National Bird Feeding Month

If you haven't heard, February is National Bird Feeding Month, and this year the birds need those extra tasty tidbits more than ever. The extreme snowfall over much of the country and even the bitter cold here in Utah make it harder for birds to find food just at a time they need more calories to maintain enough body heat to survive.

I have over a dozen feeders around my two yards - front and back - as well as the new crabapple and hawthorne trees. Most of my feeders have hulled sunflower seeds for fantastic energy without any residual mess, and I also feed Nyjer, cracked corn and mixed seed. Even more important than just feeding, though, is taking care of your feeders even in the harshest weather conditions - keep feeding trays clear and snow away from feeding ports and perches so the birds can access the food easily.

Every step you go beyond just feeding the birds can also help them survive these harsh storms. Keep a heated bird bath clean and filled for fresh water, and provide shelter in a brush pile, roosting boxes, or sheltered niches for roosting birds. You'll be rewarded as even in the most wicked part of winter, your yard is alive with energetic, healthy birds. I know mine is, and even on the days when the weather keeps me indoors, I am able to enjoy that touch of nature as my birds flit back and forth through the yard.

It's easy to get started feeding birds with these tips!

Stumped for a Feeder

Despite their ravenous appetites and often demanding nature, birds really aren't that picky. I've noticed this in the past few months as one of my least chic feeders has become my most popular - a simple section of old stump.

I'd been eyeing it for weeks this spring when someone in our neighborhood removed a tree and left several generous sections of thick trunk by the curb, and eventually my husband succumbed to my pleadings and brought home a chunk for me. We did nothing to it other than use a spade drill bit to drill a few dozen half inch deep depressions in the surface - initially that drilling was to check the hardness of the wood in order to hollow out a bowl, but before I got to that hollowing we moved the stump into position near my large backyard hopper feeder and I began using it. To my surprise, those small holes work very well to keep seed from blowing away, and the birds have no trouble removing the tasty bits of hulled sunflower.

Whenever I refill the hopper, I spread a half cup or more of seed directly onto the stump, but it never stays there for long. I've seen quite a few birds make use of this nondescript feeder: house finches, house sparrows, mourning doves, California quail, western scrub-jays, and even one brave black-capped chickadee that briefly clung to the side just as it would have to a live tree. Not only is it a popular feeding spot, but it becomes a queue for the hopper feeder as well.

Discovered first on a whim and quite by accident found to be a great choice, this is now one of my favorite feeders. I've even asked my landscaper to keep an eye open for other trunk sections if he's called to remove trees, and to save them for me. It's an easy way to recycle the wood, and the birds love it! Inexpensive, convenient, and naturally attractive, what's not to love?

Resolving

While the past few months have been hectic and work-filled, I've still managed to make some time for the birds, though closer to home. One of my most successful efforts has been leaving our patio table out this winter rather than storing it in the garage. I've put my platform feeder on the cross supports beneath the table, effectively shielding it from snowfall, wind, and other inclement weather. The ground below also gets less snow thanks to the table's cover, giving ground feeding birds more of a chance to enjoy the seed.

While it took a day or two for the birds to really discover the feeder's undercover location, it's been more successful than I'd ever hoped, and daily there are hungry, feisty flocks of house finches and house sparrows taking advantage of the shelter and seed. Occasionally the dark-eyed juncos will join them, though the American and lesser goldfinches prefer the nyger feeders and the Eurasian collared doves prefer the more open hopper and platform feeder out in the yard.

It just goes to show that even if you can't make it out into the field, you can certainly enjoy the birds close to home. Too often we forget the fun behavior and colorful personalities of our most common birds, but they can be just as entertaining and amazing as any new lifer or rare vagrant.

Enjoying the backyard birds more is just one of the birding-related resolutions I've made for 2010. I do also want to travel more, acquire more lifers, and continue renovating my landscaping for a better bird habitat. Of course, more frequent blog posts will be a part of all this! Whatever your New Year's bird-related resolutions may be, I wish you very happy birding!

Do you need New Year's resolutions for birders? These ideas can help!

