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Welcome to BirdTracks® Online!
An e-mail newsletter from Wild Birds Unlimited for July 2003.

In This Issue:
1. Give your birds a swimmin' hole!
2. Include nature in your vacation plans.

Give your birds a swimmin' hole!
Do you want to attract some new and different birds to your backyard? Add a source of water! When most people think of providing water to birds, they think of a birdbath. But there are many other ways to quench your birds' thirst and offer a water play area. You can attach drippers and misters to your birdbath, or you can hang a mister in a bush.

• Birdbaths come in many shapes, sizes and materials. You can place a birdbath on the ground, mount it on a pedestal or hang it from a tree or deck. Birds like bathing and drinking in different water depths, so consider placing a piece of stone in one end of the birdbath so smaller birds can access the water.
• You can attach a dripper to your birdbath and provide a source of moving water - which backyard birds find irresistible! You'll need to be sure you place the dripper near an outlet so you can plug it in and near a water source that you can turn on and off. What you'll see will delight you! Many birds, such as chickadees, finches and titmice, will land on the dripper spout and creep down to the end and lean over to take a drink!
• You can hang a mister in shrubbery or on a tree. Birds can "leaf-bathe" by fluttering their wings against the wet foliage. Some birds also may fly in and out of the mist.

Whatever source of water you decide to provide for your birds, it's important that you keep it clean. Replenish water often, and scrub birdbaths and accessories as needed to prevent bacteria from building up.

The certified birdfeeding specialists at Wild Birds Unlimited can help you choose the right water source for your yard.

Include nature in your vacation plans
As you embark on your summer vacation consider stopping by some of the unique birding sites that the Wild Birds Unlimited Pathways To Nature® Conservation Fund has helped bring to life. A portion of every purchase you make at Wild Birds Unlimited goes toward this fund.

Take a nature hike through scenic Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary at the new visitor center of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York. An information kiosk, funded with a Pathways To Nature grant, provides a map of more than four miles of trails and a bird checklist.

Learn about animals that live in the wetlands when you visit the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News, Virginia. An aviary viewing platform, built with the help of a Pathways To Nature grant, offers a wealth of information as you overlook 3,100 square feet of natural wetlands.

Participate in interpretative bird and conservation programs at the Point Reyes Bird Observatory in Stinson Beach, California. The expanded visitor center, paid for in part by a Pathways To Nature grant, enhances the educational information available.

Access http://www.pathwaystonature.com for a complete list of recipients. It's all part of our mission to bring people and nature together. Have a great summer vacation!