The Right Way on How to Help Birds During Winter
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- čas přidán 25. 06. 2024
- Birds are out there 24 hours a day, exposed to all that nature can throw at them. They have to somehow find enough food and shelter to carry them through each day until Spring. It's a task when most of the food they eat, such as insects, is quite scarce during these times.
It's remarkable and goes to show how well adapted they are, however a little proper help from people can go a long way. In this video, I’m going to go over a few ways to help birds over this chilly and bleak time of year. When done properly it can be a wonderful experience.
🔴How do Birds Survive Winter?▶️ • How Do Birds Survive t...
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:04 Best Bird feeding practices for winter
04:30 Trees and Brushpiles that will help birds over winter
05:15 Suppling water for birds during winter
06:02 Heated Birdbaths pro and cons
06:44 Snow baths and natural ways
07:12 Birdbath precautions
07:40 Birds Roosting/Nesting Boxes during winter
08:19 Cats and other predators during winter
09:30 Health and Safety of Birds during winter
10:33 Conclusion, Birds don’t rely on humans
Questions people may have:
Should I leave my nest box up over winter?
How to use a birdbath in winter?
What kind of trees to plant in my yard for birds?
Bird feeders during winter?
Is it important to keep feeders clean over winter?
How can I provide water for birds over winter?
When is the best time to feed birds during winter?
Do birds depend on feeders?
Do birds even need my help?
Mourning Dove at 3:00
Badgerland Birding
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Heated Birdbath videos at 6:03
by The Bird Perch
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Raven taking a Snow Bath at 6:50
by Wildlife World CZcams channel
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Music at outro: Natural by EndlessLove
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via CZcams Audio Library License
Links for websites used
HOMEMADE SUET RECIPE @ 2:25
www.almanac.com/suet-bird-foo...
www.birdsandblooms.com/birdin...
Brush Piles at 5:02
www.audubon.org/news/build-br...
www.birdwatchersdigest.com/bw...
Roosting box pictures at 7:42 from Urban Nature Store Canada
www.urbannaturestore.ca/
Photos and videos from free-use websites:
The individuals' names can be found on their respective photo/video and /or found below (license at the end)
Canva.com
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Pexels.com
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Pixabay.com
pixabay.com/service/terms/#li...
Pixnio.com
pixnio.com/creative-commons-l...
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🔴How do Birds Survive Winter?▶ czcams.com/video/B5tdPDNzHRo/video.html
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Hi Lesley,
Do you have a video on best way to clean bird feeders and platforms? I would like to know if vinegar and water is best choice? Thanks in advance,
Alli
So sorry but I think you mentioned something about a recipe for suet? I can't seem to find it. Thank you in advance!
@@gypsyrhodescovers Yes, they are down in the description, I think it's hard to find because I never had it in caps lock but I just changed it. Hopefully, the links will be easier to spot now. :) Here they are
www.almanac.com/suet-bird-food-recipe
www.birdsandblooms.com/birding/attracting-birds/feeding-birds/make-homemade-suet/
@@Alli_Sea At the 5:30 mark in this video czcams.com/video/4Zbg9ylquKo/video.html I talk about the studies done on the best and proper way to clean feeders. I also show how to do it. Hope this helps
while living in a hand made cabin in the woods I had some winter wrens get into my little home and they were so cute and adorable that I let them stay til the coldest weather was past .. they roosted in my upper ceiling beams and flew down to eat food I left for them and of course water and since my cabin had only wood heat it still got pretty chilly at night after the fire burned out but not anything like the outdoors so we happy few spent the winter I very much enjoyed their company
💗🌿
That is awesome!
Beautiful story. They may return the next winter
@@seviregis7441 they did but that was many years ago ... I no longer live there since I have aged considerably and need medical help to be close
What a great experience!
I've made some new discoveries this year. After 40 years of feeding birds I had to stop last year because of a mouse problem. Missing the birds was depressing but the mice had to move on, which they did. Due to hurting my back I could not weed my backyard flower gardens and during the winter I had flocks of birds come to eat the weed seeds. So this year I didn't do one last weeding and allowed them to grow for winter food again. Next I put some peanuts and black oilers in a limited amount on the deck railing. About a cup a day spread out twice a day. Breakfast and snack before sundown. They watch for me, and clean up every bit. Same time every day. Because the food is limited there's no waste. If it's particularly cold and they want more, they sit on the rail and wait. Name the bird and they are there. I walked to the neighbors house and birds follow me from tree to tree. This different type of feeding them is a more interactive experience since they have less fear of me due to a feeding schedule and limited amounts to be had.
I have problems with squirrels. 😔
@@dianepereira1860 my motto was "If you can't beat them, join them" I gave them their own feeders. They left the bird feeders alone after that.
@@dianepereira1860 probably more accurate to say squirrels have a problem with you.
This was very informative thanks for posting, I have been educated. I also feed all the other critters, I enjoy watching them so much.
I do not cut down my flower stalks in the fall. I leave them up so the birds can peck at the seed heads. Come April I cut down the stalks and clean up the beds. I live in Central New England where the snow loves to pile up.