Return of the Jays

Western scrub jays are one of my favorite birds, and I put whole peanuts out for them frequently in the summer. For the past few weeks, however, the peanuts have sat forgotten in their small dish on the patio table, only occasionally being disturbed or vanishing, though each time I've missed the perpetrator. Walking outside to finish putting up Christmas lights earlier this week, however, I saw one lone jay hunkered in our neighbor's apple tree, just surveying the neighborhood. I immediately replenished the peanut supply, and within just a few minutes that jay and one of his friends were eagerly picking over the nuts and caching them wherever they could.

Too often, birders remove feeders long before they should, leaving birds one more food source short as winter approaches. I urge you to keep your feeders filled and fresh, even if you don't see the birds as often or if your favorite species seem to have vanished. They are around, even if they visit less or are more unseen, and different foods in a ready supply will be very welcome. Once they realize they can continue to count on you for a tasty meal, they may return even more frequently, as noted by the jays that have visited much more often in the last day or two - always picking clean the peanut dish I'm keeping filled.

Granted, many birds migrate and you won't see them again until spring, but in the meantime, why not share your backyard buffet with their winter cousins? Keep those feeders filled!

Up Front Feeding Fun

I had a birdfeeder epiphany a few weeks ago - all my feeders are in the backyard, and while I'm working studiously on upgrading the landscaping to create a bird sanctuary, it is obviously a long-term project and a slow process. Meanwhile, I have mature aspen trees, small blue spruce trees, boulders, and a few shrubs already in my front yard, but no birdfeeders. Why not?

Most people tend to put all their birdfeeders in the backyard because that is a center of outdoor activity for play areas, a grill, deck, spa, or whatever may be available, making backyard birding convenient for backyard feeders. While it is the same for us, I miss out on much of the bird activity because my office faces the front yard. So why, then, don't I have feeders in my front yard? Last weekend, I changed that by purchasing another feeder pole and wooden hopper feeder from Bill Fenimore at the Wild Bird Center in Layton (can I possibly recommend him enough?). Installing it was a hassle, as our soil is quite rocky and the pole is difficult to sink straight, but we managed.

For a day or two the feeder and its bounty of sunflower chips sat lonely and desolate. I was concerned that perhaps the busy street we live on was too much of a disruption that the birds wouldn't appreciate, but that was not to be. Within two days one female house finch had found the feeder, and the next day she returned with a male house finch and a male house sparrow. Today, the feeder's popularity has boomed and a boisterous flock of house finches and house sparrows was waiting turns to feed -- the nearby boulder, the small shrubs, and even my office windowbox became perches for hungry birds. The level of seed is dropping quickly, and I look forward to filling it. I may not have brought birds all the way into my office, but they're just a glance away.

If you only have feeders in one spot in your yard, I highly recommend adding more in different areas. Watch where the birds congregate - long before I considered adding feeders to the front yard, I'd seen the popularity of the blue spruce trees as flock hangouts. Check your bird activity, and plan accordingly to expand your own feeder selections. Happy birding!

Not sure which feeders to add to your yard? Give these easy feeders a try!

No Fooling, an April Poll

It's fascinating to see that not only is all birdseed not the same, but different bird species have very strong preferences for what types of seed they prefer. I've discovered several bird preferences by observing my very mixed and very hungry flock...

• Pine siskins and lesser goldfinches prefer almost exclusively nyger seed, most frequently from sock feeders or ground feeding.


• American goldfinches prefer nyger seed but will also indulge in black oil sunflower seeds. They will feed from mesh socks, tube feeders, or platforms, as well as spilled seed.


• House finches prefer black oil sunflower seeds and eat from the hopper feeder and spilled seed. They do try to balance on the tube feeders, but the size isn't quite right for their comfort.


• House sparrows are more likely to take millet but will also eat black oil sunflower seeds. Platform feeders are their favored buffet line.


• Eurasian collared doves will eat milo, millet, and black oil sunflower seeds; it just seems to depend on what is readily available on the ground for them, and they swallow it without removing the shell.


• Mourning doves prefer millet but will also swallow black oil sunflower seeds.


• Dark eyed juncos are exclusively millet diners, perferably on the ground but also on open platform feeders.


• American robins don't care for seed but enjoy the bread scraps on the ground.


• Mallards will gorge on black oil sunflower seeds and millet from beneath feeders or on the ground. That they will also sample treats from low platform feeders seems to be quite the eccentricity from my neighborhood ducks.


