Well, here we are again in the bowels of a Western, New York winter. If you’re an outdoor person, this time of year can be torture. I know skiers and meteorologists love this s… snow. Sorry, I couldn’t get the word out. Why, what did you think I was going to say? But nobody likes the cold except maybe ice fishermen when they need the ice to thicken for safe fishing.
For those of us who feel trapped in the house this time of year, I have found a little hobby that helps make it a tiny bit more bearable. I feed wild birds. They are interesting to watch and try to identify, and the grandkids enjoy watching them as well. Also, it helps get the birds through what is starting to feel like a long winter.
I hesitate to write about this topic as I’m not very knowledgeable on the best ways to feed birds, but what the heck, that hasn’t stopped me on any of my other columns. Why change now. I am far from an expert, but I have picked up a few things I’ve learned the hard way.
The first thing to keep in mind before you get started is you need to make it a commitment. If you start feeding, you shouldn’t stop until the birds gain access to the bare ground again. Once they get used to getting their daily food for survival at your feeder, if you stop right in the middle of a hard winter, it could be deadly to them.
Next, I suggest buying the biggest feeder you can afford. The less you have to go out and fill it, the better. If you need to put up a free-standing pole to hold the feeder, bite the bullet and buy the squirrel cone that goes around the pole. I’ve tried everything for years to keep the squirrels out, but they are like furry Ninjas when it comes to getting into the feeder. It’s not that I mind feeding the squirrels. I’d be happy to if they shared, but no, they have to get right into the feeder and keep all the birds away. Then they dump all the other seeds on the ground to get at the black oil sunflower seeds, making a mess and emptying the feeder in no time.
The second thing to remember is that stored bird seed does attract other unwanted critters, so stock your birdseed in a steel can so no mice can nibble into the bag and make an all-you-can-eat situation in your garage or shed. I use a 55-gallon galvanized garbage can to store my birdseed these days; no mice chewing through that baby. This also allows me to mix the food if I want to add more sunflower seeds to the mixture.
Raccoons will visit the feeder on a warm night and make a mess. I know raccoons hibernate, but they will come out looking for a snack on warm nights. If you live in the Southern Tier of our state, you could even have a visit from a black bear when the weather warms. I never understood why a 150-pound bear could find anything worth his effort in a bird feeder, but you hear about it happening all the time. You would think they would stick to pic-a-nic baskets.
Also, keep in mind where you place the feeder as the seed that hits the ground will attract rodents after dark. By putting it out in the yard a ways, I have found that the mice have no cover and won’t venture out into the wide-open as they are afraid of getting picked off by a predator.
Another thing you can add to your bird banquet is suet. It will attract woodpeckers and blue jays as they are carnivores. Suet is hardened animal fat with seeds mixed in. You can make your own by saving any grease from your frying pan in a small container the shape of a suet cage. Store it in the refrigerator, and it will get solid enough to place in a suet holder out at the feeder.
Stores like Country Max have a variety of different seeds to attract different birds. If you go with the basic economy birdseed mix, more fillers are added, so you get less legit bird food for your buck with the cheap stuff.
Well, that’s the extent of my bird feeding expertise. I suggest giving it a try. It can cheer you up when the weather is getting you down. We even put our grandbaby, Sebastian, in is his jolly jumper right in front of a low window in our living room so he can see the bird feeder just outside. The birds coming and going catch his eye and keep him interested for a good long time while he is hopping and bopping.
My only problem with this hobby is for many years, come spring, I’ve planted any leftover birdseed in a fertile garden and watered it every day, and still, I have yet to see one bird grow. Must be you have to use fresh birdseed.
