Thanks to a worldwide economic crisis, times are tough all
over. But even if you’re pinching pennies, you can still help our feathered
friends during the critical winter months.
For wildlife lovers in cold climes, one of the most
inexpensive and probably most important gift you can give your backyard birds
is water. While avians are able to get
moisture from snow, their tiny bodies must expend a great deal of energy in the
process. Providing fresh and abundant
water guarantees your birds won’t have to work so hard to survive.
Retail farm stores, like Fleet Farm, sell a variety of
quality, energy-efficient water heaters
for under $50. At Bon Bon Pond, I use
the models that submerge in existing bird baths, but there are many other
styles available, such as heated bowls that attach to deck railings. If you prefer internet shopping, a quick
Google search will turn up a plethora of options.
An added benefit of offering water is you will attract many
species of birds that do not visit
feeders. For instance, a few weeks back a flock of beautiful Cedar Waxwings
stopped by the Pond to rest and rehydrate.
Additionally, the water I provide keeps a half-dozen male Robins with me
for the entire winter.
Habitat is also crucial for wintering birds and you can help
out by doing . . . nothing! Unless that
dead tree is threatening your home or other structure, leave it alone as it
will provide shelter for the order of cavity-dwellers, such as Woodpeckers,
Nuthatches and Black-capped Chickadees.
Wild birds’ diets change during winter months. With an absence of insects, many species now
turn to seeds and suet for sustenance. A
rich, high energy food, nyjer thistle is a cold weather favorite for American Goldfinches
and Pine Siskins.
Fruit and nut mixes are the blend of choice for Black-capped
Chickadees, Woodpeckers and Nuthatches.
The above-mentioned birds are also fans of suet. Name brand specialty-flavored cakes are more
expensive, but not necessarily favored by the birds. I look for cakes that contain primarily
fat. If you see a preponderance of gold and reddish-brown
dots in the cakes do not buy them.
Milett is a cheap filler and I have yet to find a single species that
enjoys it. Grocery stores and meat
markets also sell suet so shop around and look for the best deals.
Sunflower hearts and chips are a great winter foodstuff—especially
for the smaller species-- as the birds do not have to expend extra energy
breaking thru the hulls.
If you have trouble with marauding squirrels, safflower—the
favorite food of Northern Cardinals-- is a good choice. Be aware that some squirrels will eat it, but
it’s not an attraction.
Unfortunately, the premium blends and hull-less seeds are
pricey, but if you can’t swing it, there’s still that good old-fashioned
staple: black oil sunflower seeds. In a pinch, even hungry insect and
fruit-eating species, such as Robins, will consume sunflower seeds.
Now that you have your foodstuffs, it’s time to consider
feeders. When I first began birding I purchased feeders based on
appearance. Big mistake. Cute and artsy doesn’t mean squat to our
avians. Having the right feeders can
make a world of difference not only in the number and variety of birds you
attract, but also how much food you go thru.
Starlings and crows, for example, are notorious feeder hogs that also
prevent smaller species from eating.
Cage-type feeders are a great investment as they keep out squirrels and
nuisance birds, plus provide Goldfinches, Nuthatches, Pine Siskins, Chickadees
and other smaller birds with a safe and stress-free feeding environment.
An added benefit to cage-type feeders is that larger species,
like Hairy Woodpeckers, soon learn to “hang” on the bottom, stick their beaks in and feast on the food
that has fallen to the base.
A simple rule-of-thumb when it comes to feeders: big birds,
such as Blue Jays and Cardinals, prefer platform feeders, while smaller birds
enjoy perching. With this plan in mind,
I fill the platform feeders with black oil sunflower seeds, and save the
expensive mixes and hull-less seeds for the cage-type feeders.
Finally, do not forget the ground-feeding birds! While it’s true they can “clean up” where food
has fallen, the large flock of adorable
Dark-eyed Juncos that winter at Bon Bon Pond deserve more than just scraps. Each
day I sprinkle seeds on the ground in an area that offers protection from
predators and is regularly cleaned of snow--speaking of which, remember to
brush the flakes off of all feeders after each snowfall.
As an added treat for my Blue Jays, I also sprinkle cracked
corn, plus put out a hanging, flat, pan-style feeder that I fill each morning
with a couple cups of salted-in-the-shell peanuts. Some ornithologists frown on this
variety, but I offer them as a treat and not a staple. Besides, it’s fun to see a large flock of
these blue beauties wait for me each morning, then joyfully wing off with their
treasures in tow. Did you know that
brilliant Blue Jays are one of the only wild birds that cache food?
Best of all, winter birding—even on a budget--offers the
opportunity to get to know some of the sweetest and friendliest of migrating songbirds,
such as Pine Siskins and Red-breasted Nuthatches. Get started today and you’ll soon have them “eating out of your hand!”
Billed as the “Midwest snowstorm of 2012,” the Leap Day Dumping delivered a
mixed bag. 
I kept thinking “hmmm, all I need is a machine, some syrup
and paper cones.”