• Cassin's finches prefer black oil sunflower seed but will also taste nyger in hopper and platform feeders.

Seeing such varied dining preferences reinforces the idea that a backyard will be filled with richer bird life if we offer a range of unique foods and different ways for the birds to eat. That, then, is the crux of this month's poll -- what bird foods do you offer in your backyard? Cast your votes!

Sock It to Me

With more and more pine siskins mobbing the small tube feeders I use -- the larger versions will go out on the first day of spring -- I decided to try out a nyger sock feeder. I knew birders had success with the design, but I was not prepared for the wild popularity the sock would find instantly in my backyard. It took only a few minutes before the first siskin chose the sock over the tube feeders, and by the end of the day they were already battling over who could usurp the prime feeding positions on the mesh.

It's clearly a preferred type of feeder, and I've had up to eight individual siskins on it at once. The lesser goldfinches will also use it, though they're often driven off by the very territorial siskins. I'm amazed at how effective the sock design is, as the birds can cling to it every which way without needing to crane their necks for each bite. I'm already planning to buy more, and more garden hooks, to provide a larger and more flock-friendly feeding station. If you don't yet have a sock feeder, I highly recommend it!

New Month, New Birds, New Poll

What a wonderful weekend for birding in southern Utah; I've now added 16 new species to my life list, for a total of 69 different birds that I can definitively say I've been privileged to observe. The new arrivals are:

• Hooded Merganser
• Great Blue Heron
• American Wigeon
• Wood Duck
• Ruddy Duck
• Black Crowned Night Heron
• Canvasback
• Common Raven
• Greater Roadrunner
• Red Tailed Hawk
• Pied Billed Grebe
• Burrowing Owl
• Prairie Falcon
• Wilson's Snipe
• Abert's Towhee
• Bald Eagle

Many of these species I've actually observed before, but not been able to spot enough of their unique characteristics for a sure and confident identification -- though the wood ducks were by far the easiest to identify due to their bright colors and distinctive markings. I also saw many species already on my list, including mourning doves, lesser goldfinches, mallards, mute swans, Eurasian collared doves, American robins, white crowned sparrows, golden eagles, and more. It was a true treat to spend the weekend in the field, and I can't recommend such an experience highly enough for any birder. I will share more thoughts on the St. George Winter Bird Festival later this week.

As it is now a new month, it is also time for a new poll. The January poll results proved that the majority of birders who visit here prefer to birdwatch in their own backyard, so this month let's see what number of feeders is most common. I have six feeders currently filled, though I'll have eight or more in the summer months. What about your backyard feeding stations? Share your totals in the poll or the comments!

Seed Cents

As any birder knows, supporting a ravenous flock of even small birds can be expensive, particularly once they develop gourmet tastes for pricier seeds. Fortunately, I found a fabulous deal recently and was able to store 100 pounds of black oil sunflower seed for just $40; quite the bargain. The key is to look in unexpected places for bargains -- in this case, our local Sears Grand store is closing and everything is heavily discounted, including birdseed and feeders that are part of the garden center.

Other places to find great discounts include:

• Nurseries
• Home improvement stores
• Pet stores
• Farm stores
• Garden centers

At this time of year, sales on birdseed, feeders, and other accessories are common because many birders slow down or cease feeding their backyard birds in the winter and stock moves more slowly. Savvy birders can take full advantage to keep their feathered friends fed at a great price!

Snowbird Visit

Yesterday was an eventful day: the weather became decidedly winterish with several inches of snow in just a few hours, and my feeders -- once I cleared the snow and stirred up the seed to be more accessible -- became a popular hangout for house sparrows, house finches, and dark eyed juncos. This is the first time the juncos have visited this season, and I quickly put out a few handfuls of millet (one of their favorites) along the edge of the patio where the snow couldn't reach. Several of them discovered it and enjoyed a less blizzard-y dining experience, while others perched happily on the platform feeder to partake of the black oil sunflower seeds.

Too often, we relish the birds of spring and summer -- when their colors are brightest and their songs most joyful -- without realizing that bird populations are dynamic all year round. We must be ever vigilant to ensure all our backyard visitors can enjoy fresh and delicious seeds, appropriate shelter, clean water, and protection from the elements when necessary, no matter what the weather may be.

