Feeding the Birds

Feeding the birds is SO MUCH FUN and I especially enjoy teaching my kids about the various species of birds, their songs, their migration patterns and personalities.    If you are new to  bird watching, I have some suggestions on how to get started.  As with anything, it's always best to start small (seed feeder with sunflower seed) but if you want to attract the largest varieties of birds you will need a seed feeder, a thistle feeder, suet, and water - that's it.

1.  SEED FEEDER (sunflower seed)

There's a million different seed feeders in the market and tons of different seed mixes and I've gone through a dozen feeders over the course of my bird watching career, but I just use a standard feeder with a shepherds hook on our deck and I find that straight sunflower seed works best.  I like a feeder that holds up to a gallon of seed because right now it's dark when I leave for work and dark when I come home so I only want to fill up the feeder on the weekends.

Chickadee at my feeder

2.  THISTLE FEEDER

If you are interested in attracting finches, I recommend a simple thistle feeder to fill with thistle (nyger) seed.  As I mentioned earlier, I've been through about a dozen seed feeders but I've had this same Droll Yankee finch feeder for about 15 years.  They are really meant to last and they obviously hold up well.  Finches are fun to watch, especially in the Spring when they turn bright amazing colors.

Droll Yankee Finch Feeder
You can see the reflection of our Christmas lights on the window

 

 

Red Poll Finch at our thistle feeder

 

3.  SUET

Birds need suet in the winter time to raise their body temperatures.  I prefer all-natural suet versus the rendered suet (processed).   Suet is also the only bird product that will attract wood peckers and woodpeckers are a BLAST to watch.

Goldfinch eating from my Packer suet snowman
I have several suetballs and suet logs but this snowman is my favorite

4.  WATER

Water is only necessary for birds in the winter months when the lakes, rivers and streams are frozen. Obviously, you will need a heated bird bath so the water doesn't freeze but having water available will attract an even wider variety of birds.

Finches in our bird bath

CHRISTMAS IS FOR THE BIRDS

My kids made some treats for the birds for Christmas.  They took a pine cone, covered it in peanut butter, rolled it in seed, and tied it to a tree.  The birds are loving it!!

Chickadee on peanut butter pine cone

I know you are thinking, "who has time?" but in all reality bird watching really takes limited time.  It's not like we stare at the window waiting for a bird but we stop and notice various birds throughout the day.   For our family, it's another way to connect to nature and to appreciate and respect mother earth.   

Do you feed the birds?  What works for you?   What's your favorite bird?  If you don't partake in bird feeding, hopefully you'll feel inspired to pick up at last a seed feeder and some sunflower seed.

Happy Winter Solstice,

Kristin