he would never truly accept me as a representation of his mother (like in terms of landing the lead role of an Audrey Hepburn biopic), that I wasn’t good enough, that I wasn’t likeable enough or graceful enough and especially that I always did the wrong thing at the wrong time. 

The inside of the house was kind of weird in that there was an open garage door into the kitchen area. Lots of people were inside and there were a few rows of white kitchen islands people were standing around eating and talking. Almost directly in front of this door and to the right-hand side a smidge was a white patio table with a glass top and matching wrought iron chairs where the older people like my grandmother were sitting watching who I could only assume was my great aunt’s dog. It was a white poodle in a green Christmas sweater dancing around on his hind legs, which is very much the epitome of my great aunt’s taste in pets. I remember making my way to one of the kitchen islands where my parents were standing eating food like potato salad and coleslaw off disposable white plates, holding their food rather than setting the plates on the counter and actually having a sit-down meal. There was also something about blue soda but at this point my memory started growing hazy and I think I was slipping out of sleep. I just remember there being blue soda on the kitchen island and contemplating taking some, like I was tempted by it but the dream cut off before I could satisfy the want. 

[kristablogs]

Expert-approved ways to feed all your favorite birds

A ruby-throated hummingbird dips into a nectar feeder. An East Coast favorite, the species can be harmed by yard predators like praying mantises and bacteria in unclean equipment. (Jeremy Lwanga/Unsplash/)

Julian Avery is an assistant research professor of wildlife ecology and conservation at Pennsylvania State University. This story originally featured on The Conversation.

Millions of Americans enjoy feeding and watching backyard birds. Many people make a point of putting food out in winter, when birds needs extra energy, and spring, when many species build nests and raise young.

As a wildlife ecologist and a birder, I know it’s important to understand how humans influence bird populations, whether feeding poses risks to wild birds, and how to engage with birds in sustainable ways.

There’s still much to learn about the risks and benefits of feeding birds, particularly through large integrated national citizen science networks like Project FeederWatch. But we now have enough information to promote healthy interactions that can inspire future generations to care about conservation.

View this post on Instagram

Look at this #beauty .... I spent some time watching #birds while out in the field yesterday and it dawned on me how cool #whitebreastednuthatch feet are! Their monstrous #toes allow them to orient in any direction they want to when clinging to a tree. Their bill is an impressive #tool too, they hammer open seeds and will even widen nest cavities with it! 💪🏼#beastmode • • • • #getoutside #exploreeverything #biodiversity #boss #beast #birdfeeder #birdwatching #birdphotography #kings_birds #nuts_about_birds #audubon @canonusa #teamcanon #birding #sunflower #musclemilk #muscle #nature_sultans #wildlife #feederwatch @shaverscreek @agsciences #birdseed @audubonsociety

A post shared by Julian Avery (@evolutionavery) on Feb 19, 2020 at 12:18pm PST

A long-term relationship

Birds have been taking advantage of human civilization for thousands of years, congregating where grains and waste are abundant. This means that people have been influencing the abundance and distribution of species for a very long time.

Studies show that providing food has myriad effects on birds’ decisions, behaviors, and reproduction. One significant finding is that winter bird feeding increases individual survival rates, can encourage birds to lay eggs earlier in the year, and can also improve nestling survival.

All of these factors alter species’ future reproductive performance and can increase total bird abundance in later years. It’s not always clear how increased abundance of feeder birds impacts other species through competition, but rarer and smaller species can be excluded.

This interactive diagram, based on community science data, shows how North America’s top 13 feeder species fare when they compete at feeders. Credit: Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Supplemental food has also led to reduced reproductive success in a few species. This may happen because it improves survival odds for less healthy birds that otherwise would be unlikely to survive and reproduce, or because it leads birds to eat fewer types of natural foods, making their diets less nourishing.

Changing bird behavior

Research also shows that birds are extremely promiscuous. One review examined 342 species and found that in approximately 75 percent, birds had one or more side partners in addition to their nest mate.

It’s not always clear why birds cheat, but several studies have found that supplemental feeding can reduce the amount of infidelity in certain species, including house sparrows. This hints that feeding birds might alter their behavior and have an effect on genetic variation in urban populations.