Wonderful video, Lesley, with many great tips! You might want to remind viewers of the importance of carrying a cell phone when they restock feeders in the winter. Many people walk through snow and navigate icy steps and paths to get to their feeders. Snow around feeders is often slick from footsteps. Many bird lovers are elderly. My neighbor slipped on the ice while filling feeders feet from her house, broke her hip and lay in the snow for over an hour until another neighbor walked by and spotted her. Please folks, always carry a phone when you restock your winter feeders!
Until last winter I would've chuckled at this comment but unfortunately that very thing happened to me and I got a concussion. I was running late for work, tried to hurry up and feed the birds before I left but then I slipped on the ice, fell, and hit my head super hard. So, I would very much recommend having a phone on your person when doing backyard stuff in the winter 😊 happy birding!
I did a face plant onto the concrete porch step with the side of my face slamming into the door frame. There was no snow or ice. I managed to trip on a bunch of fallen leaves.
Great advice! Thank you for caring for the precious birds. ❤️
More important is dressing for the job. As an ER nurse & former firefighter, I can tell you many winter falls can be prevented by taking a moment to put on sturdy boots, coat & gloves. Ice creepers are the way to go if you're older or not sure-footed. They slip over boots & shoes & have studs or cleats to grip & prevent slip-sliding away. You can find them online as STABILicers & IceTrax, etc. Not the Creeper Shoe brand. That's something totally different.
Very good advice.
I live in a mountain town where Winter lows are low teens to single digits, or below. I offer peanuts and sunflower seeds of course but the clear favorite choice is walnut pieces. I love all my visitors but I’m charmed most by the Jays and Chickadees who Clearly say thank you with a sweet trill as they fly off with a treasure. I am blessed. 😊
I am in the city and recently dragged a dead deer several yards away from the road so the black vultures could eat it safely. And they did!
Thank you Lesley. My husband and I have worked on making our two acres into a place where birds would come and find what they need and be safe. Trees, bushes, housing, roosting nest, brush piles, feeders…. Many of the things you’ve mentioned. Sadly, my husband passed away earlier this year, but I am determined to keep up with looking after the birds. He was more diligent than I with keeping the feeders topped up, but seeing your video and suggestions is encouraging. Thank you for the inspiration.
So sorry for the loss of your husband. I am certain he is pleased that you're still caring for the birds. You will be with your husband again in God's Time.
♥️✝️♥️
@@dmm29 Thank you Donna.
I'm on a 2000' mountainous plateau in Tennessee and I made 3 large brush piles for animals' winter shelter. Come spring, the old brush gets chipped up as there are plenty of fresh branches falling throughout the year. Really helps lots of small critters, too. Watch all your videos, Leslie.
michigan here. while not the beautiful views you have.. brush piles help the little critters. i have several, and they are occupied.
michigan here. while not the beautiful views you have.. brush piles help the little critters. i have several, and they are occupied.
@@garycarpenter2932 Very interesting. I put up a critter cam but NOT next to the brush piles. So now I think I'll move it to see the traffic. Thanks for the reply.
@@LarryCarlin the yard here boarders a large pond. i keep them next to it, two in. the other day a couple musk rats came out of the ice, and into, what i believe, made their home in.
@@garycarpenter2932 To a musk rat, you just provided the Taj Mahal.
Helping corvids is an act of enlightened self-interest: many studies have shown that they remember who has done them a good turn, or a bad one, and will communicate this information to socially or genetically related birds. Being nice to corvids pays dividends in unexpected ways.
Arch,
Where have you been?
Was wondering if The Good Lord took a likin' to ya...
@@billysolhurok5542 Thank you for the kind concern. I'm the "shorts and boots only" outdoorsy type, but I live in Pittsburgh, so it's "stare longingly out the window" season for me.🤣
I hope to remedy my severe allergy to cold weather by beginning a biennial migration to the Gulf Coast of Florida. Maybe on a bicycle.😁😅
lol
So that’s why every time I put out peanuts the amount of blue jays multiplies… they tell their friends! I also feel like they watch my every move because they know I’m the one feeding them
I am not a bird watcher but a bird listener. This winter first time I hang a feeder on my balcony and many tiny birds are coming to eat. They are always saying thank you by singing for me in the morning. Thank you for the tips I learned a lot.
My previous apartment had a small garden in which I had placed a feeder and water bowl. I always kept the feeder stocked and the bowl filled with fresh water. Countless birds visited my garden for the roughly 20 years I lived there and brought me pleasure. I'd also sit on the porch and watch many feathered friends drink water and bathe without fright of me sitting quite close. I miss them now that I moved and no longer have the opportunity to offer them food and drink.
When cats come near my feeders they end up having to spend 3 hours in a maple tree watching a Border Collie dance.
Thank you so much for reminding me of the fact, birds can take care of themselves. We love our backyard birds and feed and water them year round., and have been doing this for 12 years, we'll be moving next Autumn to another state, and I have been feeling guilty for leaving them. I pray that the next family to live in our home will be bird and animal lovers! You're the best Lesley!
I would feel that way to. Rest assured though that they will be fine
I wonder if it might help if you gradually stop feeding the birds over the spring and summer.