November Poll - Life Lists

The October poll -- "What type of feeder(s) do you use?" -- has closed, and the results are in. The most popular feeder used by Backyard Birds Utah visitors is a tube feeder (83 percent), followed by a nectar feeder (66 percent). These are not surprising statistics, as tube feeders attract goldfinches and other small songbirds while nectar feeders are used primarily for hummingbirds and occasionally for orioles. All of these bird species are extremely colorful and attractive, making them some of the most coveted backyard visitors.

November's poll is about life lists, as in, how many birds are currently on your list? Not all birders keep a tally of the species they have seen, and it is something I have only recently begun to track myself. While I've seen dozens more than the 44 birds that are currently on my list, I am very meticulous about being positive of my identification before adding another bird to the total. How about you? Start counting, and vote today! For those of you with exceptional lists (or anyone interested in sharing), comments are always welcome!

October Poll Reminder

Just a quick reminder, there are only three days left to vote in the October poll -- What feeder(s) do you use?

• Hopper: A feeder with a reservoir that feeds into a tray.
• Platform: Easy tray that can hold all types of seed and scraps.
• Ground: It can't get easier than tossing seed on the ground, and the California quail love it.
• Nectar: Liquid feeders for hummingbirds, orioles, and hopeful house finches.
• Suet: Log, bag, or cage feeders with suet cakes.
• Tube: Narrow feeder for finches.
• Dish: Perfect for peanuts - or so my western scrub jays would tell you.

Personally, I use several types of feeders -- the only one I don't use, in fact, is a suet feeder. I did at one time, until the suet went rancid without ever having tempted a single bird. My urban backyard is not the best place for woodpeckers and other suet fans, at least not yet. Perhaps after the trees mature a bit and more birds learn of the buffet I offer, a suet feeder will be more welcome. What feeders do you use? Vote today!

Return of the Jays

After last weekend's abruptly heavy snow, I was dismayed to learn that the western scrub jays that provide so much backyard entertainment had vanished. Their dish of peanuts was buried beneath a mound of white on the patio table, but even after the snow melted, they failed to return. I dug out the dish as soon as it was partly visible, and once the table had dried I spread out the soggy nuts so they would be visible as well as be able to dry themselves.

Still, there were no visitors for days. Until this afternoon, that is, when once again I heard argumentative screeches and calls from the backyard. The jays have returned, with a vengeance.

Quickly I added another handful of nuts to the dish, and waited for the first brave bird. I was not to wait long, and at least two jays participated in quickly emptying the dish. As I returned with the camera to snap a few pictures, one of them was boldly caching a nut in the grass just a few feet away, and his next morsel went into the flowerbed mulch. Before the snow we had at least five jays vigorously arguing over the nuts I put out each morning, and not all of them seem to have braved the cooler temperatures to visit the feeder. Still, I'm pleased to have them back and as long as they continue to perch on the rain gutter above the door where I refill the feeder, I'll happily add more peanuts to the dish.

These jays feed from a dish. What feeders do you use? Share your choices in the October poll!

Birds and Bees

Have you voted yet? October's poll (at right) is about the types of feeders you use. Vote today!
The hummingbird feeder finally came down last night; for the past few days it has been frequently only by an increasing number of bees, rather than the summertime buzz of black chinned, broad tailed, and rufous hummingbirds. Bees' eagerness to mill around the nectar ports indicates that not only are there no hummingbirds to defend their food source, but there also are no flowers blooming any longer to provide sustenance to the bees. If there are no flowers for the bees, there will be none for hummingbirds.

When taking down a hummingbird feeder, it is necessary to clean it thoroughly (a bottle brush is very effective), including not only the reservoir but by using a small brush to clean any accumulation from the feeding ports. The feeder should be left to dry thoroughly so it does not gather mold or mildew during the winter months, and it should be stored in a safe place where it will not be stressed, cracked, or otherwise damaged.

Never fear, hummingbird lovers, in just a few months the spring flowers will be blooming again and it will be time to refill the nectar more and more frequently as migration and summer breeding begins. Knowing that, then, can take the sting out of winter's lack of hummingbird visitors.

Fall Flee

Just as the hummingbirds are beginning their long migrations, so too are other bird species vanishing from backyard feeders, but not all for the same reasons. During the fall, seed heads, fruits, and other food sources ripen, offering greater natural abundance in addition to the helping hands of humans. Because of this, it may seem that birds are less plentiful, but the truth is that they are exploring more culinary options than just mixed seeds and other treats offered at feeders. While some do take to the skies and won't return for months, others are merely expanding their epicurian tastes.