For birds that provide pollinating services, like hummingbirds and lorikeets, there is some evidence that providing them with sugar water—which mimics the nectar they collect from plants—can reduce their visits to native plants. This means they will transfer less pollen. Since much bird feeding happens in densely populated urban areas, it’s unclear how much impact this might have.

Some bird populations depend completely on feeding and would collapse over the winter without it. For example, Anna’s hummingbirds in British Columbia rely on heated feeders. Other species, such as hummingbirds in the southwest US, have become more locally abundant. Northern cardinals and American goldfinches have shifted and expanded their ranges northward with the availability of food.

In one incredible instance, garden feeders seem to have played a role in establishing a new wintering population of migratory blackcaps in the UK. This group is now genetically distinct from the rest of the population, which migrates further south to Mediterranean wintering grounds.

Don’t feed the predators

Scientists still know little about how bird feeding affects transmission of pathogens and parasites among birds. It is not uncommon for birds at feeders to carry more pathogens than populations away from feeders. Some well-documented outbreaks in the US and UK have shown that feeding birds can increase problems associated with disease—evidence that was collected through feeder-watch citizen science projects.

Because we still have a poor understanding of pathogen transmission and prevalence in urban areas, it’s extremely important to follow hygiene guidelines for feeding and be alert for new recommendations.

Feeding can also attract predators. Domestic cats kill an estimated 1.3 to 4 billion birds in the US every year. Feeders should not be placed in settings where cats are present, and pet cats should be kept indoors.

Feeders can also support both native and introduced birds that outcompete local species. One study found that feeders attracted high numbers of crows, which prey on other birds’ chicks, with the result that less than 1 percent of nearby American robin nests fledged young. In New Zealand, bird feeding largely benefits seed-eating introduced species at the expense of native birds.

Clean feeders and diverse diets

The good news is that studies don’t show birds becoming dependent on supplemental food. Once started, though, it is important to maintain a steady food supply during harsh weather.

Birds also need access to native plants, which provide them with habitat, food, and insect prey that can both supplement diets and support species that don’t eat seeds at feeders. Diverse food resources can counteract some of the negative findings I’ve mentioned related to competition between species and impacts on bird diets.

Good maintenance, placement and cleaning can help minimize the likelihood of promoting pathogens at feeders. Initiatives like Project FeederWatch have recommendations about feeder design and practices to avoid. For example, platform feeders, where birds wade through the food, are associated with higher mortality, possibly through mixing of waste and food.

It’s also important to manage the area around feeders. Be sure to place feeders in ways that minimize the likelihood that birds will fly into windows. For instance, avoid providing a sight line through a house, which birds may perceive as a corridor, and break up window reflections with decals.

There are lots of great reasons to bring birds into your life. Evidence is growing that interacting with nature is good for our mental health and builds public support for conserving plants and wildlife. In my view, these benefits outweigh many of the potential negatives of bird feeding. And if you get involved in a citizen science project, you can help scientists track the health and behavior of your wild guests.

[scootoaster]

Expert-approved ways to feed all your favorite birds

A ruby-throated hummingbird dips into a nectar feeder. An East Coast favorite, the species can be harmed by yard predators like praying mantises and bacteria in unclean equipment. (Jeremy Lwanga/Unsplash/)

Julian Avery is an assistant research professor of wildlife ecology and conservation at Pennsylvania State University. This story originally featured on The Conversation.

Millions of Americans enjoy feeding and watching backyard birds. Many people make a point of putting food out in winter, when birds needs extra energy, and spring, when many species build nests and raise young.

As a wildlife ecologist and a birder, I know it’s important to understand how humans influence bird populations, whether feeding poses risks to wild birds, and how to engage with birds in sustainable ways.

There’s still much to learn about the risks and benefits of feeding birds, particularly through large integrated national citizen science networks like Project FeederWatch. But we now have enough information to promote healthy interactions that can inspire future generations to care about conservation.

