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Matilda
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| Posted: March 15 2007 at 6:19pm | IP Logged
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We have been enjoying all the lovely flittering and twittering going on around here but we have a problem. We were told that a fungus in the area killed all of our grass last year so we need to reseed. In one of my son's books there was a story about a family that was planting grass seed. They made a grid out of stakes and string in their yard and tied balloons to the string every few feet or so.
Does anyone know if this would work? Any other ideas? We don't want them the birdies to go away, we just don't want them to eat the grass seed. Thanks!
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Charlotte (Matilda)
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with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
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MacBeth
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| Posted: March 15 2007 at 8:08pm | IP Logged
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I have seen folks tie out plastic grocery bags on a grid as you describe, and it seems to work well, especially if there is plenty of wind.
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dani
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| Posted: March 16 2007 at 3:40am | IP Logged
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# Birds love seed, right? So what's to stop them from feasting on your newly laid grass seed? Put a little fence around the seeded area. Use wooden stakes to delineate the area and tie a generous piece of red "flash tape" around each stake. This is supposed to scare birds away from the seeded area.
# Cover the area with a thin layer of organic matter, such as compost or straw. The key here is to be sure the layer is thin.
# Gently cover the area with clear sheets of polyethylene plastic. Secure your edges with some rocks or stakes. It works almost like a little greenhouse. Remove plastic when you see sprouts of new grass. You'll still need to keep the little sprouts constantly moist until they're about an inch tall.
And maybe keeping your bird feeders full wouldn't hurt either so they won't be tempted to feast on your lawn. *smile*
...a few ideas picked up from allaboutlawns.com
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Matilda
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| Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:05pm | IP Logged
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The plastic bags sound like a good idea because they would provide noise and motion to deter the hungry little fellows.
I wish we could have a permanent feeder, but we have a problem with snakes and rodents in our area. My SIL had a neighbor with a feeder and it provided ideal conditions for a rat infestation. Our neighbor across the street had feeders and found snakes climbing her walls and trees to get at the nests. I think it has to do with the big open fields and woods we have surrounding our neighborhood. We do like to put up temporary feeders of the pine cone and peanut butter variety.
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Charlotte (Matilda)
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chicken lady
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| Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:37pm | IP Logged
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OH Matilda did you have to say the snakes were climbing the walls  What walls? In her house? This has now completely freaked me 
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Matilda
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| Posted: March 18 2007 at 1:46pm | IP Logged
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Oh, Molly, I am so sorry! Let me explain to put your mind at ease. The bird feeders had attracted a couple of mockingbirds who nested in her gutters. She knew they were there, but has a daughter who is very sensitive about animals and who didn't want her to remove the nests. The snakes were climbing up the gutter spouts to get the eggs in the nests. They were completely outside and were gone as soon as the wildlife department came and relocated nests. She has never had any more problems since she got rid of the feeder.
And also, we live a newly developed area of North Texas. There is new construction all around us and that is forcing the snakes into areas where they don't usually go, like near houses. I would think that Texas has a much larger snake population than Ohio.
Again, sorry to scare you! I completely understand. They freak me out too!
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Charlotte (Matilda)
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Waltzing Matilda
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anniemm
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| Posted: March 18 2007 at 7:18pm | IP Logged
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Wow Matilda...this kind of scares me! I grew up in the North Texas area, but now live in the Houston area in a heavily wooded location. I have been contemplating putting up a couple of these nesting boxes , which I am now going to have to reconsiter! Just in the last two days I have found a Southern Water Snake and a HUGE Cottonmouth!
Do you have any outdoor pets? We have a big black lab outside...I wonder if that deters snakes (I know it doesn't deter the birds  )...
Sorry to hijack lol!
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Matilda
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| Posted: March 18 2007 at 9:06pm | IP Logged
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****Discussion about SNAKES, read at your own risk****
I don't want to scare anyone so I will say first off that I am no expert in this area. I can only give information based on my experience.
Andrea,
You might want to contact the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to have them clarify my neighbor's situation if that has you concerned. Snakes will sometimes look for nesting birds as a source of food. They have the ability to watch for birds regularly landing thereby revealing their nest. You might possibly snake proof the nesting box with a collar of sheet metal to protect it.
As far as the dogs go...from what I have seen and heard dogs will actually see a snake as a plaything. There are places that will "snake train" your dog so they know to avoid snakes. A statistic I found said that in the United States, approximately 15,000 dogs are bitten by venomous snakes every year. The highest fatality rates occur in Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina and Texas.
I have been with my dad (who is a big hunter/fisherman) all over this great, big state. I have personally never seen any of the venomous variety. I have seen garden snakes and earth snakes, but those couldn't hurt you if they tried, which they won't!
It is not just a cliche to say that they are more afraid of you than you are of them. They do not seek people out only food and shelter. They do not chase people, only try to escape from danger. Most encounters with snakes happen when we cross into their territory. If you live in an area where undeveloped land is being built on you have to expect that as their habitats are destroyed they will go looking for new ones. The best way to avoid having them take up residence is to remove what looks like "residence" to them. Woodpiles, really mulchy garden areas, brush piles, junk piles, etc...places that say "move in ready" to these critters.
This looks like an excellent resource to find out more about the venomous snakes of Texas but be warned that they do have pictures if those make you squeamish.
I love nature, I really do, but I also know that there are aspects of nature that can be dangerous. Nature is not out to get us, it's just out to take care of itself the way God designed it.
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Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11, 10, 9 & 5) an even split for now
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Waltzing Matilda
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MacBeth
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| Posted: March 18 2007 at 9:10pm | IP Logged
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Matilda, what about a suet feeder? I have had some luck keeping even the squirrels away--and they'll go for nearly anything (they ate old charcoal out of a BBQ once!!). Will snakes eat suet (sorry to bring them up again, Molly!! )...or just young birds and mammals?
My neighbors have lately been putting out old bread . We have every possible type of vermin available since then. My kids won't visit the compost at night because of growling opossums.
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MacBeth in NY
Don's wife since '88; "Mom" to the Fab 4
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Matilda
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| Posted: March 18 2007 at 9:24pm | IP Logged
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****SNAKES AGAIN - Read at your own risk!*****
From what I understand, the snakes are not after the food like the rats would be. They are looking for the nests. It is not their primary source of food but one they will try for. If you have a permanent source of food close to your house then you are going to have more nests. My neighbor had a mockingbird nest in her gutter. The snakes were trying to get the eggs in the nest. They only see the bird feeder as a source of birds, not food. Now, the rat situation was in a neighborhood that backed up a wooded area surrounding a lake. Very rural! They were after the seeds so I don't think they would be interested in the suet.
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Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11, 10, 9 & 5) an even split for now
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Waltzing Matilda
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anniemm
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| Posted: March 19 2007 at 12:08pm | IP Logged
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Matilda,
I emailed some pictures to that website you mentioned with photos of what I think was a cottonmouth. I live in an area that is exactly what you described, a heavily wooded place that is now being developed and therefore driving wildlife out of their homes.
eeekkk
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: How to keep the birds away?
