As
we cling to the last bits of Autumn & it's glorious colors, and begin our
annual anxiety fest about the cold, snowy months ahead, let us not forget the
birds that are there to keep us company in those bleaker months. Let us not
take our feathered friends who are sticking it out with us month after month
for granted!
And I see the blue jay as if for the first
time, it is a beautiful bird. I mean
it's BLUE. How many times in nature
do we see blue? The sky we are forever taking for granted (we shouldn't of
course!) If the leaves on your oak suddenly were blue in October you would have
thousands of botanists camped in your yard! So even though the blue jay can be
an aggressive, squawky bird (alas not a songbird), it is spectacular against
the mutely colored yard or the snowy landscape. So too with the cardinals,
chickadees (cute as buttons!), titmice, juncos, finches, Carolina wrens, bluebirds,
sparrows, nuthatches, woodpeckers & all those non-migrating birds that
brighten our days. Let us be thankful that all birds don't head for the hills
when colder weather approaches! (Some even migrate to the colder climates ~ the
juncos). Thank them for sticking it out with us and adding much needed pops of
color and amusement to our landscapes!
Here are tips for feeding
of our feathered friends at this time of year:
The most important tip is to be consistent
with your feeding. Where most birds diets consist of insects and berries, the
further into winter we get, the tougher the supply. Seed & suet become
important staples to them. On my (affectionately known as) 'food court', I like
to always have a suet feeder as my first primary feeder. The suet provides the mega
calories the birds need this time of year. My second primary feeder has black-oiled
sunflower seeds, safflower seeds and some nuts mixed in. I love the peanut,
suet nuggets they sell at Wal-Mart as a special treat. It is also fun to make a
few pinecones covered in peanut butter & birdseed to hang (see below with black-capped chickadee).
The cardinals love a feeder with a platform rather than a perch to feed from. Whatever feeders you choose, the ideal situation is to baffle your feeders to keep the squirrels away (if you choose!) Most of all have fun with it and enjoy all the antics! You can also be ready then to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count held Feb 12-15, 2016. See below for more info.
https://www.audubon.org/content/about-great-backyard-bird-count
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