View this post on Instagram

Look at this #beauty .... I spent some time watching #birds while out in the field yesterday and it dawned on me how cool #whitebreastednuthatch feet are! Their monstrous #toes allow them to orient in any direction they want to when clinging to a tree. Their bill is an impressive #tool too, they hammer open seeds and will even widen nest cavities with it! 💪🏼#beastmode • • • • #getoutside #exploreeverything #biodiversity #boss #beast #birdfeeder #birdwatching #birdphotography #kings_birds #nuts_about_birds #audubon @canonusa #teamcanon #birding #sunflower #musclemilk #muscle #nature_sultans #wildlife #feederwatch @shaverscreek @agsciences #birdseed @audubonsociety

A post shared by Julian Avery (@evolutionavery) on Feb 19, 2020 at 12:18pm PST

A long-term relationship

Birds have been taking advantage of human civilization for thousands of years, congregating where grains and waste are abundant. This means that people have been influencing the abundance and distribution of species for a very long time.

Studies show that providing food has myriad effects on birds’ decisions, behaviors, and reproduction. One significant finding is that winter bird feeding increases individual survival rates, can encourage birds to lay eggs earlier in the year, and can also improve nestling survival.

All of these factors alter species’ future reproductive performance and can increase total bird abundance in later years. It’s not always clear how increased abundance of feeder birds impacts other species through competition, but rarer and smaller species can be excluded.

This interactive diagram, based on community science data, shows how North America’s top 13 feeder species fare when they compete at feeders. Credit: Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Supplemental food has also led to reduced reproductive success in a few species. This may happen because it improves survival odds for less healthy birds that otherwise would be unlikely to survive and reproduce, or because it leads birds to eat fewer types of natural foods, making their diets less nourishing.

Changing bird behavior

Research also shows that birds are extremely promiscuous. One review examined 342 species and found that in approximately 75 percent, birds had one or more side partners in addition to their nest mate.

It’s not always clear why birds cheat, but several studies have found that supplemental feeding can reduce the amount of infidelity in certain species, including house sparrows. This hints that feeding birds might alter their behavior and have an effect on genetic variation in urban populations.

For birds that provide pollinating services, like hummingbirds and lorikeets, there is some evidence that providing them with sugar water—which mimics the nectar they collect from plants—can reduce their visits to native plants. This means they will transfer less pollen. Since much bird feeding happens in densely populated urban areas, it’s unclear how much impact this might have.

Some bird populations depend completely on feeding and would collapse over the winter without it. For example, Anna’s hummingbirds in British Columbia rely on heated feeders. Other species, such as hummingbirds in the southwest US, have become more locally abundant. Northern cardinals and American goldfinches have shifted and expanded their ranges northward with the availability of food.

In one incredible instance, garden feeders seem to have played a role in establishing a new wintering population of migratory blackcaps in the UK. This group is now genetically distinct from the rest of the population, which migrates further south to Mediterranean wintering grounds.

Don’t feed the predators

Scientists still know little about how bird feeding affects transmission of pathogens and parasites among birds. It is not uncommon for birds at feeders to carry more pathogens than populations away from feeders. Some well-documented outbreaks in the US and UK have shown that feeding birds can increase problems associated with disease—evidence that was collected through feeder-watch citizen science projects.

Because we still have a poor understanding of pathogen transmission and prevalence in urban areas, it’s extremely important to follow hygiene guidelines for feeding and be alert for new recommendations.

Feeding can also attract predators. Domestic cats kill an estimated 1.3 to 4 billion birds in the US every year. Feeders should not be placed in settings where cats are present, and pet cats should be kept indoors.

Feeders can also support both native and introduced birds that outcompete local species. One study found that feeders attracted high numbers of crows, which prey on other birds’ chicks, with the result that less than 1 percent of nearby American robin nests fledged young. In New Zealand, bird feeding largely benefits seed-eating introduced species at the expense of native birds.

Clean feeders and diverse diets

The good news is that studies don’t show birds becoming dependent on supplemental food. Once started, though, it is important to maintain a steady food supply during harsh weather.

Birds also need access to native plants, which provide them with habitat, food, and insect prey that can both supplement diets and support species that don’t eat seeds at feeders. Diverse food resources can counteract some of the negative findings I’ve mentioned related to competition between species and impacts on bird diets.

Good maintenance, placement and cleaning can help minimize the likelihood of promoting pathogens at feeders. Initiatives like Project FeederWatch have recommendations about feeder design and practices to avoid. For example, platform feeders, where birds wade through the food, are associated with higher mortality, possibly through mixing of waste and food.

