A big thanks to the Duncan’s for inviting me to their home, to photograph winter songbirds at their bird feeder.
A cold winter day is perfect for curling up by your living room or you can stock your bird feeder, get your camera, a turkey chair and check out the activity at the feeder.
Here’s a quick rundown of the most common backyard birds, I saw while spending an afternoon at my friend’s bird feeder.
House finch – love Nyjer seed, often mistakenly called thistle seed. Offer it in tube feeders or net bags, and watch these colorful birds swoop in for a visit.
Woodpeckers – feeding on a vegetarian “bark-butter” energy-rich substitute for the insect fare that downy, hairy, and red-bellied woodpeckers feed on during the summer. Other bird species such as jays will also eat bark butter, but it’s the woodpecker clan you will attract the most by offering this fatty treat.
Dark-eyed Junco – and other ground-feeding birds prefer their meals served on low platforms. They enjoy the millet found in mixed birdseed, sunflower hearts and cracked corn spread on the ground or in a platform feeder. Although they will land on elevated feeders, they are much more comfortable dining at a lower height.
Tufted titmouse – Fairly shy at the feeder letting more aggressive birds feed before getting food for themselves. At the bird feeder, you can attract the Tufted Titmouse by supplying sunflower seeds. They will pick one seed and fly to a perch, eat the seed, and return to the feeder for the next bite.
Europen Startling At bird feeders these birds will eat seed and suet. Bird feeding may have to be stopped when flocks of these birds arrive. Otherwise, you could go broke trying to keep them fed. Bird watchers also need to be aware, these birds can be very aggressive at feeders and keep smaller birds from approaching.
Freshwater is an essential element in every bird’s diet. That’s why it’s important to always have water available near your feeding stations, especially during the winter when other water sources are frozen solid.
Until the next adventure and thank you for stopping by!
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