Bird watching is a simple way to connect with nature and having a backyard feeder leads to up close viewing and allows us to observe birds without disturbing them.
I went out to feed the birds last week and thought I'd take you on a tour of our feeders.
This first feeder is a hopper feeder on an extended hook in some pine trees. This one is the furthest from the house and under it is where I put any leftover bread crusts for the crows and bluejays. We have this one hanging at the end of a large branch so the raccoons can't reach it from the tree trunks. I think I'll just put my mixed seed in this feeder and let the bigger birds eat here.
The chickadees wait patiently.
The bluejays find their breakfast.
This tree trunk acts as a platform feeder and I also smear some peanut butter on the sides when the days are very cold.
The tops of some posts make a good mini feeder too.
These are good for some of the smaller birds.
We have a suet/peanut butter/pine cone feeder that we got from The Bird Garden at the market. The owner's son made them and the birds love it!
A Downy Woodpecker gets a snack.
This is a small feeder we have on the side of the house by a large cedar tree. It is quite sheltered from the wind and is a favourite of the smaller birds; sparrows, chickadees, redpolls, and finches. I have been putting some mixed seed in there but I am going to use it only for black oil sunflower from now on.
I use this old chair as another platform feeder where I put some peanuts and a fresh buffet. I had seen some robins and hoped they'd try some fruit.
They did come back but rather nibble on the Euonymus seeds.
This is my last feeding station where I have a roofed tray feeder and a suet cage.
A red squirrel does get some seeds from this one and I have found a raccoon sitting right in it!
I don't put a lot of seeds in it, just a handful of two.
Hope you enjoyed the tour!
The web is filled with lots of informative sites regarding backyard feeding and beginning birding. Here are some to check out for more information.
Local Birding Info
Birding NB~ great online resource
The Bird Garden~feeders and info (at the Moncton Market)
Great Birding Resources
Bird Sound Recordings
Feeding Info
Types of Feeders
Easy Feeders
Fun Stuff!
Counts and Checklists
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is an annual four-day event that engages birdwatchers of all ages across North America. Anyone can participate, from beginners to experts. Count for as little as 15 minutes on a single day, or for as long as you like each day of the event. It’s free, fun, and easy – and it helps the birds!
This year’s count runs from Friday, February 17, through Monday, February 20. It is not too late to participate, and advance sign-up is not required. It’s as simple as counting birds at a location near you, tallying the highest number of birds of each species seen together at once, and filling out an online checklist on the GBBC website. As the weekend progresses, visit the website regularly to check out results and share photographs. It’s going to be a great weekend for birders in Canada and the United States! (via Bird Studies Canada)
Try it this weekend!!