They'll get used to the fact that food is not longer available in your yard during a time of the year when other options are plentiful.
And you'll enjoy your new home without feeling guilty about leaving your feathered friends behind 😊!
THANKS BLESS YOU
I have moved several times and certainly know the guilt. Have found if I decrease the amount of food I offered slowly they do move on. Also I have learned that birds are constantly looking for food sources aware that things change.
@@sbffsbrarbrr that is what you are supposed to do, not just stop cold turkey, pun intended.
I live on a third floor apartment and feed my birds on feeders. The lady on the first floor called the office and Complained my bird seed was falling thru the slats on to her deck. SHE feeds birds too. I really wanted to put a note on her door and tell her she needs to go to Church and ask Jesus why she REALLY is mad. SMH. Love your videos Lesley.
Thanks. hopefully things iron out for you
I picked up a fresh buck fawn off the highway this week, took it back behind the farm and left it for the critters and birds, the crows have been big fans so far but even the little guys get in on the action. The boss runs feeders at the house, both suet and sunflower so we have that covered. Had a Pileated getting after the suet during this latest cold snap so it was fun seeing that.
Good, make use of it rather than the town or county throwing it in the compost pile, or whatever they do...
I broke my Thanksgiving turkey carcass into bits and let the Ravens haul it away bit by bit. Within a few days everything was gone. They love finding scraps, my driveway is on their watch route :)
Wow
My neighbor put his deer remains in the field behind our house this year. The crows, ravens and jays really like it, but he got it during hunting season so I've been scared to death about lead poisoning 💔. Good idea about getting the road kill for them!
Thanks Trina. Growing up we had 4 or 5 old neighbors, guys in their 70s and 80s, and they hung deer carcasses up in the trees after they took the meat off. Birds aplenty, they call it a Lumberjack Feeder and it works great.
One of my joys in life is watching & hearing the birds with their beautiful songs. We were ecstatic to look outside & see a pilated woodpecker on our picnic table in the yard. It was enormous & beautiful. That was about 3yr ago & saw him only twice. What a wonderful gift from mother nature.
I got that exact heated birdbath you showed in the video this winter. I was excited when I saw my Jays drinking from it finally the other day 😍. I didn't know about the dangers of them bathing in it in cold weather tho, so I'm glad I watched this because it's been EXTREMELY cold here in Maine this past week. I spend probably $100 a week in the winter feeding my birds and it's the best investment I've ever made ❤. My Jays follow me literally everywhere and I carry peanuts in my pockets for them lol. I have around 50 Jays that come for food everyday and I sit outside and throw unshelled peanuts to them individually. I have some that get REALLY close but none that will hand feed yet. I got the idea from your videos so thank you ❤
I wish that I could spend that much because it gives me (and them) so much joy, but my pets have cost me about fifteen grand this past year(three cats have since died) and I just can't afford it.I have downsized to six suets and three feeders.
I understand how much joy it brings to see the different bird visitors. You are very lucky to be able to really pamper them. The price of bird food has skyrocketed during the last two years, and I struggle to be able to afford a decent mix (nothing, even the squirrels, will eat milo). These birds definitely won't starve. Besides natural food sources--we live in suburb! Many neighbors also have bird feeders. The birds here are spoiled and picky!😂
Did you put stones, bricks, or whatever in your birdbath??
@@JeanetteFaith I put a pie plate upside down in the middle of it in the winter to keep them from getting to wet in the cold weather.
@@birdgirl2623 yes I feel very fortunate. I'm a recovering drug addict (I've been clean 3 and a half years) so this is FAR cheaper than my last my habit but still expensive. My husband does ok and we have used vehicles with no car payments so that definitely helps keep the expenses down. I try to do good in the world when I can for the bad karma I created during my using. Connecting with nature (especially birds) has really done wonders for my sobriety! I had to move to another state for a year for a federally mandated drug court program (as an alternative to federal prison so obviously way better but still really hard) and having the birds to watch kept me sane. Being away from my family and pets was really tough, plus a lot of other stuff that was going on- it's a miracle I didn't relapse and die or end up in prison. So in a way the birds saved my life.
It's cool that your neighbors feed the birds in your area as well! I live in a rural area but my neighbor about a half mile away has a feeder so we will compare what we're getting when we see each other.
A froend I visited one winter had a bird nest next to her front window. The birds were fun to watch while I was visiting. Nature is amazing!
🐦
My aunt feeds magpies in Idaho and has for years, they know her and trust her, I have see it with my own eyes. Love our birdie friends🦆🦅🦉🕊
Costco has the best bird seed. It has two kinds of sunflower seed safflower raisins and cranberries. My sparrows love it. Great video Leslie.
Love my heated birdbath. So do The Juncos and cardinals. The tip for discouraging winter bathing using rocks is a good one! Thank you!
I just got one from Amazon and was worried about the birds tryin to bathe. Good tip with the rocks 🪨
Just ordered our heated bird bath for watering thru the winter... Thank you for the tip to place rocks in so as to avoid placing the birds in danger. ❤
As I was watching this, saw a red-bellied woodpecker at the hanging feeder out the front window. Just came in from shoveling and filling the feeders up. We received 2+" of snow last night here in Chicagoland, so the birds are looking for a handout if they can get one. Heard a cardinal calling this morning, so days are getting longer...
