Keeping a feeder or two stocked and a source of water will keep colorful characters interacting in your garden all year, and they may be especially noticeable when deciduous plants lose their foliage.
We have a great assortment of year-round residents that appreciate the extra forage in winter- cardinals, chickadees, wrens, dove, titmice, downy woodpeckers, jays, and red bellied sapsuckers to name a few. But any bird feeder has the potential to draw in visitors from far away during the migration. Common guests may include juncos, cedar waxwings, yellow rump warblers, red breasted nuthatches, goldfinches, orange crowned warblers, and more. Some may hang around for days, some may stop in only briefly, but seeing a bird you have never seen before can be quite a thrill.
Be sure your feeders are located in an area convenient for viewing and pick up a good identification guide.
Different seed blends can attract different species, and many of our ornamental shrubs provide forage for certain species too—cedar waxwings are famous for lighting on a mahonia bealei in late winter and quickly removing the ripe fruits. A flurry of activity like this adds interest and excitement to any garden.
A great source of information on birding can be found at your local Audubon Society, www.FWAS.org
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“If you build it, they will come.” Including squirrels too, unfortunately!
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