Enjoying and Aiding Our Feathered Friends in Winter

By Kay Swanson

One of my favorite pastimes on cold winter days is to sit by the window with a hot cup of coffee in my hands watching the wild birds at our feeders. They come by ones and twos and some travel in flocks, but as long as there is feed available, they keep coming. Even the seed that falls on the ground from the hyper feeding habits of the smaller birds, is food for the ground feeding birds. It is my own personal contention that one or two birds act as scouts and then fly out and tell all of their friends!

Watching the birds gives us so much pleasure it is in our best interest as well as that of the birds, to help them weather the cold winter months as much as we can. Birds feed on insects, fruit and seeds during the warm months, but in the winter their diet consists mostly of seeds. The experts tell us that keeping bird feeders filled in our own yards will certainly help the local birds get through the cold weather. Every little bit helps!

There are several types of feeders available; plastic, glass, metal and wood. The feeders should be washed at least twice a year to clean out any mold residue and to prevent any diseases being passed through your feeders. Of course, cleaning them more often is desirable if you can stand it; it's not the most pleasant thing to do, but just try to think of the benefits to the birds.

Shapes are varied, designed for different sizes and types of birds. Sunflower seeds, millet and thistle are all good choices to fill your bird feeders and will bring different birds to your yard. Bird feeders can also be a decorative accent to your outdoor area in addition to the functional aspect.

So, buy your feeders, get them filled to the brim watch the show! Oh, and don't forget the coffee!

K. Swanson is retired. lives in a small town/rural area and knows how to enjoy winter from inside the house!
Birdfeeders: http://www.justperfectgifts.com/default.asp?dept_id=2025&nopopup=1