dsb38327

We had a small thunderstorm come through today so I took some photos of the birds playing. They didn't feed yesterday (our heat index was about 115). I saw them sitting in the trees but they barely fed. I put this water out yesterday morning. I took these photos this morning and this afternoon. I have from 30 to 50 birds. The highest count I saw in these photos was 13. Maybe by the end of the season I will get to show you all the feeder holes full of birds. If not, next year. These pictures make me feel like we have entered the birds private lives. I am going to put the picture number on the pictures. For the numbers in sequence you will know I was going click, click, click as fast as the camera would re-focus. The birds are in and out, they are so fast. Looks like the same birds but isn't necessarily the same one in each photo. I enjoy them and hope you will too. I welcome everyone to add their photos. We get different kind of birds depending on where we are. I am in awe of those of you who have seen their nest and their babies. Wonderful. Our water/sugar mix can be different also depending on where we are. 4water/1sugar is the standard. I am glad you guys told me to increase the sugar 5/1 when it is so hot because of the fermenting. The research I did was stearn about being sure the water is hot enough to dissolve the sugar completely. I have read that boiling is not necessary but those little bubbles make me feel good. I don't do a hard boil, I turn it off when I see the little bubbles, add my 4 cups of sugar and stir, stir, stir. Yes, I do mean 4 cups of sugar because I make 16 cups of water at a time. Last year I had to do it 3 and 4 times a day to keep up with the demand.
My feeders get washed every day when the birds are in and no later than the morning of the 3rd day if the juice is not being used. At least once a week I rest the feeders in a tub of water with 1/2cup of bleach in it. Give it an hour or so to work then use the hose sprayer to hose them down super good inside and out. I do not wash my feeders in the house because birds carry disease and mites. Just sayin. :lol: