Birdwatching is a hobby that many people enjoy to varying degrees. Some people will go out of their way to go “Birding” while others will put out some feeders in the hopes of seeing some nice birds come by.
Which ever camp you fall into, there are some things that you need to do to prepare and encourage those little feathered friends to stop by your home. You won’t be disappointed if you put out a feeder or two. The birds will appreciate your help as the winter drains them of energy much faster than in summer months.
This little goldfinch is still feeding through the summer months and encouraging them to do that is wonderful.
But, then don’t leave them to starve in the winter months. Gold Finches are hard to recognize when winter arrives. They loose their pretty yellow feathers and become a dark dull gray color without that splash of yellow. If they have been coming to you through the summer months, then they will come to you through the winter months as well. They have been trained well. Without a doubt, you will have lovely Niger seeds (their most favorite seed) waiting for them. They will count on you to provide those seeds through the winter as well.
This Lovely Female Cardinal is looking for her next meal!
Setting out bird feeders is the first way in which to entice the birds to come to visit in the winter months.
They need food to keep their little bodies warm. It is best practice, to start feeding from feeders, early in the season, before the snow starts to fly. While the birds will find sources of food during the autumn, they will also “scope” out the easy places to feed too!
Bird Feeders come in a variety of sizes and shapes and price points too. What kind of feeder you put up, will depend on what kind of birds you are trying to attract.
Most bird feeders will take a variety of seed types, from millet and cracked corn, to sunflower seeds and nuts.
It’s good to know what kind of seed is preferred by the birds in your area.
In the northern parts of the States and Southern Canada, you will get a variety of birds like blue jays, cedar wax jays, cardinals, woodpeckers, mourning doves, juncos, sparrows, and the lovely little chickadees.
Many of the birds that stay for the winter love to feast on Black Sunflower seeds. They are high in protein for the birds and high in oils that keep them healthy during those cold winter days and nights. Many of the birds are not as fussy and a good mix of seeds will delight them just as well.
Suet cakes are another wonderful way to feed the birds during the coldest times of the year. You can buy these already prepared or you can make your own. (This Grammie makes her own and you can read more about that here: http://grammieknows.ca/super-easy-suet-cakes/)
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These products offer a good selection of seed and fruit/nut mixes that most birds will be very happy to indulge in. That means lots of visits to your garden.
Birds in the winter need a source of water!
Its easy to have water ready for them, even when it’s freezing outside. Even in a shelter spot, the water will freeze, so “birders” and those of us who love to see the birds year round, invest in a small heated birdbath. This keeps the water right around 32 degrees, so that it is drinkable for those thirsty and hungry little feathered creatures. This one would be ideal:
So you need to be ready with two more things! Your camera and or a set of binoculars or both, need to be ready to use at a moments notice. You will be treated to the antics of the birds as they feed and enjoy their take out buffet. Birds are amazing to watch and enjoyable to see in the coldest bitter months. That bright red of the cardinals, or the blue and grey of the Jays is a delight against the white backgrounds of winter. I bet you are lucky and a good photographer! Your next Holiday Cards could be made from a picture taken in your own backyard. How’s that for wishing everyone a Happy Holiday from your house to theirs?
So just to recap, the 5 things you need to do to keep the birds happy and coming back for more, are:
- Have your bird feeders clean and ready
- Have the types of seed that birds in your area like.
- Have some suet cakes ready for those birds who need the extra fat content
- Have a source of water available to the birds at all times
- Have your camera and/or binoculars ready for a fun winter of bird watching.
For more information or if you want to become a “birder” you can check out these links:
http://www.natureconservancy.ca/assets/documents/nat/birds10.pdf
http://www.birdwatching.com/tips/birdfeedingwinter.html
I love sitting out on my deck watching the birds and keep meaning to get a bird feeder, but I do have a lot of native trees that provide plenty of food for them and I also have a spotted dove that comes to visit and ‘demands’ to be handfed! Our most colorful visitors are Rainbow Lorikeets, they are out the front when one of the trees are flowering, then they move down the rear when another one flowers, then to the side (out of view of my deck, but the neighbors enjoy them) and then to a tree about halfway down on my side boundary. They’re mature trees planted before I moved in and I’ve always wondered if they were planted to ensure the lorikeets could feed all year round or not!
Oh Louanne, aren’t you the lucky one. I guess it depends on where you live if you need to put up bird feeders or not. I bet those Lorikeets are pretty. I’m going off now to look for one on the web, so I can drool. Birds for me are just the nicest little animals to watch and I love that they also feed my little chipmunk too. Whatever seed drops to the ground, the chippie, races out and puffs his cheeks full. It always amazes me how these little creatures manage to survive our winters.
I live in western southern Canada and I see lots of blue jays in our yard in the colder months. They are so pretty!!
Yes, Corrinna Johnson, we get a lot of Blue Jays and cardinals in our yard as well. I love the bright colors of these birds when everything else is white…..but I can wait a little longer for that. We are already training our birds to come for a visit.
Such a lovely post. I love to watch the birds in my yard. We have a lot of trees. Been doing a lot of gardening this year, so maybe I will have time to add one or more bird feeders. Hard to keep the squirrels off them.
Paula Atwell, if you get one of the squirrel proof feeders, you will be in for a treat. It’s really hilarious to watch the squirrels trying to get into them. Have a camera ready.
I’ve never had a bird feeder, since in Templeton we usually had natural sources around in the trees and shrubs to provide for our feathered and buzzing friends. Here we may need to get one, even though the weather rarely gets below freezing. This post is an inspiration to do so.
I’m sure the birds where you are Barbara probably do find enough food to keep them going, but birds can be lazy and if you put out feeders, they will come. Great for taking pictures and just the enjoyment of seeing them up close and personal.
Lots of people will set out fed during the mild months of the year. I have photos of my father in coat, hat and gloves out adding food to his bird feeders. I always admired his determination to make sure his creatures are fed year round. Excellent advice and suggestions in this article Olivia!
Thank you Miss Cynthia, my father also did the same thing, boots, hats, mitts were always close to the door so that he could dash outside if the feeders were empty. I guess a little bit of him is in me. I love seeing the birds through the cold winter months.
I live in an apartment complex, so the only birds I can see are in the trees outside my window. But my brother & SIL have multiple bird feeders in their yard and they really enjoy watching the visiting birds.
I hear you Miss Elf. Many apartments don’t want you using feeders because they attract pigeons and make a terrible mess. So you need to go and visit with family to get your fill of the birds up close and personal. Or get a pair of binoculars so you can enjoy the ones in the trees.
I’m still watching hummingbirds (they’re fattening up now for their southern flight) and definitely looking forward to winter feeding. I’ll be getting those feeders out soon.
Oh I hear you Susan, I think I saw my last hummer two weeks ago. I haven’t seen one since then. My feeders are up already and the birds are scoping them out! It’s so much fun to watch them. This year I have a little chipmunk living under my deck, so he comes to claim whatever seed has fallen. I’m a happy camper.