Chickadee in a snowy magnolia
It may be deepest winter, but there is still lots of bird activity on the Turkey Hill Brook Farm. Generally (except for nectar feeders for the hummingbirds) we don’t keep many birdfeeders here. Most of the year, there are plenty of natural food sources for them (seeds, berries, insects, worms, etc). But in winter, we always hang a few feeders just outside our windows so we can watch the bird action from our hibernation state indoors! And judging by the number of visitors, the birds really do appreciate an easy snack at a time when insect populations are at their lowest and many seed plants are deep under snow.
Chickadees are probably our most common visitors, and we love watching them develop “superhighway” flight paths to and from the feeders. Those visiting the feeder always fly the low route, while those returning to nearby tree perches always take the high road out. Amazing how well organized they are, and we never see collisions…
We always keep a winter feeder filled with Thistle seed. Tiny seed-eating birds such as American Goldfinches, Chickadees and Tufted Titmice all feed from it, and the small holes of the feeder prevent squirrels from ravaging the seed supply…
Northern Cardinal in Winter
We also fill a tray feeder with Safflower seed, which attracts many of our feathered friends but not squirrels or House Sparrows (the “thugs” of the local bird world). And, a couple of Suet feeders at the front window attract insectivorous Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, as well as a Song Sparrow who is a year-round resident and a highly talented songster…
A bright red Northern Cardinal visits our farm regularly. Cardinal Richelieu (as Rob has named him…) spends a lot of time here during bad weather. He sits at the edge of a grove of 3 Rhododendron shrubs, scoping out the scene near the feeder, and making an occasional flying visit for some Safflower seed. Birds won’t visit a feeder unless they feel safe, so dense evergreen shrubs planted nearby gives them a safe place to dive if predators such as Hawks pay a visit.
Sparrow at Bird Feeder
A few weeks ago, I was surprised to see a Carolina Wren (below) at our feeding station. They are not usually resident in New England, but their populations do drift northwards during milder years. When really bad weather hits, though, they often seek food and shelter at residential bird feeders. We had a string of several snow storms over the past few weeks, which is probably why he was here. The last time I saw one of these birds was in the very bad winter of 2003, when one took shelter from the wind inside our patio chiminea. They are shy and never stay for long, and they have such a beautiful song, so I always feel lucky to have them visit…
Junco on winter bloom
And finally, on the subject of winter bird feeding, check out this winter scene from our brook. The seed heads on the right are Bee Balm (Monarda didyma), and birds are still foraging from them! If you can stand it, leave some of your garden plant stems standing into the winter. Not only are the seeds a source of winter food for birds, but many important pollinators and other beneficial insects overwinter (or lay their eggs) inside hollow plant stems. It’s always tempting to clean up your perennial beds in the fall, but even leaving a few patches of plant stems and seed heads standing will help sustain bird populations through our tough New England winters…
Stay warm and don’t forget the wildlife outside your door!
Ellen Sousa is a garden coach, writer and teacher living on a small central MA horse farm landscaped as a natural habitat for birds and other wildlife, and writes about her experiences at the New England Habitat Blog. Her book The New England Natural Habitat Garden will be published in 2010 by Bunker Hill Publishing.
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