FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Re: Bird Creeks and Ponds

[canyon.eagle@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Cheryl and all interested,

>Has anyone purchased a bird creek or pond from www.avianaquatics.com?  I'm 
>considering setting one up but would like to know how much maintenance is 
>involved.  The website says they are very low maintenance and that the 
>pump keeps it pretty clean, I'm just skeptical.
>
>Any input would be appreciated.
>
>Thanks,
>Cheryl Thomas

About 5 yrs or so ago I purchased a similar pond kit from Avian 
Aquatics.  Several things delayed my installing it.  First, several stray 
cats showed up and due to their intense interest in the birds, I had to 
rethink the spot I had chosen for the pond's location.  Then as my 
ever-evolving plan for our garden kept changing, the project was delayed 
several more times until I decided a pond might not work out.  It's 
probably just as well, since I couldn't guarantee I'd have the time to 
maintain it properly.  I donated the pond kit to Green Spring Park in 
Annandale and came up with plan #537 or whatever plan I was up to by that time.

Presently I use birdbaths.  In warm weather I have 4 or 5 located in 
various locations around the garden.  Some are on the ground, some are 
elevated.  In a large shrub above one of the elevated baths I mounted a 
mister.  The mister sprays and some of the spray dribbles and plops into 
the water in the birdbath which I think helps attract birds.

For another bath, I hang a gallon water jug from a tree limb.  The jug has 
a wee hole in it which allows a drop of water to drip every now and 
then.  It's drips into a bath that sits on the ground directly underneath 
the jug.  Again, the dripping water helps attract the birds.  I refill the 
jub daily too.

In all the birdbaths, change the water daily.  I quickly whisk the baths 
out with a brush once or twice a week as needed.  It's a maintenance 
schedule I can handle, so it works for me.

During the winter I use one electric birdbath.  You may have seen the type, 
it's commonly available, a large white plastic bath on a black metal 
stand.  The birds love it and it is easy to clean.  If I change the water 
daily, it stays very clean.

A few notes:

1)  Prior to the electric birdbath, I used a heating element in a standard 
bird bath.  It got would accumulate leaves, popular tree seeds, etc. which 
were a bit of a nuisance.  Also, the squirrels would jump in the bath and 
bash it around a bit.  After a couple seasons it fell apart.  I replaced it 
with the electric birdbath and am glad I did.  This is the third season 
I've used it and it is in good shape.

2)  A friend of mine has a 3-tiered pool and found that she wasn't able to 
use it through the winter due to it freezing up.  She ended up having to 
store it away until warmer temperatures.  I don't know if this is unique to 
my friend or not.

Water = birds, so whichever method works for you, do it.  You'll make the 
birds happy and have lots of fun watching them.

Lori Markoff
Vienna
Fairfax County
canyon.eagle@xxxxxxxxxxx


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