FEED THE BUG-EATERS IN YOUR GARDEN

 

 

I hung a birdhouse in the corner of that fencing. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be able to work-out or sit in my garden undisturbed by nosy bugs I developed a saying, "If I take care of the birds, they'll take care of me." Thus, there's a whole lot of respect going on while I work-out in my zone.

On hot days (or a day when rain hasn't fallen for weeks) bug-eating birds come to my garden to enjoy good non-chlorinated water, as do the squirrels and rabbits.  I think they all look so cute drinking out of my high and ground-level birdbaths.  And I feel so honored to accommodate them.

In the beginning, before my garden was completed, I hung two bird feeders with Black Oil Sunflower Seed. I have lots of trees and high grass in the surrounding fields, which are loaded with critters. Our bug-eaters are Cardinals, Bluebirds, Mockingbirds, King Birds, Mourning Doves, flocks of little brown birds, a flock of Robins passing through, an occasionally Blue Jay and a single Road Runner, plus a couple or three Crows, and even hummingbirds.  At night, coyotes help, as well.  Yep.  

I set feeders in a tree about six years from my porch and back windows to behold all the flora and fauna.  Love reading their body language.  I miss them all when I haven't gone out to refresh the feeders. They truly keep bugs to a minimum around my home. 

As the birds feed, they seemingly help each other by dropping seeds for the birds on the ground beneath. The feeder can only hold so many birds at one time.  Amazing. They are not "birds of a feather flocking together."  They're birds, who enjoy the same type of food.  They seemingly learnt to coexist. Could be generational.  Before we built our house on this wild acreage, I believe these birds were coexisting.  Friends.

Coexisting is what they do UNTIL SOMEBODY HAS A BABY. The mockingbirds and the bluebirds are very territorial then.  No other type of bird is allowed near our home for weeks.  Oh, they try to come anyway, but are simply chased away. I've even witnessed them running the local coyote off.  

Well, as long as I have a couple birds to eat bugs, I'm still thankful.  I have to remember that families of bluebirds or mockingbirds are on their way. Yes, one of the bluebirds will stay with the original family to help with the offspring.  A birdhouse or two for the nest-stealing Bluebird helps.  If you don't like spiders, especially the gigantic ever popular Wolf Spider, Bluebirds LOVE them.  

Since gardening outdoors, the only thing I fear now are those nearly invisible baby spiders that can ride on my boots and/or clothes to enter my home.  Therefore, I rinse my boots off. And then I use my hands to brush over my hair and/or hat, then down my extremities to get rid of them. My husband forgets to do it...

If you walk into a Garden Spider's web extending into an entryway, don't freakout like I use to.  They don't want to eat you.  And if you don't run, you'll see it go back up into its high place to get away from you.  I'm referring to that very large yellow and black arachnid.  Thankfully, "the bigger the better" for a hungry bug-eater.

While working-out, I allow the birds their time to feed and/or drink.  When they come down from the trees to partake, I'll sit and wait.  Of course, they think they've got me figured out, because they watch me, even the coyote watches me sometimes in broad daylight, but heaven forbid I go out at night on Mr. Coyote's time.  

Because of all these creatures, the bugs are kept at a minimum during my garden-time: My favorite zone. And I can love siting and/or working-out in my garden.