It’s also important to manage the area around feeders. Be sure to place feeders in ways that minimize the likelihood that birds will fly into windows. For instance, avoid providing a sight line through a house, which birds may perceive as a corridor, and break up window reflections with decals.

There are lots of great reasons to bring birds into your life. Evidence is growing that interacting with nature is good for our mental health and builds public support for conserving plants and wildlife. In my view, these benefits outweigh many of the potential negatives of bird feeding. And if you get involved in a citizen science project, you can help scientists track the health and behavior of your wild guests.

[radcupcakesuit-blog]

Reducing, Re-using and Recycling in the Garden

Gardening is naturally an activity that lends itself to reducing, re-using, and recycling. In any garden, the first goal needs to be to reduce what we use. Next, we should recycle, especially by composting as much plant material as possible. Finally we should strive to find ways to reuse items that would otherwise be discarded.

Below you will find a few tried and true ideas from Annie Warmke, former KidsGardening Advisory Board member and co-owner of Blue Rock Station, a sustainable living center in Philo, Ohio. Not only can these earth friendly activities engage creativity, you can also incorporate them into science, math, English and art lessons. Whether at home or at school, let your young gardeners' imaginations go wild.

Ideas for reducing, reusing, and recycling in the garden:

Canning Jar Lids:

Make a hole in used canning jar lids and thread with heavy string. Hang these in the garden to spook birds and deer and help keep them out of the garden.

Nail used canning jar lids to a stick to create plant markers; paint or use permanent marker as needed to write plant names, dates of planting, germination time, etc.

Tin Cans:

You can use the tops and bottoms of tin cans to scare birds and squirrels out of the garden, by punching a hole in them and tying them to a post or tree branch. (Be careful when handling the lids; their edges are sharp!)When they move in the wind, the wild animals are spooked.

Cover coffee cans with wallpaper samples or contact paper to create lovely vases to offer to a friend filled with flowers.

Tin cans make handy and durable seed scoops for wild birdseed and or scooping compost into pots for seed starting.

Campaign Signs:

Metal hoop sign frames from campaign signs work well to support short vegetables. The wire is stronger than regular coat hangers.

You can also use them to make short tents to protect your plants from the cold by covering with garden cloth or an old towel.

Metal Baskets:

Use old metal baskets out of a chest freezer to keep the cats off seedlings until they get big enough to protect themselves and off the catnip when it's trying to rebound.

Use them under a cover cloth over tender seedlings on a really cold night or light frost so they don't get smashed in case it rains.

Plastic Sandwich Bags:

Stick plant cuttings into used plastic bags to be rooted, then add some water. Zip them mostly closed and hang them from a curtain rod or clothes line with clothes pins. You can see when roots have formed.

Soda bottles or milk jugs:

Wash and dry; cut the bottom 1/3 off. Bury the neck of the bottle down in the ground next to a plant that requires a lot of water (tomatoes, pumpkins) and fill with water daily. This gets the water right to the roots.

Vases rarely fit in the cup holder of the car. So when taking someone a bouquet, use a soda bottle to hold the flowers until you get there, then put them in the proper vase.

Cut off the bottom of a gallon milk jug, and use for paint trays or seed starter trays.

Grocery Store Bags:

Hang grocery store plastic bags from the tie on a garden apron for stashing weeds that have gone to seed, diseased plants, trash or whatever until you get back to trashcan...saves a lot of steps.

Old Feather Pillows:

On a dry day, place a handful out on a piece of cardboard - birds will use to build nests. If they blow away, don't worry, the birds will find them! (PLEASE, do not use dryer lint for nesting material…it gets wet and dries hard. It would be great added to a compost pile, though.)

Pieces of string and twigs:

Hang around the yard in old falling apart baskets for birds to use as nesting material.

Waste Paper:

Newspaper and all unneeded mail can be composted. Worms love it! Cover with grass clippings and eventually the worms will find it and over time the paper will rot. Start a worm-composting project with just a small garbage container. The “worm castings” left by the worms, make free rich fertilizer for plants.

Cereal Boxes:

Cut cereal boxes up to create great little organizers for seed packs, cards, or desk drawer dividers.

Junk Mail Envelopes:

Use junk mail envelopes for seed collecting.

Old CD's:

Use them as sun catchers, or bird-detractors (only in the berry patch).