Sunny 🌞 here
My cat is not allowed out and can only window shop. Some of the blue jays look like small chickens. Great video as always and very educational
Window shop! That caused a big smile and a little giggle. Good for you. I have a small old dog and she just stares at them - thank goodness. I feed my seed on the patio in 4 trays. At night I gather the remainder, cover it with a big flowerpot and a couple heavy rocks so the mice can’t get in them. Hanging them causes scatter on the ground and doubles my work.
Why keep a cat in the first place?
Thank you for the warning about the wet food. I never knew it could make birds sick. Will be watching the food not to get moldy!
Christmas trees thrown on the curb is something I watch for every winter. They make great cover for birds coming for a dine & dash.
What an excellent and very detailed video, you covered everything one would need to know as a birder in order to help our little friends get through the winter. All important tips, some even life saving, for birds and humans!! Thanks Lesley 🐦💙
Glad you enjoyed it!
thank you ☺️ Lesley
great job 👍 Lesley
@@LesleytheBirdNerd i really like Birds 😊
@@LesleytheBirdNerd I really enjoyed the video too. I love birds. 😊💙👍
It's amazing truly amazing how they survive the harsh winter seasons!!!!
We have two stray cats that come to torment the birds that visit my deck feeders. We keep a Nerf gun (the type that shoots the yellow balls) at the deck door. The balls travel fast enough to scare the cats away without harming the cats.
We live in Oklahoma, it gets cold here in winter and love feeding our birds from cardinals to chickadees
This was a really helpful video! I've been feeding birds for a while, and it got into my head that they depend on my food. Thank you for reassuring and reminding us that birds can find food elsewhere. Also, I have a platform feeder, and it does get covered with snow. I will use your suggestion of not putting out so much food on snowy or rainy days. I fill up the bird feeder right before sunset because my cardinals come at dusk and dawn, and I want them to have a good meal at least twice a day before the doves and sparrows eat everything. Lol. The doves and sparrows are a little piggish, but I love watching them; they are such characters!
Glad you got something useful from the video. Wish I had Cardinals here, such nice birds
That's interesting, about the cardinals. I have the same issue with the sparrows being piggish and noticed that the cardinals only come to the feeders when the sparrows aren't around. I fill my feeders in the morning but will now top of at least one in the evening for the cardinals. Thanks!
@@sbffsbrarbrr I'm glad my comment was helpful to you! If you are trying to discourage House Sparrows from your feeders, you could try just offering large striped sunflower seeds and Nyjer, two seeds of which House Sparrows aren't very fond. In the springtime, (I hope) the House Sparrows will disperse to nest in separate territories.
@@LesleytheBirdNerd Birds do amazing things to survive☺️
I now will also follow the suggestion of less food in rain and snow. I never knew that!
I spread red and white millet on the ground in a wide area around the feeders to attract moles, voles, and other rodents to offer other food for hawks and owls. Cracked corn was also good.
Be careful you don't attract rats and mice too. You might want to feed them but they can end up in your house which is NOT good.
Loved this so much! My family and I just recently moved to Maine and I’ve been able to feed some Chickadees by calling to them! We’re working on developing our land and my plan isn’t to keep as many feeders as I used to on our property since we have acres of trees. I want to keep the birds in their natural habitat as much as possible but provide just enough help that it won’t be detrimental either. This information was so helpful! Thank you so much! ❤️
Thats awesome that you are doing that, best of luck to you.
Leslie, I didn't even think about cleaning the bird feeder every week! I've always done that with hummingbird feeders but not seed feeders, so thank you for that information! This is been very informative and very enjoyable! Take care and thank you for what you do!
I have my local wildlife rehabber's number saved in my phone. It saves a lot of time during an emergency. I also have a box, net, and gloves for catching various injured animals. I love seeing all the action at the suet feeder and it's interesting to see the woodpeckers use the tail prop just like you said!
I feed the crows to keep hawks away. It works where I live, because while it does get cold, the humidity is such that it doesn't snow much. Even those that do migrate come back. When I lived further south there were no crows. Now I have these guys and while they do keep others away when they are here, they know what time of day to come look and generally don't harass anyone all the rest of the day. Same time, same place every day they know to look for food. I don't give them goodies every day but I do it often enough that they keep patrolling and running off any hawks that come around.
My crows are also good "patrollers". I had a huge hawk problem the other day, but the crows did not tolerate the hawks and got rid of them fast. I always say that crows are welcome at my bird feeders. Crows are wonderful birds to have around! I admire their bravery and perseverance, traits that people should learn from crows rather than believing them to be harbingers of evil.
I’ve been using a heated bird bath for over 15 years and have never seen one take a bath unless the temperature was +\- 40F or above. I think their natural instincts give them more knowledge than we give them credit for.
I’m blessed with a large diversity of species here in Northern Michigan which cost me as much to feed as our own groceries! My wife thinks that we would go hungry before the critters!
