Getting Ready for Winter

There’s frost in the forecast for tonight. Many of you may have already had your first frost of the season, and some areas have even had their first snows. For those of us who live in a climate with cold winters, there are a few things we have consider for keeping our backyard birds healthy and comfortable and safe.
I don’t know about you, but am grateful that so many of our fine feathered friends have decided to hang around for the winter. When I heard the forecast, the first thing that came to mind was the bird baths. I am not fortunate enough to have a running stream through my back yard, or a pond. Water in the bird baths is subject to freezing if I don’t take steps to prevent it. The birds are no different from you and me. They need good clean water for drinking and bathing, and that means in the winter too.
So under a cool but blue and cloudless sky, I set up my heated birdbaths. I have 2, though one would probably suffice. One sits on the ground near the patio door. (It helps to keep my indoor cats amused when I provide entertainment for them near their favorite sliding door). The heating technology of the ground bird bath will withstand the coldest climate. This means in sub-zero temperatures this birdbath will be totally ice free. The other is an auto refill bird bath that sits on a pedestal base.
Call me l lazy, but this keeps me from having to plow through the cold snow to fill it once the snow comes. You will want to either put your concrete bird baths away for the winter or make sure they have a heater in them to keep the water from freezing or the frozen water is apt to crack them and they are much too costly to allow that to happen when it is easily preventable.
Once the bathing stations were out, clean and filled with water, I heading to the storage room to get the suet holders . Suet and fats are essential to our cold blooded feathered friends. They had decided to delight us with their presence through the winter. Suet will keep happy and hanging around a lot. And, lazy old me, I use the double cake suet holder so I don’t have to trudge out too frequently to refill it.
There is no reason to spend a lot on suet cakes. The birds will flock to the least expensive ones you can find. I purchase them by the case to keep the cost down too.
I increase the Black oil sunflower seeds in the winter and keep the finches happy with the thistle or Nygier seed all winter long. And finally, since I like to keep my cats and grandchildren thrilled with the birds and their shenanigans, I added a window feeder too.
You can attract birds to your back yard all year long. Let them thrill you with their parties in the bird baths and their free and fancy flights from baths to feeders and suet cakes

Autumn's Piping Song-Birds

“Clouds of insects danced and buzzed in the golden autumn light, and the air was full of the piping of the song-birds. Long, glinting dragonflies shot across the path, or hung tremulous with gauzy wings and gleaming bodies”. by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

OK, so I have been missing in action for a couple of days. Autumn is my favorite time of year, and the weather has been unbelievable and I just had to play hooky. I experienced the clouds of insects dancing in the golden light of autumn. There were so many of them, they did look like a cloud!

Yesterday, I took a walk at dawn and got to revel in the sounds of the morning dusk, the final crickets chirping off and the tree frogs croaking down, and the glorious sound of the birds waking up and filling the air with their piping and melodious songs. I literally stopped in my tracks and took it all in, and was suddenly overwhelmed with nature and the beauty of the sunrise and sights and sounds of the day coming alive.
I am grateful for the time I gave myself!! Have you taken a moment for you lately?

THE FALL LINE-UP

The arrival of fall means different things to different people. For some, the beautiful autumn colors make it a favorite season, while for others it’s the mild temperatures, the World Series, or heading back to school. But for birders and their friends who like to watch butterflies, dragonflies, and other animals, the arrival of fall means only one thing: migrations. The best natural migration corridors occur in mountain ridges, river valleys, and along coastlines. Yet it’s possible to see migrating animals just about anywhere. Here are some tips for enjoying the passing hordes.
Birds
Early morning often provides great looks at birds just finished with all-night flights. As the sun starts to rise, some birds that find themselves out over ocean waters or above the Great Lakes will suddenly head for the nearest land. Hundreds of birds can come pouring inland at these times, among them thrushes, warblers, vireos, and tanagers.
During daylight hours, the skies can be filled with everything from White Pelicans to Bobolinks. Expect lots of shorebirds, cormorants, terns, and gulls at the seaside and hawks, swifts, flickers, jays, swallows, and robins overhead almost everywhere.
Butterflies
Most people have heard about Monarchs and their fall migrations to the mountains of southern Mexico, but lots of other butterflies travel in autumn. Some even head north!
Watch in the same places that bird migrants concentrate for American Ladies, Question Marks, Red Admirals, and the more abundant Monarchs - all moving southward. By contrast, Cloudless Sulphurs may be headed north in fall, as their southern populations expand, and Painted Ladies and Common Buckeyes can be watched for flying north or south.

Putting it all in Perspective

As the news headlines remain focused on the economy, even the lack thereof, it is so easy for all of us to lose sight of some the promises that have been made to us. Yesterday, when it all seemed to be caving in on me, and I needed the solace of His Word, I received this passage in an email. It was if it dropped in on the wings of an eagle:

“So I tell you, don’t worry about everyday life– whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn’t life consist of more than food and clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not. And why worry about your clothes? Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you? You have so little faith! So don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.” Matthew 6:25-33

Choosing Your Bird Feeders

While your choice of feeders will depend largely on who and what you are feeding, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Durability: A well built feeder, made of quality materials will look better longer.
Easy To Clean: The health of the birds and life of your feeder will be improved if you maintain your feeders regularly.
Dry Seeds: Wet or damp seeds will spoil. Look for drainage holes in the floor or tray and a roof that overhangs the feeding area. A squirrel dome will help protect a tube or other style feeder.
Capacity: The bigger the better, right? We have found the small and medium size feeders are easier to clean and help to ensure fresh seed. Two medium feeders with different seed will attract a wider variety of birds.
If you are looking for a general all purpose feeder, we recommend a house or hopper type feeder, or a tube feeder with a large tray attached, filled with Black oil sunflower seed or a seed mix.The most effective way to attract a wide assortment of birds is to offer a variety of foods in different feeders. A collection of feeders for your yard might include:
A house or hopper type feeder for sunflower seeds
A tube style Thistle feeder
A suet feeder
A wire mesh peanut feeder
A nectar feeder
A fruit or jelly feeder
A platform or tray feeder for millet