One enjoyment I get during winter months is feeding our local birds that make a difficult decision to stay here for the winter. A certain number of them never make it through our sometimes harsh winters. But those that do are able to survive when we assist them in food procurement. I have 5 different feeders with both seeds and suet and have made a commitment to keep them full through the winter months. A wide variety of birds visit my feeders regularly such as:
- Blue Jay's
- Cardinal's
- Junco's
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Purple Finch's
- Common Grackle
- Red-winged Blackbird
- European Starling
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- Mourning doves
- Sparrow's
- Woodpeckers: Hairy, Downey, Pileated, red-bellied, as well as the Northern Flicker
To those who may ask about squirrels - they prepare for winter by hiding seed and nuts as they prepare for colder weather unlike birds - I see them frequently seeking nuts they hid in my backyard. I have installed a torpedo system on my feeder pole that completely eliminates access by squirrels who were the culprits emptying my feeders on a regular basis.
