January 25, 2008
Backyard tip of the week:If you're trying to attract more birds to your yard, winter is an especially good time to have a birdbath or other source of water for our feathered friends. You may consider a simple dish which you fill each day. Or, something more elaborate like a small pond with a pump. A submersible heater will keep the water flowing on those sub-zero days. Look for one that only operates as needed and is only as big as you need it to be. Using a lower wattage heater will help to keep your electric bill down.
Providing water for birds to drink and bathe may also attract certain area birds who you won't see at your feeders, so keep your eyes open. Either way, the birds are sure to love it!
Backyard sightings for last week:
A European Starling was seen yesterday splashing frenetically while bathing in the pond. Regular visitors to the backyard, a few pairs of Starlings were also spotted on Sunday as they dined on left-over grapes that we're probably frozen!
The new songbird feeder is being filled twice a week now after being up for just four weeks. I'm not crazy about the design, because it doesn't allow for a lot of songbirds to eat at the same time, however it is made of a durable material which is good because the squirrel broke the last songbird feeder.
Other backyard sightings this week include northern cardinals and dark-eyed juncos, white-throated sparrows, eastern goldfinches, house finches and purple finches. Red-bellied woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers, white-breasted and red-breasted nuthatches, tufted titmice, black-capped chickadees, blue-jays, the occasional pair of crows, a couple of grey squirrels, several pairs of European Starlings, and many, many pairs of mourning doves.
Cool sighting of the week:
The white throated sparrow was seen eating from the peanut feeder this past Tuesday. A rarity, as I wasn't aware they enjoyed peanuts. It was also a peculiar sighting because the white throated sparrow is typically a ground feeder. Either way, it was cool!
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