Hi from Montana!

[CountryEscape]

Sissy, how much salt do you put in say a bird bath to keep it from freezing and so it's still ok for the birds and they drink it? I would think birds would not like it with salt in it, but I can sure understand why the deer would, since they will dig in the ground to gather salt. But, how much is too much, or better yet, how much is enough to keep the water from freezing? Great idea, BTW!

 

[sissy]

Depends on the size of your bird bath and the middle sized one I have I put some stones in the center so the birds have something to help them get out if they are bathing and also helps the birds feathers and the mites they carry die off and also helps the birds skin underneath healthy .I read that in a book on birds ,but my dad always put salt in his birdbaths but I later found out how good it is for birds . .I use a kitchen soup ladle not quite full in that bird bath and the bigger one I use a cup full but that one is around 2 feet deep and around 3 feet wide .I use the same solar salt in the birdbaths as I use in the pond .I guees you could try it with around 6 tablespoons full thats about what I can see my ladle takes to fill it to the mark I have on it .I bought a cheap dollar store ladle just for that a put a permanent black majic marker mark on it .

 

[CountryEscape]

Wow, that's a lot of salt, but to keep the water from freezing I'm sure it would need that. Do you put the salt in year round, or just in the winter time? Thanks for the tip!

 

[sissy]

I usually put it in until late spring to help the birds with the mites also .I'm not sure how big you fountain is but just measure my smaller one and that 3 feet across and around 6 inches deep but has a fountain on top of that that is smaller with a pump that pumps water to the top one and then runs back over to the bottom one ,that is when I have the pump plugged in but I usually just fill top and bottom and let it go .I looked but I have no pics but this one in my media and you can see the one birdbath barely, the double one

 

[CountryEscape]

Nice pic!!! Yes, can easily see the birdbath. I don't have one yet, but want to get one, just always worried about it freezing in the winter, and having to have a heater ... more costs. Your idea of salt is much more cost effective.
Love your porch swing frame. Very unique, and I'm sure you built it. And, I don't think I've ever seen your pond area from this angle. Didn't know I did the same thing as you with the landscape stones for outside edge. Looks like you also framed up your waterfall area with the same stones. No wonder you said I needed to support those stones, since they angle inward.

 

[sissy]

My uncle built the swing and he delivered it and then 2 weeks later he suddenly passed away and he was building me 2 more of the side wheels .I miss him and his funny laugh The swing I built but he did a lot of welding it was his hobby and he loved doing it .He put the antlers on top because of all the deer I get up here .A freind of his gave him the antlers for it .

 

[addy1]

Neat swing sissy, looks great.

The birds bath and drink out of my bog and stream, they love the running water. Right now they are drinking out of the pond and lotus pond.

 

[mtpond]

We have two springs close to the house, one is about sixty-five ft. away and the other one is about two hundred and fifty ft. away. They both run year round so thats why I was surprised the deer came to my pond. Three does came down the hill this evening and was heading to the spring closes to the house. I had my husband go and check to see if maybe it had frozen over. It was still running but it wasn't pooling so he took the shovel and cleaned the ice and snow away. Hopefully I won't have any more deer coming to the pond.

We have two bird feeders close to our pond and last summer the birds would land on the rocks in the waterfall and drink and bath in the water. We also have a bird bath and a feeder on the other side of the house on the deck. This summer I'm going to put up a bat house. We have always had bats because of the springs. Last summer they would come and fly over the pond. Even tho we have the springs we don't usually have alot of mosquito's and I'm sure thats because of the bats.

 

[CountryEscape]

MT bats are fun to watch, and very worth having around. I have had my bat house up on a cut down tree (I had them leave the 12-15' trunk to hang my bird feeders on, bat house is at the top) since last year. I'm hoping sooner or later I will get a few bats to take up residence. I also have a large old barn, and farm pond, so hoping that I have enough of the habitat they desire. I have very few trees, and no woods for over a mile, but still hoping.
Same with the deer. They don't come to my yard as there is no cover to run to for over a mile. It's sad, as I would feed them if they came. Used to have Golden Retrievers, but now only a Boston Terrier and beagle in my area. Maybe someday they will stop by.

 

[sissy]

Do you add salt to your pond the deer need salt and that could be why they are coming up to drink from your pond .If you put out a salt block for the deer that may keep them farther away from your plants and ponds .Funny salt not good for us but good for the deer .

 

[mtpond]

No I don't add salt to my pond. We have a pony so there is a salt block down in her pasture which is close to the spring that is the furthest from our house.

 

[mtpond]

The temp here was only about 40, some sun and tonight the temp at the bottom of the pond is 38.5. The warmest its been all winter. Tonight the water is a little cloudy. It has been clear all winter until now. The city park has had there small waterfall running for the last couple of weeks. Maybe I will start mine up since my pond hasn't been froze over for a couple of weeks.

 

[addy1]

Mine is being started up, we just hit 60 yesterday 65 today, fish are chasing, eating roots, pond water up to 45 (surface just read, 48 air temp)

 

[CountryEscape]

I just checked my pond temp - at surface it's 40. Will get warmer today (high of 65 predicted) then colder Fri. night (getting down to low 20's) then back up .... yoyo temps in IL, imagine that! Sounds like the whole country is experiencing that, though.

 

[j.w]

We yo yo'd a bit for awhile but not enough IMHO................I want some of the warm yo yo stuff you guys are getting! We are in ho hum cool, rainy, windy pooh! Although today is just sort of blah w/ nothing much going on type of day.