Hello MY FAVORITE BIRDNERD... been feeding a wild hen that wanders the backyard... She comes in the mornings and other various times throughout the day.... Scraps from the kitchen and cracked corn which brings a selection of our feathered friends... And your favourite... BLUE JAYS!!!
I’ve purchased a heated bird bath and it works wonderfully, even at very low temperatures -30. I love feeding my birds and watching them throughout the day, black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts for the blue jays and suet. I’ve never seen the blue jays eat suet though. We’ve had quite a few redpolls come and feed in our yard lately and they especially love the sunflower kernels I put out! It’s too bad the kernels are so expensive because there’s no mess of empty sunflower shells. Another awesome and informative video, thank you Lesley!
Nice....
You could take the roasted peanut ( which is roasted and removed the shells) instead of the sunflower kernels then you crush the roasted peanuts into small pieces.the small birds could eat them easily.this will provide as much energy as the other kinds of seeds.if you feed them the minced dried 🌽 corn .that will be okay too.
My birds love the giant forsythia bush in my yard. It’s probably 10 feet across and 8 feet tall. Summer and winter it’s good protection from the hawks plus it’s not far from the feeders and baths. I’ve noticed also that the sparrows like to use bird houses a lot for shelter in the winter ❄️.
We have one too. Right next to the feeder. We have a Hawk try to get at my birds but they hide in bush.
They love the bird bath. They drink and in the warmer weather, take a bath. It needs to be cleaned and freshened each day. We have some great bushes for nesting and my dormant Trumpet vine is loaded with them. Several different kinds. I made suet for awhile but it was a pain and it was NOT "no melt" in the summer, as advertised and was a total mess so I buy.
This time of year, people throw out their xmas trees and I grab them as I know the birds like those. Some people take notice when I'm grabbing the the trees and I tell them that I have a wildlife sanctuary. My water feature is a repurposed satellite dish. I just pour hot water at the backside, and the ice slips right off. For the first time ever, I have a flock that went from over 22 mourning doves in the fall, to a max of 6 mourning doves now. One had her head scratch so her head feathers will never be the same. I make sure she is always set up with food and energy so her little head won't freeze. I was worried about her, but I just seen her hours ago so she survived the extreme cold so far. She has to make it through a few more extreme nights and I won't have to worry about her in regards to the cold.
Thank you for taking good care of your Mourning Doves. They are an overlooked species, but I find them to be very lovable. For one, they have a pleasant expression on their faces. Also, they can be so amusing to watch at the feeder. And of course, their allopreening courtship is soo special!! I had a flock of forty-six of them in my yard recently. Very sad about the decrease in your Mourning Dove population. I hope some more doves come your way!
@@susana.954 My absolute pleasure, Susan. And you had twice as many at 46 of them--wow! Thanks for your kindness towards your local birds as well. I love a lot about them. They way I friended them was to just give them a place to be. It used to be they were too big for my smaller birds feeders and just wanted a safe place to hang out. Then I said, I got to treat them too! So I tried out different ways of doing that. Then they started wanting to hang out at my windows, so I treated them there. The decrease in my local group is OK, it means that they found a better place than my place. They can come back when they want to. In two more months in late March, withing one week a lot of different birds will come back. I can't wait to see my 5-6 blue jays again and there was a robin I friended that I hope comes back. I hope you record or take pictures of your local visitors. Many people would love to see them.
@@WhistlesToAnimals Thanks for your nice reply!! It's so thoughtful of you to provide the Mourning Doves with their own special feeding places. :-) So funny how you mention the doves coming to your windows; I also had that experience! When I used to have a window bird feeder, the doves would come to a different windowsill, and I would sometimes put food out for them. It's almost as if they were asking me to since the windowsill with the feeder was always crowded. I am also looking forward to seeing the spring birds! Winter is nice for a time, but I already wish it were over. I do take photos, and submit them to the ebird/Macaulay Library website. It sounds like you would have some good footage too!
Enjoyed your video. I feed my birds all year round as I live on a farm, I have huge wooded areas and fields for many nesting birds. They live and shelter near my home, which I truly love. I even have a murder of crows showing up this winter. Needless to say I go though a lot of peanuts! I feel so lucky to enjoy all my family of birds. Again thank you for all the helpful info you share. Much love from Kentucky 😎
Love your videos. I have 4 feeders and so enjoy the feathered traffic. I have two of the heated bird baths you showed for 15 years Always busy with birds and squirrels. Blue Jay's come to my side door every morning for peanuts. They sit in the tree by the door and scream till I come out....lol
It is nice know that you are loved...even if only by the Blue Jays.😄
I’m pretty low-tech and really don’t know much about birds, so I just throw a handful each of unsalted peanuts in the shell, sunflower seeds, and a birdseed mix onto the ground in my front yard each morning. Have done this for years and love watching the birds and squirrels enjoy the treats. I live in zone 3, so it gets bitterly cold, yet even on the coldest of mornings they show up. It’s amazing.
This is my _GO TO_ channel when I’m burned out from the politics of the day. 😍❤️
Hi Leslie, Another thing I do is to let my flowers go to seed at the end of summer. I don't deadhead them and this leaves seeds for the birds to eat. They particularly like coneflower seeds.