Coffee Filters:

Use them over and over for collecting and drying seeds, and when they won't stand up anymore, use them for sprouting seeds in plastic bags.

Old Bed Sheets:

Use them to keep deer away. Just wrap the clean old sheet around a used towel (by a human or dog) and then place along the edge of the garden. After it rains, you’ll have to put the human/dog scent back onto the cloth – just let the dog take a nap on it again. This really works!

Toilet Paper Tubes:

Use to start seeds. Cut one end into 4-inch long sections and fold it under to make a bottom for the pot. Fill with dirt and seeds. Plant the entire tube outside later. Great for sensitive-root things like morning glories or cypress vines. They can get moldy, so either give them more light or transfer them outside, with a cover if it's cold.

Old Carpet Remnants:

Uses as weed barriers under a layer of mulch for pathways…thick layers of cardboard, and old newspapers work great too.

Old Tube Socks:

Old socks can be cut into strips and used to tie up tomato plants.

Old Ice Chests:

Use to store small garden supplies.

Newspaper:

You can make seed starter pots from newspaper by wrapping two or three strips (about 3x12 inches) around the sides of a can, like a soup can, fold the bottom down over the bottom of the can, tape the bottom, tape the side, then slide it off. They hold up quite well through watering and can be planted right in the soil.

Old garden hose:

Use an old garden hose to help with earwig control. Place pieces of old hose a foot or two long, around the areas where they burrow, and next day, shake them into a can of soapy water. You don't want to get rid of all the earwigs because they are good at controlling some bad bugs.

Used Dryer Sheets:

Place them in the bottom of pots to keep the soil from running out or slugs entering to harm plant roots.

Umbrellas:

Use to shade your tiny plants if you must plant them on a sunny day.

Originally seen on:

https://kidsgardening.org/garden-activities-reducing-re-using-and-recycling-in-the-garden/

[thegreenhorseman]

When you live in the country you must be prepared to share with the various wildlife that call your backyard home.

For the first few months of living here we didn’t see any wildlife.  There are traces but everything had been elusive.

There are a few critters we’re beginning to see now that the world re-awakening.

BIRDS

Good Lord there are birds.  I had purchased some suet and wild bird seed and within a week the feathered reptiles began to find their way to our backyard.   To name a few of the visitors:

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Red Winged Blackbird

Common Grackle

Robin

Mourning Dove

Bluebird

Blue Jay

Cardinal

The blackbirds and grackles have grossly taken over but I still see the others from time to time.  There are easily over 100 in the swarm on our street, flying up and down looking for food.  The birds are straight out of a Hitchcock novel and it can be a bit unnerving when they gather altogether.

I’ve never been much of a birdwatcher but it’s nice to see them enjoying a bite while I do dishes in the morning.

  DEER

Okay, so I actually haven’t seen any on the property YET.  I have most certainly seen enough of their feces all over.  I have even found prints leading up to the birdseed tree in front of our house.  Somehow despite my crazy hours and seeing them in everyone else’s fields there have been no actual sightings at home.  I figure it’s only a matter of time especially with horses coming and having so many apple trees.

CHIPMUNKS

As I was leaving for work one day I entered the garage to start my car and I heard an animal running around in the ceiling.  Since it was already in a sad state we decided to gut the garage.  We found decades worth of nesting materials, a red squirrel carcass, and even some skeletons.  Shortly after we evicted our furry tenants we began hearing some scurrying on our heating ducts.  From my second floor bedroom it sounded like they were under the floor.

I went into the basement and as it turns out the chipmunks were displeased with their mid-winter move and decided to come into our home.  They were running on top of the heating ducts and using the crawlspace under the porch for their new residence.  The two little suckers came right up to me to see examine what I was.  We purchased a trap that SUPPOSEDLY is designed for chipmunks…but after 5 or six attempts we gave up.  They would trigger the trap, eat all the food, and escape somehow.  It’s an ongoing battle but they haven’t been in the basement recently.

WOODCHUCKS

My newest enemy.

I discovered a sizable hole right outside of our porch and our neighbor saw a woodchuck go into it.  We don’t yet have a trap big enough, but I began putting the used cat little into it’s hole.  The next day he decided the scrap wood pile was a better choice in real estate.

Way to go kitties!

