May

01

Attracting Birds to Your Garden

Posted by Selkirk Solar | Posted in Bird Fountains | Posted on 01-05-2010

Portsmouth BirdbathIf you want to attract wild birds to your yard, a solar birdbath is the way to go.  A solar fountain is a good choice because of the options that you can incorporate along with it.  With a solar birdbath you get the peaceful sound of water splashing during sunny weather.  Lighting for evening use and a heater can be added to keep the water from freezing in the winter cold.
 
Solar birdbaths and water fountains come either self-contained, with the panel built into the fountain, or you can get one with a separate panel attached with a electrical wire that can be placed away from the fountain. The self-contained unit would need to be placed in a sunny location and the fountain with a separate panel can be placed anywhere as long as the panel is placed where the sun can shine upon it.   Solar birdbaths and water fountains need to have sun to operate but there are units that have a battery back up attached that is charged by the rays of the sun.  These are called “solar on demand” fountains.  The battery back up will then allow the fountain to operate in the evening hours and also on cloudy days.

Having a water source for birds is as important as having shelter and food. The birds use this water source to drink from as well as bathing in. Also, the sound of moving water in fountains attracts the birds to the fountain and the moving water also helps to keep mosquitoes from breeding in the fountain.

(1) Comment
Read More
Nov

21

The Year Round Heated Birdbath for Your Feathered Friends

Posted by Selkirk Solar | Posted in Bird Fountains | Posted on 21-11-2009

Have you ever wondered what birds do in the winter when the cold weather hits and all the water is frozen? Heated bird baths are an option for the cold winter months. Bird bath heaters can be purchased as a separate item and are easily used with any type of bird bath and are safer as the water does not freeze thereby reducing potential damage to the bird bath. Heating the water will help to solve most of the climate and freezing worries that come with having a pool of water available for your feathered friends to make themselves at home in. A bird bath heater can either come with a heated birdbath already installed and ready for use, or can be installed or added to almost any type of non heated bird baths you may already own.

They make it possible to provide the birds the water that they need even during the winter months. Thermostatically controlled heated bird baths are easy to maintain and will provide you with viewing pleasure all year long. Heated bird baths allow birds to bathe all year round and to have a fresh source of water when the snow and ice have covered every available pond. Little birds may especially appreciate this since bigger birds can chase them away from other small water sources, like puddles.

The heat they provide is a great addition to a bird feeding station as they provide essential fluids for wild birds. Some styles run on solar power and usually only require a pump for the constant flow of water they keep flowing into the bath. Today warmed bird baths come in an amazing variety of designs. Constant temperature bird baths are only heated to the point of thawing the frozen water. A bird bath heater should advertise the temperature it heats to and are available in post mount, pedestals, or even baths that you can mount to your porch or deck. They can also be used in all seasons not only in winter, but all year round.

Heated bird baths for wild birds are especially important in colder climates where the risk of water freezing is present. We know wild birds have survived for decades without the aid of warmed water in the winter, but doesn’t it sound nice to have some of the birds know that if they come to your garden, even in the winter, they will find some fresh water that they can drink and play in for a time before they get back to their regular routine?

(0) Comments
Read More
Oct

17

Tips when considering a water fountain

Posted by Selkirk Solar | Posted in Bird Fountains | Posted on 17-10-2009

I read an article the other day with tips on finding the right water fountain for your garden. One of them was to make sure that you get the right size that you want. Water fountains come in a large variety of sizes and getting the “right fit” for your garden is important to produce the effect that you want. You don’t want it too small so that it disappears into the surrounding greenery, or too large that it overwhelms the outside space.The article also mentioned that a water fountain is an investment, not an expense. The years of enjoyment, bird watching and just plain relaxation that a fountain can bring to you is invaluable.
(0) Comments
Read More
Selkirk Solar Water Fountains Rss