Creative Landscaping - Attracting Birds in the Summer

 Steve Boulden

Summertime, and the livin is easy! That is, unless you are trying to grow a garden. In late spring and early summer, garden pests are on the rampage and can cause many headaches for a backyard gardener. However, there is help on the wing.

When it comes to pest control, birds can be an awesome benefit. When bugs are at their worst, birds are at their best. Late spring and early summer, birds are busy feeding this years crop of hatchlings and given their choice of entrees from Nature menu, baby birds list bugs at the top of the list.

Before the birds begin to look for bugs to feed their hungry babies, they need to find a place to build their nests. If you take pains to keep your landscape just so-so and trimmed immaculately, you might want to find a spot where you can sit-back-and-relax Dedicate this area to a more nature look to help attract birds. In doing so, the more nesting birds you can get in your yard, the more hungry babies there will be to feed and the more natural pest control will be at your disposal. Small trees and twiggy shrubs tend to attract the attention of parent birds looking for a new home.

Along with food, birds also need water, for both drinking and bathing. If the water is moving, it really catches their interest. Check with your garden center for a bubbler if you have a birdbath. Otherwise, consider installing an outdoor fountain.

In return for all the hard work the birds will do for you ridding your garden of pests, consider offering them a special snack now and then. Rather than removing all your feeders when winter has said goodbye for awhile, keep at least one out and fill it with quality seeds. A combination of seeds will help attract sparrows, cardinals, chickadees and grosbeaks. Also consider adding a non-melt suet cake and the titmice and woodpeckers will be regulars as well. While they are in the area, you can count on them to round out their diet with a few insect larvae and other etymological delicacies.

Be sure as you work to attract birds to your garden, you take precautions to help ensure their safety. You want to protect these pest control experts from predators and unnecessary accidents. Begin by placing bird feeders and houses in appropriate places. If you place feeders and houses close to windows, the likelihood of kamikaze birds into the reflective glass is greatly reduced. On the other hand, if you have a large area, place the houses and feeders far enough away you need binoculars to monitor the activity. In this way, the birds will not get close enough to the window reflections. The feeders also need to be kept in an area where predators cannot sneak up on the birds and at least five feet off the ground.

Follow these handy ideas and you should be rewarded with a number of friendly feathered worm warriors who will help to keep your garden pest free and your trees full of song.

Article written by Steve Boulden. Steve is a professional landscaping designer who specializes in small garden design and xeriscaping.For more information, visit www.the-landscape-design-site.com.

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Enjoying Sparrows in Your Yard

Chantelle Simoes

Sparrows!
The birds that many dismiss as Little Brown Jobs-LBJs-are a real joy to host at your feeders. I'm not referring to the invasive House Sparrow, which is actually not a sparrow at all, but to the surprising variety of migrant sparrows that pass through in spring and fall and are easy to attract with just a little care.
All sparrows eat seeds during migration, and as a result, the sparrows I have been able to attract in my yard include Song, Swamp, Lincoln's, White-throated, White-crowned, Harris's, Fox, American Tree, Savannah, Chipping, Clay-colored, and Dark-eyed Junco. Normally, some of these species can be difficult to identify when skulking in shrubs, but with a good feeder setup, you can learn all of these species as they busy themselves around your feeders--often without the aid of binoculars.

Another joy of focusing on sparrows is that they arrive before many other birds in the spring, and leave much later in the fall. In much of the Midwest some species will remain all winter and species like Chipping Sparrows are willing to eat seed when few other birds are interested in feeders. So they command all of your attention at times when the feeder action might otherwise be slow. Better yet, sparrows tend to really congregate at feeders when the weather is at its worst. I remember a blustery, snowy April day a few years back when I enjoyed hot chocolate and a yard just alive with EIGHT species of sparrows at once!

Here are a few tips for enjoying sparrows in your yard:

1. Provide feeders that sparrows like. Most sparrows are not clinging birds. While you can get some like Chipping Sparrows to perch on baskets or tube feeders, sparrows tend to prefer open platforms as they are adapted to foraging by scratching on the ground with their feet. In addition to a platform feeder, I usually offer some seed directly on the ground in small amounts daily. Take care to regularly rake up accumulated hulls for sanitation and to make it easier for the sparrows to find the fresh seeds.
2. Offer a variety of seeds. If you stick to good old black oil sunflower seeds, you will surely attract some sparrows. But a real favorite of sparrows is millet, which is nice as it is one of the more inexpensive seeds. (If you use millet on platforms or on the ground, you'll also draw plenty of Mourning Doves.) Since I enjoy the variety sparrows provide, I get good results by making a mix using plenty of millet with lesser amounts of sunflower, safflower, and nyjer.
3. Provide cover. Whether they are at your feeders or in a thicket somewhere, feeding sparrows can attract the attention of hawks, cats, and other predators. If you can place your feeders within 10' of a dense shrub or evergreen tree, your sparrows will be safer and more comfortable feeding. If you lack trees near the area you would like to attract sparrows to, they are perfectly happy with a loosely-constructed brush pile.
4. Sparrows enjoy bird baths. We have a short, small birdbath about 15' from the feeders. Sparrows tend to be the most frequent visitors, but other species that are feeder-shy like Yellow-rumped Warblers also add to the variety!
5. Get to know your sparrows. This is the best part! You'll find that certain sparrows like White-throated, Chipping, and Dark-eyed Juncos are reliable in large numbers. I love the excitement of finding the lone black-bibbed, pink-billed Harris's Sparrow in the flock or spotting a rusty, streaked Fox Sparrow doing its double-footed chicken scratch among the juncos. You will even be surprised to note the amount of variation within individuals of a species. We have sometimes hosted juncos with unique individuals that we could pick out over the course of several days until they finally moved on!

YourBirdOasis.com will help you transform your garden into your own bird oasis with a variety of beautiful Bird Baths, Bird Feeders, and Bird Houses. With exquisite artistic Bird Bath Fountains, Bird Bath Bowls, Decorative Bird Feeders at your convenience, you can add a unique touch to your garden and create a haven for the birds in your area. Buy a Bird Feeder Today!

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Water Drinking - Cats

Weston Chin

What most people don't know, is that cats do not like to drink water. Some may learn to drink it because of their totally dry diet but it doesn't come naturally if cats are eating a natural diet of small rodents they drink very little, their kidney are far more efficient than ours at ridding the body of waste product. This reflects their ancestral origin from which they were descended, they are accustom to arid region and during the course of evolution would have been forced to develop unusually efficient kidneys if it were to survive.

These situation changes if the cats are fed on commercially prepare food. Today a cat who is given nothing but dry food becomes de-hydrated causing urine to be highly concentrated leading to urinary tract problems such as the formation of crystals and stones. Problem such as constipation and intestinal blockage can also be traced back to a cats natural disinclination to drink fluids.

Cats receive nearly all the fluids they need from the prey they eat: rodent, lizard, birds, and bugs usually have a moisture contents of about 70 percent. Cat feeding on modern dried food, which may be tasty but is far from ideal for them, must have fresh water always available to them and must drink large quantities of it if they are to survive. Although many cats do hate water, there are also cats who are fascinated by it.

Tolerance, for water varies enormously and is generally a personal like or dislike,a number of owners have notice to their dismay that their feline pets seems to have a passion for drinking from puddles in the garden, despite the fact that on the kitchen floor there is an immaculately clean dish of pure tap water awaiting them, this behavior may seems inexplicable, but there is a simple chemical reason for it.

Fresh tap water is heavily treated with chemicals, and often chlorinated strongly enough to have a smell that the cats sensitive nose cannot stand,so the stale water in the puddle and pools outside is more attractive,it may seems to be full of microbes and rotting vegetation, but these are natural and organic and only give it an attractive flavor.

Other cats enjoy drinking from a faucet and will come running when you turn it on... http://catsecure.blogspot.com/

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Taking Care of Pets - Some Tips to Adhere

Frie Peterson

In this day and age, most family has some pet or the other. Pets are not treated as just animals but welcomed as an important member of the family. They have to be taken care of so that they do not fall ill. Sometimes parents may not like pets on their own, but have them the for the kids sake. Here are some tips to help you take acceptable and good care of pets to ensure the good health of pets. Indeed, pets, even if they are very old need to be treated like kids.

Your pet should be well loved. When it comes to your house for the first time, it should be left free so as to get a sense of the place. This will help him get used and attuned to the house by means of the smell which becomes familiar. This is important as you should know that when the pet comes for the first time, he gets quite nervous.

Your pet should get proper comfort and care. The sleeping area should be well designated and good quality food should be provided. Pets should also be trained so that they do not dirty your whole house. It could also help if you put some pillows, toys and blankets in order to pamper your pet. With guidance you pet will know where to eat and where to pee also.

Maintaining good health of pets is essential. If they have hair, they should be vacuumed and shampooed properly. This would help keep them away from insects and they would also look very beautiful if they have shiny hair.
You will get a plethora of animal products for their bath. Animals love bath sessions and have a lot of fun in these.

Positive reinforcements are useful even when you know that the pet has behaved badly or made some place dirty. Avoid punishments for bad behavior but always remember to reward for good behavior. This encourages pets and helps them learn quite well too.

As soon as you see your pet getting lethargic and looking ill, you should take immediate and prompt steps. Consulting a vet becomes very important to ensure swift recovery. If you make pets feel important they will love you a lot back in return.

