Time for the birdbath heaters!

It’s time once again to put out the birdbath heaters so your wild song birds, especially bluebirds, will have plenty of fresh water to drink during cold weather.  If you don’t have your birdbath heater yet, check out the K & H Model 9000 ice eliminator.  It is very effective and attractively priced.  Be sure to shop around on the Internet for the best price including shipping.

click to read about the K & H Model 9000

K & H Model 9000 ice eliminator

I have three birdbaths in my yard with 9000 ice eliminators in them.  The heaters are thermostatically controlled and use only 50 watts of electrical energy when on.

Be sure to change the water in your birdbaths frequently and keep the birdbaths clean.

Bluebird Shepherd

Email Bluebird Shepherd

 

Tags: heated+birdbaths, winterizing+for+bluebirds

Fall Ritual

On warm sunny days in the fall and early winter, you may see Eastern Bluebirds investigating every nest box in the area.  What are they doing?  They are accomplising two purposes with the visit.  The first is to identify suitable roosting spots to use when the cold weather arrives.  The second is to catalog acceptable nesting sites for next nesting season.

Eastern Bluebird checking nest box for roosting & nesting purposes

10/21/2008

This morning I saw an interesting situation in my back yard.  A Downy Woodpecker has selected one of the bluebird nest boxes as its winter roosting site.  The nest box has a layer of pine wood chips covering the floor.  A Bluebird flew in the nest box to check it out and a few seconds later the Downy Woodpecker flew in to see what the bluebird was up to.  Fortunately, they decided to part on friendly terms with the Bluebird leaving first followed by the Woodpecker.

Bluebird Shepherd

Email Bluebird Shepherd

 

Tags: Eastern+Bluebirds+fall+ritual, Eastern+Bluebirds+scouting+roosting+sites, Eastern+bluebirds+scouting+nesting+sites