Gary’s Blog 2-11-2010 Time to Help the Birds

   The snow and cold weather has made it difficult for many birds to feed. The birds that winter in Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest are hardy and make due with the seeds that they can forage, but during “tough’ winters it is helpful to feed birds to carry them through the tough times. If you feed birds keep doing it and don’t stop because they will learn to depend on you.

I feed birds year-round, so I always have some birds in my yard. I go through over 100 pounds of black-oil sunflowers a week which to me is worth the enjoyment that I get out of watching birds. I always have juncos, sparrows, wrens, blue jays, cardinals, doves, downey woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, red-headed woodpeckers, pine sisterns, crows, and finches to name the regulars.   Photos by Gary Engberg Outdoors

I had over 40 cardinals at one time the other night. Cardinals are the first to feed in the morning and last at night. Most birds have a specific time when they feed. Only during severe weather do they all feed together. The snow has made it tough because I’m now having wild turkeys come and feed. I had 1 turkey to begin with and now I have 6 that fly over 300 yards from across the Wisconsin River to feed on sunflowers on the ground. It’s amazing to see those big turkeys run a few steps and beat their wings, glide, and beat again and make it across the River.  

I’ve been able to photograph them through my windows. But, I can’t sneak outside without them spooking and flying away. But, I’ll keep trying.

I also have been getting a pheasant or two feeding. A few Sharp-shinned hawks come and grab a bird now and then. I also have a pair of eagles that roost in a riverside tree and watch for fish swimming by on the open water.

Today, I also had a Pileated woodpecker on a tree pounding away. I only see them 10 or 12 tims a year and today was one of those days!

Keep feeding during these tough winter days. I thought that you’d enjoy a photo that I took this morning with the frost on the trees along the Wisconsin River. The river has some Mergansers, Goldeneyes, and Buffleheads regularly too.