Hi Friends! This week we are going to talk about what you can do to get your yard ready to be a hot spot for the migratory birds. Fall migration is a great opportunity to attract birds that you don’t normally see. By adding a few things to your yard, you can help the birds as they continue their travels.
Food
Setting up a food station with a variety of feeders will be beneficial to many different kinds of birds.
- Suet provides a necessary fat for birds not just passing through, but also for birds that stay all year round. Suet has peanuts/nuts or sunflower seeds added to it are especially popular heading into the colder months. Suet feeders are super easy to use for both birds and the bird watcher! Suet comes in a variety of flavors, sizes, and shapes. Uniquely designed to feed birds of all sizes!
- Tube feeders are also an additive to your backyard adventures. They come in a large number of colors, styles and makes it nice and easy for the birds to access the seed. Thistle tubes and socks are also popular with the smaller birds, but black oil or a seed mix that is high in black oil is more popular when it gets cold.
Water
Having a water source, such as a birdbath, will increase your chances of seeing birds that wouldn’t necessarily visit the feeders. Adding a heating element to the bath in the winter will not only keep the birds coming back to it in the cold months, it keeps the water from freezing, but water also helps keep the birds feathers clean.
Another thing you can do to help out the birds is planting some flowers or shrubs that bloom in the late summer or early fall. It will help attract the migrating birds to your yard. If you can avoid pruning back the branches on small bushes and shrubs, they provide shelter against the chilly wind. If you need to prune, instead of burning or disposing of the branches, you can put them into a brush pile to also add shelter.
As we start to close up the pool, finish last-minute house projects, and wish summer lasted just a little longer, the birds are already a step ahead of us. Hopefully, some of these tips help you enjoy your birds just a little more!
Written by Haley Cooper