Thanks for the informative video, Lesley. I have lots of left over lumber from other projects and will use it to make roosting boxes. We have dwarf Alberta Spruce trees that are very dense and the birds have been using them for their winter residence. As you mentioned, we have quite a few hawks hanging around hoping for an easy meal. I don't try to chase them off. They aren't evil. They are simply doing what nature prescribes for survival. Thanks again for the great video.
Love the way you said “ Don’t worry.”
Also love the way you say “out.”
I live in the city and it breaks my heart to see many pigeons starving on the severe cold winters so I start feeding them with the best grains & seeds food, of course I can't possibly to feed all neighborhoods but my birdies (40 of them) are well fed. I do it only trough the winter, in the summer there's plenty of food for them.
The more I learn about our amazing feathered friends the more I wish to help, as winter tough as they may already be!
Thank you so much for these tips! 🤗 🐦
Thanks for another lovely video. I’ve just got back from feeding my garden birds and cleaning/refilling the water trays. Within half a minute the feeding stations and baths were occupied 😃. This is a great hobby but, as you say, it needs to be done with due consideration and a bit of common sense.
Regards from Spain.
I spend a good amount of time outside in my yard. I see the drama and hardship of my feathered friends. Over the years I have adapted to help some of the birds that are here and don't travel south or come in from up north. I often am faced with deep snow on the feeders, like right now, when we have at least 2 feet of heavy wet snow and it is still snowing. I live in Northern Utah.
All your tips are spot on. I try to have the patio cleaned. Every morning in the winter the mourning doves flock in to get a bite. They are up before dawn and gone in a few minutes. I am amazed at their numbers. They are one of my favorites. And with the Eurasian doves and pigeons that have found my food, they are outnumbered and are the most hunted.
I find a lot of the same issues in the heat of the summer as well, before the fruit ripens. These birds have taught me how to live well and be happy with my warm house and my wonderful food supply that is readily available. You are a joy to listen to and I can tell you love these birds as I do. Thank you for helping me know that I am not so crazy for wanting to see these birds helped out if only just a little.
My birds are feeding now and I’m glad to help the. I use a heated bird bath.
In 2011 it was so cold birds were falling out of the trees frozen. I had two roosting boxes installed abt 50 ft apart but they never went in them.
In 2012, the same thing occurred.
Both years it was mentioned on the local news.
Should you ever read this Leslie, I am a daily bird (and squirrel) feeder for years. I had a regular Cardinal I called George and I fear he is no longer with us. But the other day a VERY STRANGE OCCURRENCE HAPPENED. 15-20 MALE CARDINALS IN MY APPLE TREE!!!!! AT ONCE!!!!! It was nasty weather yes. Upstate NY. 25 miles SE of Rochester. I have black oil seed and also the mix out in feeder and all along my deck rail. They are never going to run out. And peanuts for the Blue Jays. But the Cardinals showing up in that number was a one time occurrence. I see my regular male out there now in the apple tree. A small Ginger Gold. Well, the Blue Jays are calling me so must run.
Thanks for educating me about Suet. Also, I’m so glad you mentioned about the importance taking the feeders down when there’s a sick bird. Your correct, even by keeping the feeders clean, outbreaks and sickness can still happen.
Amazing how God made these creatures!❤
Hummingbirds (Anna’s) that stay in the north and don’t migrate REALLY do need our help in winter. No bugs, flowers, etc makes the need for clean nectar a big deal. And a heated one available, if possible! We get a couple of dozen sweet ones early so happy in snow/ice storms to find nectar that’s liquid early in the mornings! We can tell when neighbors forget this one step (providing one heated feeder) as we are suddenly inundated with overjoyed hummers. And they will begin making nests in Jan/Feb, typically when it’s the coldest!! Love your videos, I’m doing all you’ve mentioned!
My neighbor after deer hunting hangs the bones in trees in his back yard it looks crazy , but his back yard is full of woodpeckers all winter. central Minnesota
Frank
Some others in comments mentioned something similar.
Thank you for all you do! Our new house should be ready in the next 3 week. I can't wait to get out of our apartment and into the house so I can put my feeders out!
I live in a second floor apartment (since retirement and selling the house).
My wife and I still love watching the birds tho, so we set up feeders.
I started with an inexpensive plastic ‘house’ that has clear plastic funneled down walls. I found the openings at the walls too narrow for sunflower seeds or if snow gets in, causing the openings to clog. So I dremeled the openings a bit larger.
Next a standard suet cage.
Both feeder and cage I mounted to a wooden cutting board. Then under the cutting board I added 2 ‘sides’ of wood to hold the cutting board to my balcony railing. With just a simple hole drilled at each end for a string tie down.
We have chickadees, nuthatch, and sparrows in abundance! And it’s always exciting to see a ‘new’ visitor species.
*Winnipeg, Canada.
PS. Oh and I get a lot of birds hater screaming at me and even warning to call the Police but I ignore them. Wish we'd have more good people. Thx for a great video, hope it will transform some birds haters.
