Many residents at Lake Okareka are noticing the increased numbers of birds that are living here. That is happening as a result of all of the pest control work that is being undertaken in the area. The volunteers from Rotorua branch of Forest and Bird with the animal pest control in the Tikitapu Scenic Reserve are doing a great job of enhancing the environment in the reserve, with many more mistletoe plants growing. This work has also resulted in increasing numbers of birds.
This volunteer project is supported by those Lake Okareka residents who have played their part by purchasing rat bait stations and then keeping these topped up with rat bait during the year—see separate article in Newsletter about rat bait. There is also the work that Landcare Okareka volunteers, assisted by other Lake Okareka residents, who have been doing checking on the traps in boxes and targeting mainly rats and mustelids in the riparian areas around the lake.
This volunteer project is supported by those Lake Okareka residents who have played their part by purchasing rat bait stations and then keeping these topped up with rat bait during the year—see separate article in Newsletter about rat bait. There is also the work that Landcare Okareka volunteers, assisted by other Lake Okareka residents, who have been doing checking on the traps in boxes and targeting mainly rats and mustelids in the riparian areas around the lake.
Many people are also helping by feeding the birds, especially over winter. If you would like to help feed the birds and get pleasure from having birds such as bellbirds, tuis and wax eyes come to your garden, there are several things that you can do. You can make up feeders for sugar water – these can be small dishes or troughs, hung in trees or placed along a deck railing. Or feeders can be made up from a length of larger diameter PVC pipe with holes drilled into it along the length, and end caps to seal the tube. These feeding tubes can be attached using clips to a piece of timber which can then be secured to a deck railing. The recipe
for sugar water is around 1/2 cup of sugar per litre of water. Dissolve the sugar first in warm water and then top up with cold water.
You can also make feeding tables for dishes of seeds and nuts; fruits such as ripe apples, oranges or bananas can be fed; dripping can be hung in the red plastic string bags (that garlic comes in) and put up in trees - wax eyes really like this. There are commercially available bird seed feeders— they can benefit from having a larger dish, such as a plastic plant pot tray attached to the bottom, to give a larger area for birds to feed.
Whereever you place sugar water, a feeding table, a bird seed feeder or bags of dripping just check that cats cannot get at the birds while they are feeding. Moreporks (owls) on the other hand are another story.... Having fresh water available for the birds, especially for bathing in—like a bird bath—is also a well appreciated item for many birds
for sugar water is around 1/2 cup of sugar per litre of water. Dissolve the sugar first in warm water and then top up with cold water.
You can also make feeding tables for dishes of seeds and nuts; fruits such as ripe apples, oranges or bananas can be fed; dripping can be hung in the red plastic string bags (that garlic comes in) and put up in trees - wax eyes really like this. There are commercially available bird seed feeders— they can benefit from having a larger dish, such as a plastic plant pot tray attached to the bottom, to give a larger area for birds to feed.
Whereever you place sugar water, a feeding table, a bird seed feeder or bags of dripping just check that cats cannot get at the birds while they are feeding. Moreporks (owls) on the other hand are another story.... Having fresh water available for the birds, especially for bathing in—like a bird bath—is also a well appreciated item for many birds
There are many useful places on the internet to look for more information about feeding birds e.g. forest and bird.org. Use a search engine to find some really useful information about feeding birds.
Remember you are just supplementing the birds’ normal feed supplies, to help them over the winter. Enjoy watching the birds come to your garden—and please take part in Landcare Okareka’s garden bird survey.
Sandra Goodwin—June 2016
Remember you are just supplementing the birds’ normal feed supplies, to help them over the winter. Enjoy watching the birds come to your garden—and please take part in Landcare Okareka’s garden bird survey.
Sandra Goodwin—June 2016
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