PHEASANT

I could have listed him under birds but he is so peculiar that I gave him his own spotlight.  Coming home from work one morning I spotted a strange and large bird crossing the street out of our yard.  There was snow on the ground and he left large tracks.  I knew it was no turkey but wasn’t quite sure what it was and it was gone by the time I got close enough.

A couple days later I heard a bizarre dinosaur chicken sound.  It was a squawk like I’d never head before.  I look out the window and there it is.  The word pheasant came to mind but I’d never seen one in person.  A quick google images search confirmed it.

I haven’t seen any mates so it appears he’s a lonesome bird but I see him wandering nearby every few days.

SNAKES

While I was raking last week my bow rake nearly cut this guy in half.  I looked down to see him slowly stirring.  Once he realized what was going on the harmless garter snake began to get fresh.  I wanted to snap some photos before releasing him and he wasn’t very interested in what I wanted.  He lunged a few times (how adorable from such a benign snake) and I released him out of the way of my raking.

I’m not in a hurry to meet the neighborhood predators and I hope they will move on or at least stay away from us.  Walking our property I have found some larger animal scat.  It’s very possible it was from a black bear but I didn’t have my phone to take a photo and try identifying it.  We have also come across a single set of canine prints wandering along and into the tree line.  As long as they leave us and our animals alone I’ll be content.

Backyard Critters When you live in the country you must be prepared to share with the various wildlife that call your backyard home.

[beyondforks]

Book Review! After the Game by Abbi Glines

After the Game (The Field Party #3) by Abbi Glines  Genre: Young/New Adult (Contemporary Romance) Date Published: August 23, 2016 Publisher: Simon Pulse

Two years ago, Riley Young fled from Lawton, Alabama. After accusing the oldest Lawton son, Rhett, of rape, everyone called her a liar and she had no option but to leave. Now she’s back, but she’s not at Lawton High finishing up her senior year. She’s at home raising the little girl that no one believed was Rhett’s.

Rhett is off at college living the life he was afraid he’d lose with Riley’s accusation, so Riley agrees to move back to Lawton so she and her parents could take care of her grandmother, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. But the town still hasn’t forgotten their hate for her, and she hasn’t forgotten the way they turned on her when she needed them most.

When town golden boy Brady Higgens finds Riley and her daughter, Bryony, stranded on the side of the road in a storm, he pulls over and gives them a ride. Not because he cares about Riley, of course, but because of the kid.

But after the simple car ride, he begins to question everything he thought he knew. Could Brady believe Riley and risk losing everything?

After the Game is the Third book in the Field Party series by Abbi Glines. We know the rumors about Riley, now we get her real story. She's one strong woman. Not many would come back stronger like she did. Her character offers hope to readers who have survived her situation. She's amazing. Brady's not so bad either. These characters need each other. I was so drawn into their world, the drama, and the town. The writing flows so well that it seems like your actually watching it all unfold in your mind. And in true Abbi Glines fashion, the romance isn't as simple as we'd all hope for these guys. Well... it is in some ways, but it isn't. Does that make sense? No? Well, too bad you'll have to read the book to find out more.

