Every year we look forward to an influx of colorful birds in our yard. The numbers generally pick up in January, and usually coincide with colder temperatures. While birds are here at any given time throughout the year, there is more obvious activity at the feeders during the winter months:
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| Finches and a Bluebird at one of the feeding stations |
What do we do to attract the birds? One thing we do is provide a variety of seeds, nuts and berries in several different bird feeders. Black oil sunflower seed, hulled sunflower nuts, peanut pieces, safflower seed, nijer seed, and suet is available and enjoyed by many different birds. Here are some birds on the suet feeders:
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| Downy Woodpecker (female) on suet feeder |
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| Downy Woodpecker (male) on suet feeder |
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| Starling on suet feeder |
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| Carolina Chickadee on suet feeder |
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| Eastern Bluebirds on suet feeder |
Here are others on the seed feeders:
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| Eastern Bluebird |
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| Eastern Bluebirds (Male and Female) |
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| Eastern Bluebirds and House Finch |
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| Red Winged Blackbird |
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| Female Cardinal |
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| Northern Cardinal (male) |
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| Downy Woodpecker (female) |
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| Carolina Wren |
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| Downy Woodpecker and Starling |
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| Chickadee |
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| American Goldfinch |
Nijer (Thistle Seed) feeder:
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American Goldfinch
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| Goldfinch |
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| Eastern Bluebird (male) |
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| House Finch (female) |
Despite the food offerings, probably the most important thing we do is offer water. Birds love bird seed, but they
need water. We started out with a heated birdbath which the birds really love because it prevents the water from freezing over:
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| Eastern Bluebird (male) |
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| Bluebird (female) |
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| Male House Finch and Female Bluebird |
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| Female (L) and Male (R) Bluebirds |
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| Female Goldfinch |
Last summer we also installed a meandering stream. It has proven to be an attractive addition and/or alternative to the birdbath and I've immensely enjoyed watching the birds get to know it:
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| American Robin |
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| Mourning Dove |
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| House Finch (male) and Goldfinch (male) |
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| Goldfinch (female) |
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| Dark Eyed Juncos |
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| Eastern Bluebird (male) and Junco (male) |
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| Bluebird (female) and Junco (female) |
Something else that helps to make the birds feel safe is having some shelter, such as evergreens or bushes/shrubs that don't lose their leaves in the winter. We planted Leyland Cypress on either side of the house, and birds can frequently be seen resting on the bows of the trees, seemingly hidden from sight (except for mine!):
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| Male (L) and Female (R) Northern Cardinals |
We also have holly trees in the front yard, and on either side of the house. This morning I spotted this colorful guy up in the icy-covered branches:
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| Northern Cardinal (male) |
Many birds don't even go to the feeders, but enjoy the food that drops to the ground:
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| Dark Eyed Junco |
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Tree White Throated Sparrow (I had my short lens on and had to enlarge this photo to see it. Not the clearest photo...) |
Even when birds aren't eating, they are simply fun to watch, as they hop on railings, bird feeder poles or tree branches:
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| House Finch (male) |
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| House Finch (female) |
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| Northern Cardinal (male) |
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| Mourning Dove |
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| American Goldfinch |
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| House Finch and Eastern Bluebird |
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| Eastern Bluebird (male) |
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| Eastern Bluebird (female) |
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| Downy Woodpeckers |
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| White Breasted Nuthatch |
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| Brown Creeper |
I hope you've enjoyed these photos--I have captured them all within the past couple of weeks. Our weather has finally gotten cold and we've had a little snow a couple of times and even a minor 'icing'. I've said it before, but I do believe it: Winter is for the birds!
What do you do to attract birds?
Words and photos ©Thanks for today.™, by Jan Huston Doble @ http://www.thanksfor2day.blogspot.com/
Not to be reproduced or re-blogged without express permission of the author.