Later on they will become an integral part of your family and it will be tough for you to live without them.

Frie has been writing as much as he can since he was a child. Now he continues to write and build projects on a professional level, you can check out his latest work on dansk tableware and also new information about sakura tableware.

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Pet Care During Summer Time

 Kavin Smith

Summer is the most anxiously awaited season of the year for pets. The warm sunny sky gives them the opportunity to go outside and get proper exposure to the outdoors. However, too much exposure to heat can be bad for their health. Pet owners must therefore exercise caution during summer and look after their pets so they don't end up hurting themselves while having fun in the great outdoors. Here we will mention some tips for pet owners to keep their pet safe and cool in the hot summer.

Give Your Pet Plenty of Water

Pets need to stay hydrated just like humans. This is even more important during the summer time when the scorching heat can raise the temperature into three digits. Not providing them with adequate water will lead to dehydration. Always make sure that their water bowl is full. A water reservoir is a good thing to have in order to keep the bowl full at all times.

Do Not Leave Pets in the Car

This is a very common mistake made my pet owners while they are out running their errands. They bring their pets along to give them some outdoor exposure however they end up leaving them in the car when they have to go into a mall or supermarket. This is an example of poor and careless pet care. Leaving the window slightly open does not justify leaving a pet inside a vehicle. The inside temperature can quickly reach suffocating limits and your pet can very well die if you leave him there for too long.

Time for a Haircut!

A very effective pet care technique is to shave your pet as the summer approaches. This applies mainly to hairy pets especially dogs. Trimming your dog's hair will keep your pet cool and also lessen moisture retention, a cause for infections. It will also prevent open sores and hot spots. Both are very painful.

Take Your Pet Swimming

If you are a dog owner, one of the best things you can do for your pet is to get them their own swimming pool. Even if your dog doesn't like or know how to swim, they will surely love to get a little wet and cool off. And you don't have to invest in an actual swimming pool for them. A small plastic swimming pool from the local toy or pet shop will work wonders.

Avoid Exposure to Extreme Heat

As much as we would want our pets to have fun in the sun, too much sun can be harmful to them especially when the temperature is at its peak. Temperature over 95 degrees Fahrenheit is potentially dangerous for a pet's health. Therefore try to take your pet out at times when it's somewhat cooler such as during sunset or at night.

One of the cardinal rules of pet care is safety before fun. Pets are a responsibility just like any other family member. Their safety and well being must be insured. By following the above tips, both the pets and pet owners can enjoy a safe sizzling summer.

Looking for pet care of animal medical clinic for your puppy or old dog? Get the best an most affordable care at Frisco West AMC

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Pest Control - Different Types of Pests You Need To Watch Out For

By Brandon Anido

There are different types of pests present in the world with each of them possessing unique threat to all of us. This is certainly good enough a reason to prompt us take effective pest control measures regularly. Most of these bugs we are talking about belong to a family called Cimicidae. They known to choose humans to suck blood and to grow at will. If not for suitable methods of control they can easily create havoc in our lives.

Cimex lectularius is possibly the most common bug known to mankind. They are known to choose humans as their hosts and they are predominantly present in almost all countries where humans exist. Using an effective control method will go a long way in keeping the activities of these pests under control. However, you need to be careful in choosing methods as some of them are known to backfire on humans. There are many eco-friendly and organic pest control methods available today using which great results can be achieved.

Another common bug that continues to haunt us is Cimex hemipterus. In addition to humans, these can be destructive to poultry and bats. They are largely found in Florida. To eliminate Cimex hemipterus you can reach out professional agencies as they are likely to possess thorough knowledge and the necessary tools to carry out the extermination. Though they can be expensive for your pest control campaign their results will surely impress you and will leave you content.

Having effective methods of control at your disposal will also control menaces of pests like Leptocimex boueti that are mainly found in West Africa and South America. These bugs prefer tropical climate and can cause problems to humans and other living beings. They live as parasites in bats and can create widespread damage to its surroundings. Modern control methods are required to combat problems posed by pests like Oeciacus that are known to attack birds.

The above mentioned pests execute their operation in a much similar way. They live close by to hosts and attack them while they are asleep. As these bugs suck blood and create itching sensations on human skin, effective methods of control only need to be employed on them. Using insecticides is definitely a method that can be employed but there other methods as well.

Brandon Anido has been providing helpful information regarding Bedbugs New York for many years. His knowledge is the direct result of working many years in the pest control industry. If you are having trouble with bed bugs and would like some help he recommends giving Pest Control New York a call.