Hey Lesley! Another good informational video, thank you. We don't get much snow over here in the PNW, but when we do, like a couple of weeks ago, about 8 t0 10 inches, it only lasts for a few days. Anyway, one of the things I do for the ground feeders is, I have an old card table I have set up with a big rock slab under it that I spread the seeds on. Works really well and the birds seem to know what time of day the neighbor cat will be out, and they keep an eye out.
Great advice. Several 'don'ts' I hadn't thought about, which are just as important as the 'dos'!
Absolutely!
Hi, Lesley - there’s so much in this video! I live in southeast Virginia where we usually get one light snowfall per winter that melts fairly quickly. But it does get cold at night - now down to or just below freezing, and sometimes it even drops below 20 F. I’ve tried to set up my yard for bird and squirrel feeding. A couple of comments on suet: I switched out my vertical feeder for one that hangs so the cake is horizontal under a roof - because the grackles had been eating up all the suet! But now no bird goes to that feeder. My woodpeckers go to the other foods I provide. I put bark butter on my trees and they really like that. I don’t use a heated birdbath, but I pour room-temperature water in the baths when I clean them, and the birds seem happy with that. A couple of weeks ago I found a goldfinch with avian conjunctivitis on a platform feeder - I tried to capture it to take it to the wildlife rehabilitator, but it was able to escape from me despite its weakness. I took down all the feeders and moved them inside for a good cleaning and sanitization, but then lost my balance among them and fell, spraining my ankle! So for about 12 days I had to rest inside and was unable to get into my yard. I’ve recovered well enough to put the cleaned feeders back up, and by this time I hope the disease is gone. The birds seem pretty happy.
I’ve used an aquarium heater in my birdbath to keep the water open. Just make sure you keep enough water in the bath to cover the heater.
I've checked most of the suggestions with the exception of the water. It's been so frigid in Upstate NY that I'm certain the water would freeze within a couple hours. I really liked the idea of placing rocks so they don't attempt to bathe in the water. Thanks again!
Nice job explaining that birds need to find their natural food once spring arrives. Not a good idea to feed them all year. Thanks for your great videos
Beautiful ... My little garden Angels love the fat balls and sunflower seeds, raisins and fresh water, and a good shelter:)
I didn’t know a lot of these tips- especially about putting rocks in a birdbath to prevent them bathing in their drinking water. It’s something I never thought of.
I’m very conscious of diseases in birds, I would empty the feeder if there’s an outbreak. Frequently our DEC posts on the news if we need to stop feeding.
Thanks Lesley for an informative channel 🐦❤️
Such great info as always. I didn't realize about the heated bird bath dangers. I've changed my mind about wanting one now. I'll continue just setting out shallow plates throughout the warmer days.
Here we are over winter again! My cardinals and finches certainly know whose feeding them. It's gorgeous out back!❤️!
: ))
@@BirdBath1 right on! 😉🐦 Thanks!
@@ginafriend1690 look at my bird
Just recently, I started putting out seeds on my concrete window ledge -- each morning here in Philly.
Now it's the first thing I do -- even before coffee
That's love.
I secure a black garbage bag over my (plastic) watering dish to absorb heat from the sun, adding water on top of the plastic. For Georgia winters it’s helpful.
I see goldfinches & bluebirds at the suet feeder. With 2 hopper feeders, 1 open tray & 1 covered tray - there’s enough for everyone.
Such a great video! I love the thumbnail! Thanks for making this Lesley, have a good rest of your weekend
I like your pfp Coby the bird nerd😊
Great idea about the rocks added to the heated bath. 👍 😊
I periodically put a small pet bowl of water on my deck for them but it freezes quickly as it's very cold here. Minus 12 celcius at the moment and that's actually warm 😂 It's been minus 30 for the past few weeks and minus 40 or more overnight. I feed them black sunflower seeds, suet, apple pieces, unsalted peanuts in a cylinder peanut feeder and loose unsalted peanuts 🥜 in the shell for the Jays.
Some natural peanut butter on bread when it's super cold. I don't get much action at my niger feeder.
My visitors are Blue Jays, Black-capped Chickadees, Finch, Junco, Evening and Pine Grosbeaks, Downy Woodpeckers, Wren, and Partridge on occasion ☺
Great video ☺ 👍
Hi, I like the idea of spreading some peanut butter on bread (I might toast it), though I have heard its important to mix flour in with the P.B. 🤔
If you have vinyl siding as I do: being older, I now spread mixed seed (adding more sunflower) on my living room window sill. I get lots of birds, including the downies. It’s easy to clear and clean. Some naturally spills for the ground birds. Just a large cup when I get up and before bed. I add more during winter storms.
Buying a heated birdbath was the best investment I ever made! We get birds who aren't interested in the feeders, but spend several minutes drinking their fill. The squirrels and chipmunks like it too. It doesn't look like much, just a shallow plastic pan with a plug that sits on a metal ring that can be mounted in various ways, or just set on the ground (we have ours on a section of a garden shelf unit we took apart so the unit is actually off the ground). The pan lifts right out without having to be unscrewed or anything. This makes it easy to keep clean. I rinse and change out the water at least 2 or 3 times a day (or more depending on water level and if the starlings have been using the bath as a personal toilet). It also makes it easy to take the pan into the house and really scrub it out with very warm water and dish soap. The unit has a thermostat that will turn on when the temperature drops to freezing, and turns off when the temperature goes up. The water is heated just enough to keep it liquid so you don't have to worry about accidentally scalding your bird friends. The outdoor temperatures here can drop below 0 F (-17.78 C). Sometimes the outer rim will get a bit slushy, but the middle stays liquid providing you don't let the water level get too low. When the last of the winter freezes are over, we unplug the unit altogether.