It is crucial that backyard birders do not abandon their feeding efforts at this juncture. Many of the birds who are still visiting feeders are storing seed -- either in caches or through layers of body fat -- for the coming cold, and others are eager to get quick energy sources as they pass through on their way to warmer winter homes. In preparation for winter, it is suitable for birders to slowly reduce the supplies of seed they offer as feeders are not emptied as quickly, but maintaining a good supply will give birds a reference and the knowledge that they can rely on these resources. If they know that, they will be welcome friends when winter's need strikes.

My own feeders are less frequented of late, though the lesser goldfinches, house finches, sparrows, and Eurasian collared doves are still steady guests, though perhaps in lesser numbers than weeks past. For however long they remain -- and I know a good few of them will not leave -- they will be welcome, as will be any friends who might be passing through our skies.

Fading Hum

Summer is quickly fading, as are the visits from the hummingbirds. Many hummingbirds migrate vast distances seasonally, and it appears they have moved on from their summer nesting grounds in Utah, or at least from this backyard. The nectar feeder has hung alone for more than a week without any discernible visits, and in just a few more days it will be time to take it down, clean it, and store it for winter.

Many hummingbird species are migratory through Utah, often more heavily so in the late summer than in the spring since they generally head north along the coast and then return south along the mountain ranges. This year we had a great number of hummingbirds, though fewer of the territorial roufous hummingbirds than last year. Particularly through the month of August they were feeding frequently, perhaps steeling themselves against their long flight to come.

The feeder will remain out for a few more days, perhaps until the end of the month, in case a late straggler is in need of a drink. Then away until the first sign of spring, when it will return to its hook from the rear gutter, ready to welcome the first humming arrivals. May their journeys be swift and safe, in all seasons.

Golden Spring

Spring is golden, and so are the most recent visitors to the feeders: a pair of lesser goldfinches. While their spring coloring can be just as vibrant as the more familiar American goldfinch, their markings are a bit more blurred though no less distinctive. The surprise I've found is that they are happy to be guests at the platform feeder as well as the perching finch feeders.

When I blend seed, I typically use one part wild bird mix (the doves prefer most of those seeds), four parts black oil sunflower seeds, and one-half part niger or thistle seed, since the house finches are wildly attracted to the perching tube feeders despite the fact that they are just a shade too large for comfortable perching. Much to my astonishment, the lesser goldfinches have enjoyed probing on the platform feeder to find the niger seed that spills there.

You can see the size difference between the two species quite clearly, though both have voracious appetites and the feeders empty rapidly when they share the honors of dining at the backyard buffet. On the left is a female house finch, precariously balanced, and on the right is a male lesser goldfinch, eagerly enjoying the same treat. While the goldfinches can typically perch for long periods of time and nibble continuously, the house finches tend to perch briefly when they can maintain a few seconds of balance, snatch a bite or two, before fluttering to regain their position. They can be quite territorial and aggressive when feeding at the perches, particularly when larger numbers of birds vie for the same choice tidbits, though having added multiple tube feeders this year seems to have diminished the competition. Perhaps adding niger seed to the hopper mix has also helped foster cooperation between the species and bring everyone peacefully to the table.

A Larger Buffet

As the weather warms, it becomes time to add more feeders to my backyard array. This week I added a trio of basic niger seed (thistle) feeders; simple tubes with single perches on each. I have them positioned near a pair of good observation windows, since the finches who patronize them tend to be smaller birds as well as a bit more shy, at least at first. Last year both pine siskins and house finches made use of the single tube feeder, often fighting for space. Thus, the expansion to three feeders.

While the siskins haven't appeared in the backyard yet -- I have seen them at a nearby park -- the finches are here daily. They don't seem to have sampled the new feeders as of yet, but that may be due to size. House finches are a shade too large for these tube feeders, and they go through considerable acrobatics to help themselves to the delicacies within. If they haven't yet discovered how tasty this seed can be, they may not be as interested. Furthermore, I wasn't offering as high a concentration of black oil sunflower seeds last year, and that may be more of a favorite choice.