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Tiger Barb Fact Sheet

By Steve Challis

The Tiger Barb, Puntius tetrazona, is a very popular little fish. Another common name is the Sumatra Barb. Other scientific names that have been used for this fish are: Barbus tetrazona, Capoeta sumatraus, Barbodes tetrazona, and Capoeta tetrazona. This fish grows to about two and a half inches long (7cm). It comes from Sumatra, Borneo and the Malay Peninsular. It might have been native to some other places in South East Asia including Cambodia but it has been introduced into places and it is not always clear which are native populations and which are recent introductions.

Water Conditions

Tiger Barbs come from tropical areas. They are a tropical fish that has a slightly better tolerance to lower temperatures than a lot of tropical fish. 24 degrees C (75 degrees F) is a suitable temperature.

Tiger Barbs tolerate a wide range of conditions. I try to keep the pH about neutral (7), but some people prefer to use slightly acidic water. They come from soft water, but do not appear to mind some hardness in the water.

Varieties

There are many colour variation of the Tiger Barb. These include the Moss Green Tiger Barb, also called the Green Tiger Barb, and the Moss-banded Barb. This pretty fish is highly melanistic, but does not appear completely black. The scattering of light due to the Tindal Effect makes it appear dark green. It is clear that different people see the color of this fish slightly differently. A variation of this color variety is the Platinum Moss Green Tiger Barb. Another popular variation in the Albino Tiger Barb, often called the Golden Tiger Barb. Some people consider that the Albino Tiger Barb is less aggressive than the wild type. I have not observed any difference.

Food

The Tiger Barb is an omnivore and is easy to feed, eating all normal fish foods. They like live food like Daphnia and Mosquito larvae. In the absence of live food, they benefit from the occasional feeding of frozen foods like Blood Worms.

Fin Nipping

The Tiger Barb has the reputation for being the worst of all small fish for nipping the fins of other fish. This reputation is partly deserved. In some circumstances they can certainly be a problem. However, if you keep a school (At least 6) the problem is reduced. I have known cases where people have bought just one of this species in the mistaken belief that one will be less dangerous than a group. In fact the opposite is the case, and one or two will usually be much worse than a school.

Once, in our shop, I saw that a single male Guppy had got into a tank of Tiger Barbs. It must have been in for several hours, but it was swimming quite happily and the supposedly aggressive little fish were ignoring it.

Companions

Tiger Barbs should be kept in a school. The various varieties all seem to school together. Even with a school of these pretty fish, avoid slow moving fish with long fins like Siamese Fighting Fish, Guppies Endlers Guppies. Some suitable companions are: Rosy Barbs, Paraguay Tetras, Pristella Tetras, Buenos Aires Tetras, Colombian Tetras, Rummy Nose Tetras, Harlequin Rasboras, Scissortail Rasboras, Lemon Tetras, Black Widow Tetras, Emperor Tetras, Head and Tail Light Tetras, Glass Bloodfin Tetras, Swordtails, Platies, Mollies, Zebra Danios, Glowlight Tetras, and White Cloud Mountain Minnows, as well as the Corydoras catfish like the Peppered Catfish. Also avoid larger predatory fish that might eat the Tiger Barbs.

Breeding

The Tiger Barb is a fairly easy fish to breed. The females tend to be plumper than the males. The male has a redder nose and have a red line above the black part of their dorsal fin.

Keep a school of the fish and allow them to form their own pairs. The prospective parents need to be well fed with live food like Daphnia or other rich foods.

Hobbyists normally breed them in a separate Breeding Tank. The water in this tank should be soft and slightly acidic. They are egg scatterers giving no parental care and will eat fish eggs including their own. They also eat baby fish so it is usual to remove the parents after spawning.

The Breeding tank should have fine leaved plants, either real or artificial. Some breeders use tanks with nothing on the bottom, but others prefer to use large (perhaps half an inch diameter) round gravel or marbles to stop the parents getting at their eggs.

The adults will often spawn early in the morning of the day after they are put in. If they have not laid their eggs after a few days, try a partial water change with water a little warmer than the breeding tank.

Typically, the female will lay about 200 eggs. These should hatch in about a day and a half, and the babies will be free swimming after five days. The young can be raised on commercial fry food, supplemented when possible with suitable sized live food. The babies need plenty of space to grow quickly, and you need to watch the water quality while feeding them frequently.

The fry grow quickly and if they are well fed, could be over an inch long in eight weeks. These young fish are potentially big enough to breed.

Pest Fish

The Tiger Barb has been introduced to many countries, including Australia, Colombia, Singapore and Suriname as well as Asian countries they are not native to. They have the potential to cause considerable damage to aquatic ecosystems. Care should be exercised with Tiger Barbs as well as other types of fish to not allow them to escape into the wild.

Daphnia information is at http://www.bettatrading.com.au/Daphnia.php. Steve Challis has many other fish fact sheets and other articles on http://www.bettatrading.com.au.

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