So far, I think we have had the birdbath at least 4-5 years.
Thank you for the wonderful winter feeding video. I felt good in that I have already been practicing many of your recommendations. In Michigan, recently it has been very cold and we have had a lot of birds of many varieties at our feeders. However, we have had more squirrels this year than ever before. We have had a variety of squirrels which are also fun to watch, but they monopolize the feeders and keep the birds away. I tried having a separate squirrel feeder, but they still come to the bird feeders.
Thanks for putting this together, Lesley! Good info and beautiful video!!❤️💙
Helping birds in winter could be tough because of introduced species such as cats and unpleasant garden visitors such as Cooper’s hawks that feed primarily on songbirds and mourning doves.
Birds are so precious and such a joy to watch.
I guess I’m doing a good job with my birdie friends. I love them so much. Lots of bears around, so I only feed late November until March as my feeders have gone missing more than once. Thanks, Lesley!
Nicely done! I really like the idea of having bird box with the hole at the bottom for roosting- will certainly give that a try. :^)
Have a great week- stay toasty!
Hey Todd
Yeah pretty neat way to get a second use from a nest box
Thanks Lesley. Good advice and tips are always appreciated.
I FEED our Birds MORE feed than I feed all our horses?!?!!;))But, the horses ALWAYS have access to fresh Hay & water 24/7!! I save all Lard from butchering, & make my own suet blocks!:) THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR INFORMATIVE VIDEOS!!:)⭐️♥️♥️♥️
Love your videos, Leslie! Thanks for sharing!! ❤🐦❤
Hello and thank you. Really enjoy your videos. I love watching my bird friends at the feeder during this rough time of the year. Have a great day!!!!
Have a warm smile 😃..
I'm amazed that birds have been living in the wild for millions of years!!!! Wow thanks lady . . . Smfh
I’ve just got a new place with a little patio (northern IL), and I’ve been scattering seeds and nuts and watching squirrels, chipmunks, and the cutest little Dark Eyed Juncos, which I had only identified yesterday but I see you have some, too! I do hope to help all these little critters this winter so thank you for these tips! I have ordered a covered feeder with a mesh bottom, as well as a separate squirrel feeder. 😊 I’m sorry to say we do have some cats around, even though they are technically not allowed outside in my neighborhood.
Thank Lesley you for this wonderful information!❤️
We have the sweetest couple of wrens that have taken up nightly winter residence on a piece of expandable foam against the side of our house up under our back porch. They ripped the foam off just enough to make a tiny little platform where they hunker down every night. I’m obsessed with them now😂
Elizabeth
I think I would be to. That's to sweet
Thank you for posting this video!
Love this video! I always try to look after the birds especially during winter. When I see them looking for food, I have to help.
Leslie your videos are amazing I really love them thank you so much !!!!!!❤
Thank you Lesley, lot's of great information!
Glad it was helpful!
Ti build a roof that will keep rain and snow off the food on a rectangular flat feeder, preferably with a screen floor for drainage, you can mount a piece of plexiglass at the 4 corners, making sure it has some pitch.
It’s a little harder to fill a roofed feeder from the ground so I mounted a tin can onto a stick with a sheet metal screw through the bottom of the can. I scoop the foods into the sides of the feeder. So leave room to do this by raising the roof.
This works great for us in Ohio.
My bird feeder has been a highway lately! Very relaxing to watch. Thanks for all the tips Leslie.
Thank you Leslie because this video will by itself save many birds.
I’ve been doing many of these winter feeding tips at our house during winters in Ohio but you taught me a few new tricks.
Awesome John 🐦🙂
I love your videos Lesley! Thanks for all the tips and sending good vibes from Oregon
I am getting into Project FeederWatch and the Great Backyard Bird Count. I have had a lot of fun putting up a tube feeder with black oil sunflower, which I top off daily. I also serve Peanuts in the shell and have 6 blocks of suet and suet combined with peanut butter. I have an exceptionally tall feeder, having added an extra section of pole into it as my Squirrel Buster feeders are physically long and hang closer to the ground, a risk if feral cats are near. (Four feet isnt enough. The bottom of my lowest feeder is about 8 feet) I "manage" my feeders using a pole to reach them. I had an interesting experience this weekend with the male Cardinal the frequents my feeders. I was on the other side of my house, passing under a tremendous over-arching bush. The cardinal was in it, singing loudly, and looking down at me! I walked to my mailbox and got the mail and passed under the bush again with the fully aware Cardinal happily singing above me. What a great moment! I had seen the bird many times as I refilled the sunflower seed and suet. I wonder if he contects the lady with the long white pole that provides food with the one who was m getting her mail? Leslie, you did a beautiful job here!