After the Game I’m Some Hungwy CHAPTER 1  RILEY The crash from the kitchen jerked me out of my dreams and into reality. Something was burning and Bryony wasn’t in bed beside me. Her sweet blond curls and big blue eyes were what normally met me when I opened my eyes. Jumping up, I ran through the already open door of my bedroom and sprinted toward the kitchen. A million things ran through my mind as I went the short distance. Bryony never got out of bed without me. Another crash happened just as I turned the corner into the kitchen. My grandmamma was standing at the sink with a frantic look on her face. The pot on the floor had been full of uncooked oats and milk, which were now splattered on the tile floor. Smoke was coming from the toaster behind her, and I moved quickly to jerk the plug out of the wall before things got worse. “Momma,” Bryony’s sweet voice called out from behind me. Spinning around, needing to see her face and know she was okay, I almost slipped on the milk under my feet. The wild curls of her hair were sticking up everywhere as she stared up at me with wide eyes and a frown. “I’m some hungwy,” she said. I reached down to pick her up before she stepped into the mess on the floor and cradled her against me. Holding her was enough reassurance to calm me down. “Grandmamma was trying to fix you something, I see,” I said, looking toward my grandmother, who was now looking down at the spilled breakfast at her feet. “I don’t know,” Grandmamma said. Her voice sounded lost, like she wasn’t sure what she was saying or why she was standing there. This was normal for her. Some days were better. Others were not. Today was not going to be a good day. “I’ll put Bryony in her high chair and get her some cereal, and then I’ll clean this up. What do you want me to fix you, Grandmamma?” I asked her. She turned her gaze to mine, and the confusion there always made me sad. The woman who had taught me to make biscuits and sang me songs while playing the pots and pans like drums was no longer there. She was lost inside her head. “I don’t know,” she said, which were words I heard often. I moved over to put Bryony in her high chair before going to take my grandmamma’s arm and move her away from the slippery mess. Most mornings I woke up earlier than my grandmother. Today I had overslept. My mom normally woke me up before she left for work, but today she either had tried and failed or had forgotten. “I’m some hungwy,” Bryony said again. That was her way of telling me she wanted food, and now. If she’d woken up and found Grandmamma in the kitchen, she would have told her the same thing. For a moment, Grandmamma had known that meant she needed to feed her. But that brief memory left and she had dropped a pot. A dish was also broken on the floor with what looked like applesauce on it. Then, of course, the burned toast. “Okay,” I told her and reached for a box of cereal to place some on her tray. “Eat this and let Mommy clean up the mess.” Bryony picked up a piece of the round oat cereal and put it in her mouth. “I broke a plate.” Grandmamma’s voice was full of concern. “It’s okay. Accidents happen. I’m going to clean this up, then I’ll make you some of your favorite steel-cut oats with brown sugar and apple slices. Okay?” I assured her with a smile. She frowned. “That’s my favorite?” It was like dealing with another child. We hadn’t been back in Lawton, Alabama, long, but the time we had been back hadn’t been easy. Watching someone you love so much live lost in their own head was heartbreaking. Alzheimer’s was a terrible disease. “Gandma hungwry,” Bryony told me. I turned my attention to my daughter and smiled. “Yes, she is. It’s breakfast time.” “Sandra will be upset about her plate. She loved those plates. I’ll need to go into town and buy her a new one at Miller’s. Least I can do.” To anyone else, those words might have sounded sane. Logical. But they were anything but. For starters, Sandra was my grandmamma’s sister who had passed away from cancer when I was three years old. And Miller’s hadn’t been open for business since 1985. The only reason I knew this was because Grandmamma had sent me to fetch something at Miller’s when we first moved back and I’d started out the door when Momma stopped me and explained. Grandmamma was living in the past. Roy Miller had passed away of a heart attack in ’85, and his family had closed the store and moved out of Lawton. Instead of reminding her of all this, though, I had found just going along with it was easier. If I told her Sandra was dead or that Miller’s was closed, she’d go into a fit of hysteria. That was what she knew and remembered today. So I ignored her comment and cleaned up the floor before getting a pot of oats on the stove cooking properly, then disposed of the burned toast out the back door. “Do you know where I put Lyla’s applesauce? She needs to eat some this morning. I made it fresh yesterday from the apples I got at Miller’s.” Lyla was my mother. That was another thing that Grandmamma confused. She often thought Bryony was my mother when she was a baby. Again lost in the past. “I’ll get her some applesauce. You just sit there and relax. I’ll get you some juice. Watch the pretty birds outside. They’re eating the birdseed we put out yesterday.” That got her attention, and she began watching out the large bay window for the birds. Mom only worked until noon today at the hospital. I would be able to take Bryony out for a walk and to the park after lunch. I needed to get them fed and start the morning chores so we would have plenty of time later to go play. The sun was shining and the warm days were behind us. The cool autumn air was perfect for being outside. And Bryony loved to pick up the different-colored leaves on the ground. She called them her “cowection.”

Here's my review of the previous books in this series! Check out  more of my reviews of other books by Abbi Glines!

Abbi Glines is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, and Existence series. She has a new YA series coming out in the fall of 2015 titled The Field Party Series . She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but alas she was born in Alabama. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, shopping (major shoe and purse addiction), sneaking off to the movies alone, and listening to the drama in her teenagers lives while making mental notes on the good stuff to use later. Don’t judge. You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. She uses social media to procrastinate. To learn more about Abbi Glines and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.