Two to six doing it right I


enjoy feeding birds all year long but there is something about the summer season that makes me love it so much more. The beautiful colours


of birds, having my windows open to hear those amazing songs, and just being able to sit outside and enjoy all of this is so inspiring. It's a great way to be in touch with na- ture and to appreciate all it has to offer. One little gem, the ruby-throated hummingbird is a bird that just fascinates me and I truly consider it an


honour to receive


Sherrie Versluis Feathered Friends


visits from this special bird. Sadly, because it is a popular bird to attract to feeders, many companies make feeders and foods that are inadequate and


in some cases even inappropriate. Here are some tips for making sure you are doing the right thing for all of your backyard birds this summer. We will start with the tiny ruby-throated hum- mingbird. These birds weigh in at two to six grams depending on the time of year, in fall they weigh their heaviest as they prepare for migration. Their wingspan is three to four inches and males are slightly smaller than females. It is truly unbelievable that this little bird flies all the way across the Gulf of Mexico to South America in fall and then back again in spring. What an amazing feat! Hummingbirds are a very popular bird to attract


to feeders and, sadly, the majority of nectar feeders sold are designed to be cute, not functional. Be sure to look for a feeder that is easy to clean as mold grows rapidly inside these feeders due to the sugar solution that is offered. Also, read the packaging to ensure it is leak-proof. Leaky feeders do a great job attracting ants, wasps, and hornets which deter hummingbirds. For your viewing pleasure, make sure the feeder has perches. Avoid overly decorative feeders, remember the decoration is the beautiful hummingbird itself! As for nectar preparation, I cannot stress enough


the importance of offering a proper solution. The best way is making it yourself. Boil water, measure out four cups, add one cup of white sugar and stir till dissolved. Never ever add anything else like food colouring, red soda, powdered drink mixes and use no other sweetener. Any of these are either directly harmful to hummingbirds or cause harm by rapid fermentation and mold. Pre-made liquid mixes have


colouring and preservatives so do not use. You can leave your own solution in the fridge for up to two weeks and be sure to wash out the feeder and refill with fresh nectar every few days. The hotter it is out- side the more frequently you will have to maintain it. This recipe and maintenance instructions also ap- ply to oriole feeders. Orioles also eat grape jelly and oranges and there are special feeders designed to at- tract them. Bird baths are a really fun item to have in the yard as they attract many species of birds including ones that do not come to feeders. Some people have is- sues with algae growing in birdbaths so use bleach or even baking soda and scrub it clean. Be sure to rinse it out well before refilling. Bird baths usually require a lot of maintenance especially in hot, dry periods. Summer is the season of reproduction for wild


birds and it is their main focus. Offering birdhouses will attract some species like wrens, chickadees, and nuthatches but most birds nest in shrubs and in trees or even on the ground. Birdhouses should be at least 15 feet away from birdfeeders. These are just a few tips to get the most enjoy- ment out of your summer birding and to help you offer the best of everything to the birds. It is up to us to ensure that the products we offer wild birds are nothing but beneficial to them. In return, we are treated to some very interesting and beautiful birds to enjoy all throughout the season while making their lives a little easier. Sherrie Versluis owns the Preferred Perch and is an avid birder.


Homeowners beware – check your foundation for soil shrinkage


S


ome 20,000 years ago Manitoba was glacial Lake Agassiz. It left our province with a legacy of a sometime shifting undercarriage. This is a partial answer to one of the many ques-


tions I receive, which is, “Why is my foundation cracking?” Due in part to the tremendous tem- perature swings that we experience in our province, exacerbated by changes in soil moisture levels, foundations often become unstable which forces cracking.


Homes, be they old or new, are con- stantly moving just a little, thanks to the weather cycles in Manitoba, where temperatures can plunge from plus 35 degrees C, to minus 35 degrees C, a huge fluctuation. You might be able to predict this by


drainage sloping towards your house instead away from the house, and in some cases a bowl effect will appear in the front yard. These are all very explain- able.


looking at the lawns, both back and front, around your house. Typically, what we see is sloping, either toward the house or to the centre of the front yard. It wasn’t like this when the home was built but over time, soil settles, rain and frost and underground influences shift the surface and gradually, soil may shrink away from the foundation. Sometimes there wasn’t quite enough fill around the foundation in the first place. Quite often we will discover a lack of soil in someone’s yard. Foundations require the earth to be evenly distrib- uted around the building. What you might see is


May 2020 Improvements


Brent Poole Home


• Drainage sloping to the house may be caused in part by eaves- troughs not correctly positioned. Ensure throughout the year that all eaves-troughs are running away from the home. Running parallel will affect the foundation. • The bowl effect in the front lawn may indicate that there was a river here 20,000 years ago, perhaps 200 to 400 feet below the home. Slowly over the years, the earth has settled into this natural depression. Don’t panic! This is easily rectified by add- ing several yards of soil delivered and spread evenly and levelling the lawn. This is preferably completed in the spring. Allow the spring rains to settle


the soil to allow a reseeded lawn to grow. Paying attention can help prevent serious struc-


tural damage to your home. If you see any of these telltale signs of trouble, call a professional. These are some of the day-today services Handy-Hands Con- struction offers to its clients. Brent Poole is the owner operator of Handy Hands Construction, which he has run with his father Jim since 1997. A carpenter by trade, Brent enjoys all types of proj- ects. “We’re not happy until you are happy!”


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