All the Dirt on Gardening

No/No Solar Lighthouse Finch Feeder has solar cell in the top area of the feeder that powers an LED light to create a night time glow.  We hung it where we can see it clearly at dusk and dawn. How cool is that?   Most important is that the birds like it and since it's as cute as it can be you can have it hanging out in the yard where it's visible.   This one has an all-over metal mesh construction that stands up to squirrels - a big issue where we live. Have not seen a single squirrel on it in the week it has been up.  No/No Solar Lighthouse Finch Feeder is 14 inches tall and  holds 1.5-pound nyger seed. No cleaning required, hanging handle attached. Check it out - around $30. Here's the Perky-Pet website where you can get more information.

Perky Pet sent me a Mason Jar bird feeder to try in our back yard. I keep trying to photograph birds on it and seed in it, but every time I look it is empty again. They must love it. And the weather is perfect for gardening so my head is down most of the day. So, here's a photo of a male cardinal snacking on the last of the seed in the bottom of the seed tray. It may be the best I can do!

What else can you say about a hummingbird feeder? Within 20-minutes of hanging it, they were there eating. Perky-Pet hummingbird feeder does not come with a hangar so I just fed some kitchen string through the hole on the top. The model in the photo is a little over $20. I did not purchase commercial food but found an easy method online. NECTAR RECIPE FROM ONLINE In a pot combine 1 part sugar to 4 parts water (1 cups water + 4/2 cup sugar) and boil it for 2 minutes to get out the chlorine. Let it cool and fill. The amount you see in the feeder is about the entire amount so it holds quite a bit. The tag on it says it holds 16 ounces. The glass is thick and the plastic feeder stands are sturdy. It has what the company calls a built-in funnel that did make it foolproof to fill, though I used a plastic kitchen funnel to be sure I didn't pour it all over the place. The company sent it to me to try out and review and I give it a thumbs up.

Perky-Pet birdfeeder is hanging in our back yard now on the squirrelliest tree we have.   This oak produces hundreds of acorns, making it the biggest challenge for any bird feeder that claims to prevent squirrels from eating everything in it. The birds have visited but I have not seen one single squirrel on it and it's been hanging for several days. This item I can enthusiastically recommend. The plastic food holder is thick enough to not fall apart in one season. The perches please the birds, the seed that came packed with it attracts plenty of visitors and the scoop is built to fit the opening. Oh, and the assembly instructions enclosed in the box are easy to understand. In English rather than English translated from Chinese, Japanese or Mandarin. Illustrations complete the instructions ease. It looks like the same company has hummingbird feeders and wind-art. Check them out at http://www.birdfeeders.com  - 40% off hummingbird feeders right now.